Austal USA’s 127-metre trimaran Littoral Combat Ship, LCS 2 ‘Independence’, has been christened in front of over 1,000 guests and dignitaries during an official ceremony held at its Mobile, Alabama shipyard.
The General Dynamics LCS Team, within which Austal is ship designer and builder, christened the state-of-the-art combat ship on October 4 on the waters of Mobile Bay, with Austal USA’s recently launched 113-metre catamaran built for Hawaii Superferry alongside. Speakers at the Christening Ceremony included Secretary of the US Navy, the Honourable Donald Winter, who commented on the importance of the vessel to the Navy’s future defence efforts. “USS ‘Independence’ will play a pioneering role in our Nation’s effort to protect our interests and to ensure the stability of the global economy,” Secretary Winter said. The LCS 2 is the first ship built by Austal USA for the US Navy and the Navy’s first trimaran Littoral Combat Ship. It is the first naval warship constructed in Mobile, Alabama since World War II. Since its keel laying in January 2006, ‘Independence’ has steadily progressed within Austal USA’s purpose built construction facility in Mobile, Alabama, toward becoming a formidable warship. The christening ceremony offered the shipbuilder the opportunity to display the progress made thus far to over 1,000 participants. The 127-metre Austal trimaran seaframe is the platform for the LCS’s mission and weapon systems.
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Friday, October 10, 2008
Occidental nabs two fields in Abu Dhabi
Occidental Petroleum Corp. signed a preliminary agreement with Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. to appraise and develop the Ramhan oil and gas field offshore the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Jarn Yaphour field onshore.
Oxy will operate both fields and hold a 100 percent interest in newly created concessions. The Ramhan discovery, located in very shallow water near the Abu Dhabi refinery, was tested in 1992 and flowed at a combined rate of 1,750 b/d of oil and 14 MMcf/d of gas from one well. Appraisal activities will commence immediately and, if technically and commercially successful, production from the Ramhan initial development is also expected to be in the 10,000 BOE/d range. First production from the field could commence as early as 2011. The Jarn Yaphour field is located onshore near the capital city of Abu Dhabi. Development activities at the field will commence immediately and first production from the field is expected in 2009. Gross production from the initial development is anticipated to be around 10,000 BOE/d. Total capital investment in both development projects is expected to be in the range of US$500 million over the next three to four years. In addition to the initial field developments, this investment will include further field appraisal activities to determine the full upside potential of each area.
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Oxy will operate both fields and hold a 100 percent interest in newly created concessions. The Ramhan discovery, located in very shallow water near the Abu Dhabi refinery, was tested in 1992 and flowed at a combined rate of 1,750 b/d of oil and 14 MMcf/d of gas from one well. Appraisal activities will commence immediately and, if technically and commercially successful, production from the Ramhan initial development is also expected to be in the 10,000 BOE/d range. First production from the field could commence as early as 2011. The Jarn Yaphour field is located onshore near the capital city of Abu Dhabi. Development activities at the field will commence immediately and first production from the field is expected in 2009. Gross production from the initial development is anticipated to be around 10,000 BOE/d. Total capital investment in both development projects is expected to be in the range of US$500 million over the next three to four years. In addition to the initial field developments, this investment will include further field appraisal activities to determine the full upside potential of each area.
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Sigma Tankers Expands Fleet
Heidmar Inc. announced that Mercator Lines Limited of India China Shipping Development and Conti Reederei of Germany will be joining the Sigma Tankers pool.
Emirates Trading Agency of Dubai an existing member of both Sigma and the Heidmar managed Dorado Tankers pool, will also be entering two more vessels into Sigma Tankers. Mercator and China Shipping, also members of the Dorado Tankers pool, will enter one vessel each into Sigma Tankers. Conti will take delivery of two coated LR2 tankers from Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2009. These two vessels have been fixed on time charters and will be entered into Sigma Tankers at the end of these charters. Sigma Tankers recently entered the clean LR2 trade with the delivery of two newbuildings in July and September. Further expansion into this market will continue with three additional LR2 tankers being delivered to the pool over the next four months by China Shipping and by ETA. These and other committed ships will bring the Sigma Tankers vessel count to over 30 ships by early 2009. In addition, Sigma Pool members have more than 30 aframax and LR2 tankers on order.
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Emirates Trading Agency of Dubai an existing member of both Sigma and the Heidmar managed Dorado Tankers pool, will also be entering two more vessels into Sigma Tankers. Mercator and China Shipping, also members of the Dorado Tankers pool, will enter one vessel each into Sigma Tankers. Conti will take delivery of two coated LR2 tankers from Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2009. These two vessels have been fixed on time charters and will be entered into Sigma Tankers at the end of these charters. Sigma Tankers recently entered the clean LR2 trade with the delivery of two newbuildings in July and September. Further expansion into this market will continue with three additional LR2 tankers being delivered to the pool over the next four months by China Shipping and by ETA. These and other committed ships will bring the Sigma Tankers vessel count to over 30 ships by early 2009. In addition, Sigma Pool members have more than 30 aframax and LR2 tankers on order.
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Race begins for Kangean FPSOs
Floating production contractors are queuing up for a tilt at two separate vessels required on Kangean Energy Indonesia's (KEI) delayed development of the Kangean oil and gas block off East Java, Indonesia.
KEI has been in the market for more than a year for a small floating production, storage and offloading vessel for oil and in recent weeks has indicated it also wants an FPSO for gas. KEI comprises Indonesia's Energi Mega Persada (EMP) with 50% interest and Japanese companies Mitsubishi and Japex, which farmed into the block last year. For the marginal oil project, several FPSO companies have been waiting on the KEI group to make up its mind about its floater requirements, and clarity is now emerging. It is understood a small FPSO is needed with storage capacity for about 300,000 barrels of oil. A lease contract of two to three years is on the table, with Modec, BW Offshore, Sea Production and Songa Floating Production (formerly Nortechs) among the bidders.
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KEI has been in the market for more than a year for a small floating production, storage and offloading vessel for oil and in recent weeks has indicated it also wants an FPSO for gas. KEI comprises Indonesia's Energi Mega Persada (EMP) with 50% interest and Japanese companies Mitsubishi and Japex, which farmed into the block last year. For the marginal oil project, several FPSO companies have been waiting on the KEI group to make up its mind about its floater requirements, and clarity is now emerging. It is understood a small FPSO is needed with storage capacity for about 300,000 barrels of oil. A lease contract of two to three years is on the table, with Modec, BW Offshore, Sea Production and Songa Floating Production (formerly Nortechs) among the bidders.
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HHI delivers new UASC ship
Seoul: United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has taken delivery of the seventh A7 ship in a series of eight sister vessels built by Hyundai Heavy industries.
The Qatar flagged 6919teu vessel has been named Al Hilal and will be deployed on the Asia-Middle East-Europe Container service. It is capable of carrying load 459feu of reefer containers and also equipped to transport hazardous cargoes. At the naming ceremony in Korea last month, UASC president and CEO Ken Bloch Soerensen, thanked Hyundai, Schiffko and UASC teams for a superb job in controlling and supporting the building and delivery of hull no. 1838 and the first 6 ships in the series, well ahead of the contracted delivery time.
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The Qatar flagged 6919teu vessel has been named Al Hilal and will be deployed on the Asia-Middle East-Europe Container service. It is capable of carrying load 459feu of reefer containers and also equipped to transport hazardous cargoes. At the naming ceremony in Korea last month, UASC president and CEO Ken Bloch Soerensen, thanked Hyundai, Schiffko and UASC teams for a superb job in controlling and supporting the building and delivery of hull no. 1838 and the first 6 ships in the series, well ahead of the contracted delivery time.
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