Sembcorp Marine building FSO for Maersk Oil’s Culzean field

Singapore’s Sembcorp Marine will design and build a new floating, storage and offloading (FSO) vessel for Japanese’ Modec. 

The FSO will be deployed at Maersk Oil’s high-pressure/ high-temperature field in the North Sea – the Culzean.

According to Sembcorp Marine, this will be the company’s first FSO newbuilding secured on a full turnkey project basis including engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC). Modec will supply the internal turret and topside modules which Sembcorp Marine will install and integrate.

Sateesh Dev, President of MODEC Offshore Production Systems, a subsidiary of Modec, said: “We have been long-time partners with Sembcorp Marine for our conversion projects and we have seen Sembcorp Marine’s strong track record in delivering quality vessels and rigs. As such, we are pleased to continue our partnership with SCM for this new build FSO meant for operation in the UK sector of the North Sea.”

William Gu Wei Guang, Head of Sembcorp Marine Rigs & Floaters, said: “This is our 24th project working with MODEC and the first new build FSO for SCM Rigs & Floaters. The FSO will be built using our facilities at Tuas Boulevard Yard. We thank MODEC for placing their confidence and trust in us.”

The FSO is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2018. When completed, the FSO will be deployed at Maersk Oil’s Culzean field, the largest new oil and gas field to have been discovered in the North Sea for a decade, and recently approved by the UK Oil & Gas Authority for development.

The Culzean field will be developed using three bridge-linked platforms: a wellhead platform where drilling and production takes place; a central processing facility where the produced gas and
condensate are processed and exported; and utilities and living quarters, providing accommodation, living space and services for the crew.

Gas will be exported to the CATS pipeline, coming onshore at Teeside, with condensate exported via a short pipeline to a Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel for offload to tanker.