Page 40: of Marine News Magazine (April 2006)

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40 • MarineNews • April 2006

Well Intervention

ECO has joined forces with a Norwegian company in the building of three UT737L class vessels for well inter- vention and similar operations. The joint venture is called

Offshore Shipholding LP. The first vessel delivered was called the Island Frontier and Island Scout has also joined the fleet.

The 347.7 ft. vessels use four Bergen main propulsion engines and two 1190 kW gensets, also powered by

Bergen.

A work ROV and an observation ROV are a part of the equipment and the vessel is classified DP3. The vessel each feature a moon pool and a National Oilwell tower system sits over the moonpool and is especially designed for handling a seven-inch sub sea lubricator.

In addition to well intervention, the vessels can be used for sub sea support and for inspection and maintenance.

Crew/Supply Boats

These fast, all-aluminum vessels represent a departure from the norm for Chouest. None are built by the two

Chouest shipyards. For the past few years, all have been built by Breaux Brothers Enterprises, Loreauville, La. and all are 160-ft. long vessels with a 30-ft. beam.

In the past few months, Chouest has taken delivery of two such vessels and recently signed a contract with

Breaux Brothers Enterprises for nine more over the next two years.

As is the case with about all Chouest vessels, main power is Caterpillar in this case a quartet of Caterpillar 3512 HD rated at 6,700 hp total output. A pair of Thrust- master 200 HP tunnel thrusters are onboard as well as two 80 kW gensets. Top speed is 26 knots. The vessels have a clear deck cargo area of 98 x 26 ft. for a total area of 2,548 sq. ft. Deck cargo capacity is 285 long tons and deadweight tonnage is 370 long tons.

Fuel oil capacity is 23,655 gallons that can be dis- charged at 240 gpm at 140 ft. Ballast water capacity is 36,293 gallons. The vessel also has tankage for 900 gal- lons of potable water. These vessels are classified under

ABS High Speed Regulations and are ABS Loadlined as well as USCG certified.

Liftboats

Long an industry leader in the building of supply boats

ECO will enter the growing liftboat market with a con- tract recently signed with Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport,

La. for the construction of two 245-ft. class liftboats.

The Bollinger design is ABS classed and USCG certi- fied Subchapter L meeting SOLAS/MARPOL require- ments. The two vessels will be equipped with three 245- ft. legs enabling it to work in 180-ft. deep water

Liftboats are basically workspaces with heavy lift cranes as well as accommodations for workers. These vessels will have a bow mounted primary crane with 110- ft. lattice boom rated at 175 tons, a 50-ton telescoping crane and a 25-ton box boom crane.

To be built at Bollinger's Lockport facility, the liftboats are scheduled for first quarter 2007 and second quarter 2007 delivery. "Other" Vessels

One of the most interesting aspects of ECO is the "spe- cial" vessels they build. For example, at the end of last year, the company built a 348-ft. survey support ship for

Northrop Grumman. Called the Sea Venture, the vessel is home ported in Port Hueneme, Calif. and will be used "to support advanced development and testing of new and improved materials, equipment, systems and techniques directed toward maritime applications,"

ECO has long been involved in the Navy's Deep Sub- mergence Recovery Vehicles program and has built sev- eral ships to support those deep diving vessels as well as building and crewing the polar research ships Nathaniel

B. Palmer and Laurence M. Gould, that spends most of their time at the South Pole.

Other activities

Not all of the Chouest building activity is centered on ships. At the center of the company's activities at Port

Fourchon, La. is C-Port and C-Port 2, what Gary Chouest calls his version of Walmart. It is literally a one-stop shop for all of ECO's deepwater operations. C-Port features nine covered slips under contract to various operators for loading and unloading supplies. C-Port opened in 1997 with 62 offshore vessels calling the facility home, ser- viced by a staff of 75 Chouest employees.

Like a lot of good ideas, C-Port became an instant suc- cess and was soon bursting at the seams. ECO then built

C-Port 2 with another nine slips opening in three phases starting in 1999. More recently ECO signed a contract to build a 122,000 square ft. storage and preservation facil- ity in Houma, La., for British Petroleum to support its deepwater operations. The facility will be operational in late 2006. ECO is a bell weather indicator as to the health of the offshore oil supply industry especially in the

Gulf of Mexico. With this flurry of activity, Chouest seems to be signaling the industry is in for a period of sustained growth.

Circle 236 on Reader Service Card

Circle 231 on Reader Service Card

Stern view of the new crew/supply boat Fast Tempo, emphasizing the rear cargo deck and the growing importance of the cargo carrying ability of these speedy vessels.

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