BHP Awards Semisub FPU Contract

BHP Petroleo Operaciones de Mexico, S. De R.L. De C.V. (NYSE: BHP) has selected McDermott International, Ltd. to perform the preliminary front-end engineering design (pre-FEED) extension phase for a floating production unit (FPU) envisioned for the Trion field offshore Mexico’s Gulf Coast.

“We look forward to building on our strong relationship with BHP and Pemex with this latest contract award for the next phase in the Trion Project for the Semi-Submersible FPU,” Mark Coscio, McDermott’s senior vice president for North, Central and South America, commented in a written statement emailed to Rigzone. “We will work with the project to further develop the execution plan for Trion in order to optimize the design and pre-FEED scope for them.”

McDermott noted the pre-FEED extension will likely add to the project’s value by concentrating on design and execution strategy. The company pointed out the FPU could be installed in roughly 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) of water some 19 miles (30 kilometers) south of the U.S./Mexico border and approximately 112 miles (180 kilometers) offshore.

As Rigzone reported earlier this year, McDermott had won the pre-FEED services contract whose scope includes engineering tasks tied to the FPU’s configuration, sizing and preliminary analysis.

According to McDermott, it will work closely with Houston Offshore Engineering (HOE) and Wood (LON: WG) on the pre-FEED extension. The firm explained it will lead a single, integrated team to perform project management, execution planning and estimation services. It added that HOE and Wood will oversee engineering optimizations.

McDermott’s fabrication yards in Batam, Indonesia and Altamira, Mexico will provide technical support for fabrication and integration planning, the company added.

In addition to its work on the Trion pre-FEED, McDermott also noted that it is busy with another BHP project: Ruby, located offshore Trinidad and Tobago. McDermott pointed out its work on Ruby calls for delivering the subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF), transportation and installation (T&I) and pre-commissioning one jacket and topsides.

To contact the author, email mveazey@rigzone.com.