Successful completion of remarkable project

Wednesday, September 13 2023

General – ACE Project

Mammoet announced the successful completion of a remarkable project that showcases its commitment to efficient solutions and safety.

This achievement is part of the Azeri Central East (ACE) project, the next  phase of the development of the bp-operated Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) field  in the Caspian Sea.

Mammoet’s scope included the weighing, jack-up, load-out and floatover installation operations of the 19,600-tonne production, drilling, and quarters (PDQ) platform. Leveraging its comprehensive engineering capabilities, Mammoet ensured the precise transfer of the platform’s topsides unit from the quayside onto the transportation barge STB-1 and subsequently onto the jacket foundation offshore. Prior to its departure, the topsides unit underwent meticulous commissioning and operational testing onshore, significantly reducing offshore installation and start-up activities.

At the quayside, the topsides unit was expertly jacked up to a height of 17 meters and then gently lowered onto a custom loadout support frame, utilising Mammoet’s largest jacking system – Mega Jack 5200. The unit was then smoothly skidded onto the barge, where it was sea-fastened and prepared for its voyage to the ACG field. The skidding operation onto the barge’s deck was accomplished using four 900-tonne strandjacks, break-out jacks, high capacity ballast system, load monitoring quay jacks comprising of six 600-tonne jacks, and mooring winches. 

Upon its arrival at the designated field location, Mammoet executed the installation of the topside unit onto the jacket foundation through a floatover operation. The barge was precisely positioned over the substructure and the topsides unit was then lowered onto the substructure, while maintaining the barge’s position.

The barge’s internal ballasting and winching system was enhanced with Mammoet’s float-over winches and configurable high-flow rapid ballast system. This enhancement added an additional flow capability of approximately 32,000m3/hr. This centrally controlled and monitored ballast system ensured real-time oversight, guaranteeing operational continuity and a safe floatover process.