Arup, a multidisciplinary engineering and consulting firm has announced the completion of the installation of the Malampaya depletion compression platform (DCP), a new offshore natural gas platform installed in the West Philippine Sea off the coast of Palawan, Philippines. Following the completion of substructure engineering design in early 2014, Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) appointed Arup to provide engineering support services for the fabrication and installation of the self-installing substructure. The completed facility supports the extension of the Philippines only indigenous producing natural gas source, which provides 40-50% of the power generation needs for the island of Luzon, the largest and most populous island of the Philippines.
Working closely with the SPEX site team and the fabrication contractor, Arup oversaw the modularization and integration of the substructure in the dry-dock utilizing the 1500 ton gantry crane specifically mobilized for the project. The complex soil conditions at the installation location required a novel seabed removal and rock replacement solution to ensure stability of the gravity based foundations. Arup provided technical supervision throughout these offshore works and actively participated in the installation planning and execution for the 13,000 ton self-installing platform, which saw the successful jack up of the platform in less than 24 hours without incident. The platform was successfully installed within the installation tolerance of one meter from the set-out point, ensuring the interconnecting bridges to the existing platform could be installed without any modification.
Arup has been involved with this project since 1998 when it was commissioned to conduct feasibility studies and front end engineering design (FEED). This led to engineer procure and construction (EPC) phases for the initial development and included the Arup concrete gravity substructure (CGS) solution. In 2010 Arup was engaged by SPEX to develop the second fixed platform substructure. Studies were performed for floating stability, vessel sea-tow response, installation and ballasting sequence and post-installation wave and seismic performance. Arup's substructure design was an adaption of the firm's Arup concept elevation (ACE) platform.
In addition to designing the substructure, Arup developed the concept for the 43m bridge link connecting the platform to the existing CGS platform Arup delivered in 2000. The Arup construction phase team supported SPEX in a variety of procurement, quality and operational matters during pre-fabrication onshore and the critical offshore installation activities.
Image: Malampaya ACE platform/Arup
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