Imtech Receives Order for Tech on Board FPSO

Imtech has received an order worth $25.6m for an important part of the technology on board a high-tech floating oil-production platform to be made operational in the North Sea. The North Sea contains many so-called 'marginal fields', which still contain a substantial amount of oil, but are too small for exploitation by means of large production platforms. The only way to extract this oil is by making use of Floating Production Storage Offloading vessels (FPSOs). These are floating oil-production systems that serve the same purpose as production platforms. They are far more efficient and flexible in use than the large platforms. After extraction, the crude oil is largely processed on the spot by means of pre-refining, after which the stabilised oil is stored inside the ship and periodically transferred to large oil tankers for further distribution and/or processing. Nexen Petroleum, a Canadian oil company, has awarded Dutch ship-owner Bluewater with a contract to convert the Aoka Mizu, an existing ship, into a state-of-the-art FPSO vessel. Imtech will be supplying the high-tech electric motors for the drive screws, including the power distribution from the bridge. Imtech will also be responsible for the entire telecommunications system (consisting of satellite navigation and computers, among other things) as well as all heating, ventilation and air-conditioning for the on-board accommodation. Two Imtech companies, Imtech Marine & Offshore and Imtech Projects, will collaborate closely on this project. All technological modules will be prefabricated in the Netherlands - in Coevorden and Rotterdam - after which the entire package will be shipped to Singapore where implementation will take place under Imtech supervision. The project is scheduled for completion in 2007 after which the FPSO vessel will become operational in the North Sea.