DCD Marine Cape Town ‘On a Roll’ in 2014

DCD Marine Cape Town, an oil and gas upstream service provider from South Africa, is ‘on a roll’ with a number of projects already underway this year for the oil and gas sector.

With the commencement of three large projects towards the latter part of 2013, intense planning and execution has seen the company’s operations at their fullest capacity in years.

“The oil and gas industry tends to be very volatile and cyclical, and so we have built up a capacity for flexibility as things can change quickly,” says Gerry Klos, General Manager of DCD Marine Cape Town. “The solid relationships we have built up with clients such as Transocean and Saipem also enable us to provide a reliable service even in challenging circumstances.”

Some of DCD Marine Cape Town’s current projects commenced during the festive season, posing challenges in terms of labour supply, as well as suppliers and subcontractors who usually close over this period. However, many of the company’s service providers are aware of the cyclical nature of the business and have been very flexible concerning DCD Marine Cape Town’s – and ultimately their clients’ – requirements, notes Klos.

DCD Marine Cape Town prides itself on its reputation in the global shipping industry as a safe, responsible shipyard, offering a level of service in line with international standards, with safety and quality as top priorities. The company has a large footprint in the Port of Cape Town with workshops and offices next to the Sturrock Dry Dock, as well as at their A-Berth facility.

DCD Marine Cape Town has invested heavily in the A-Berth facility in an effort to create a dedicated berth for oil and gas projects, and has since been reaping the rewards. The company also recently built a new 600m² blasting and coating booth which is now fully operational.

Projects currently underway at DCD Marine Cape Town include maintenance and upgrade works on two semi-submersible drilling rigs, the Transocean Marianas, which arrived in October 2013 at Repair Quay, and Saipem’s Scarabeo 7, which arrived at A-Berth during December 2013. The Transocean Marianas project has involved 373 035 man-hours to date.

The scope of work for the Marianas includes the replacement of approximately 25 tons of steel, extensive pipework in various areas on the rig, mechanical work and hydraulic work. For Scarabeo 7, the project includes the renewal of approximately 245 tons of steel, repairs to the thrusters and the fabrication, installation and outfitting of a new accommodation module. Up to 4.5km of pipework has been replaced on the vessel. The Scarabeo 7 project has entailed of 565 476 man-hours to date, with a total of 3 620 people being inducted into the project.

Another project underway is the Western Trident, which is currently undergoing repairs in the Sturrock Dry Dock. The scope of work for the seismic vessel includes repairs to the tailshafts and rudders, upgrade of the lifeboat davits, the installation of a new transom as well as blasting and coating in various areas of the vessel.

DCD Marine Cape Town’s operations are not limited to the Port of Cape Town. In Saldanha Bay, the company has just completed the special periodic survey on the semi-submersible drilling rig, the Transocean Sedco 702. The scope of work, with 2 504 inductions and 376 398 man-hours, includes upgrades to the lifeboats, davits and winches, steel replacement, tank cleaning and the UWILD (underwater inspection in-lieu of dry docking) survey of the vessel.

While DCD Marine Cape Town has a permanent workforce of approximately 200 people, the company recruits employees on a short-term contract basis for the duration of a project. The company’s on-site training centre, recently accredited by Merseta (Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority), will continue to train more and more artisans in an effort to create a meaningful skills pool for the oil and gas industry.

“We look forward to the successful completion of all these projects and another busy year of servicing the upstream oil and gas sector,” says Klos.

“A key part of our plan for the year is to further our mission to up skill and develop our workforce. Our people are our greatest asset, and the rigorous training and skills development programme we have in place will ensure ongoing excellence in service delivery, not matter how busy we are,” he concludes.

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DCD Marine Cape Town, February 20, 2014