DNV Wins Delta House Floater Classification Contract

DNV Wins Delta House Floater Classification Contract

DNV has been awarded the classification contract for a new build floating production semi-submersible platform for the GoM. The Delta House floater will be operated by LLOG Exploration Company, a premier private exploration and production company in the Gulf of Mexico.

Following a detailed review of DNV rules and procedures, the U. S. Coast Guard has confirmed that they will accept plan review and inspection functions conducted by DNV for the Delta House floater as part of the unit’s certification under Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations. This follows from a general acceptance given by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2007 and provides a new option for owners and operators of offshore floating units.

DNV has carried out extensive verification and independent analysis for many GoM floaters throughout the past 20 years, including many high profile failure and accident investigations. DNV has a wide portfolio of CVA and development projects for the oil and gas industry in the GoM. DNV was also the classification society and CVA for the first FPSO for the Cascade and Chinook field in the US GOM.

DNV will carry out approvals for classification and verification work, and surveys related to activities in the US. DNV is also the Certified Verification Agent (CVA) for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) for the structure, mooring and riser, which will all be executed from the Houston office. The Design Basis Agreement for Delta House, as approved by the Coast Guard, is based largely on DNV’s offshore rules for a FOI (Floating Offshore Installation).

The hull design is based on EXMAR Offshore Company’s proprietary OPTI-11000® and will be fabricated in Korea, at Hyundai Heavy Industries. The topside production system is designed by New Orleans based Audubon Engineering Company, with fabrication and integration with the hull at the Kiewit Offshore Services Yard in Ingleside, Texas. The completed FOI (Floating Offshore Installation) will be installed in the deep water US Gulf on the Mississippi Canyon block 254. Fabrication of the hull starts early 2013 for planned production in 2015.

DNV is currently also classifying 8 new building projects, OSVs, diving support vessels and a US Flag ro-ro/container ship for the U.S. Jones Act trade, that are at various stages of construction in U.S yards in the Gulf and on the East Coast.

Globally, DNV’s market share of classification contracts awarded for new buildings in 2012 were as follows:

  • FPSO/FSRU: 70%
  • Drillships: 30%
  • Semi-submersibles: 60%

 

Press Release, February 28, 2013