Seawork 1 jack-up repaired in Namibia

Ship repair company Elgin Brown & Hamer (EBH) Namibia recently secured the contract to dock and repair the jack-up oil rig, Seawork 1 at the newly-acquired Panamax floating dock in Walvis Bay.

The project entailed the rig being lifted clear out of the water to facilitate repair work – a first for EBH Namibia. The company is able to carry out this specialised work thanks to its investment last year in a new Panamax-sized floating dock, which, at an impressive 195 meters long and a 15 000 ton rigging capacity, is suitable for a project of this size.

“It is the first time in Namibia that such an oil rig has been lifted clear out of the water for repair and maintenance. It was gratifying to see the new floating dock being utilised for such a ground-breaking project, fulfilling our vision of innovatively serving the international oil and gas market,” says Hannes Uys, Chief Executive Officer of EBH Namibia.

Seawork 1, which arrived in Walvis Bay on 20 February and docked a day later, belongs to Perenco, an independent oil and gas company with operations in sixteen countries across the globe. The rig is currently operational off the coast of Gabon.

“We are pleased to have had access to a shipyard of such high standards as EBH Namibia in Walvis Bay, and the strategic location of the facility on the west coast of Africa was an important consideration in awarding the contract,” says Pierre Loiselet from Perenco.

The jack-up rig is involved in work-over oil well interventions, one of the most complex and challenging types of well works, according to Uys. Scope of work included steelwork, piping, sandblasting and coatings, carpentry, engine works and repairs to the rig’s spud cans.

“We are honoured that Perenco recognised our reputation for international standards of workmanship, as well as our infrastructural capacity, and their patronage is a huge vote of confidence in us. Projects such as this provide a direct injection into the local economy and set the bar for future endeavours in the global offshore market,” Uys concludes.