Keppel FELS/Technip completes P-52 FPU

The consortium of Keppel FELS and Technip has completed the offshore mating of the 25,000-tonne topside and the 4,500-tonne spider deck with hull structure, weighing 17,500 tonnes, for one of the world?s largest floating production platforms, the P-52, in Brazil.

Considered the most challenging phases in the construction of the 81,000 tonne displacement P-52 platform, this deck mating operation is highly complex and sensitive, and as such rarely carried out anywhere in the world.

This mega operation comprises two major phases. The first phase, which was concluded successfully in 24 hours, involved placing the topside deckbox, with all process modules already pre-installed, onto the lower hull structure. The second phase involved the risky hoisting of the three major sections of the spider deck to join with the underside of the deckbox.

The successful completion of this operation at Jacuecanga Channel near Keppel FELS Brazil?s BrasFELS Yard in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a testament to Keppel FELS Brazil, Keppel FELS, Technip and Petrobras? naval engineering and operational expertise in deepwater production projects.

The hull was built by Keppel FELS in Singapore and arrived in Brazil late last March. With the entire topside being built in Brazil, the national content is already at 71%, above the contractual level, which is 60%.

Production is expected to begin in early 2007. When fully operational, the P-52 semi submersible platform will be able to process 180,000 barrels of oil a day, compress 9.3 million cubic meters of gas a day and inject approximately 300,000 barrels of water into the reservoir.