Shell awards Seatrium contract for Sparta FPU
Written by Nick Blenkey
Image: Shell Offshore Inc
Following its final investment decision (FID) to go ahead with the Sparta deepwater development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Shell Offshore has awarded Singapore’s Seatrium a contract to construct and integrate the hull, topsides and living quarters of the Sparta semi-submersible Floating Production Unit (FPU).
The contract includes the installation of Shell-furnished equipment and follows the Letter of Intent sealed by both parties on August 28, 2023.
The Sparta FPU will be situated in the Garden Banks area approximately 171 milesoff the coast of Louisiana. It will feature a single topside bolstered by a four-column, semi-submersible floating hull and is designed to produce 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d).
At the time it announced its final investment decision, Shell noted that the development plan, which includes eight production wells tied back to the FPU is a replication of the Shell-operated Vito project and Whale project, enabling a standardized and cost-efficient design approach.
Seatrium delivered the FPUs for both those projects, taking an industry-leading approach of assembling topsides safely and efficiently at ground level, which minimizes work-at-height risks for workers. The two-level topside for Sparta will be integrated and lifted to the hull using Seatrium’s giant Goliath twin cranes capable of lifting up to 30,000 tonnes.
The contract includes the installation of Shell-furnished equipment and the Sparta development will be the first of Shell’s replicable projects to feature all-electric topside compression equipment, significantly reducing greenhouse gas intensity and emissions from Shell’s own operations.
“We are deeply honored that Shell has awarded Sparta, the third FPU newbuild, to Seatrium, following the successful deliveries of the Vito and Whale FPUs,” said William Gu, executive vice president and head of oil & gas international at Seatrium. “It is a strong affirmation of our team’s capabilities and the long-standing partnership between both parties. We are fully committed to executing the project well, including the single lift operation and fabrication of the FPU to meet its 20,000-psi design for use in harsh weather conditions, and delivering the unit to Shell safely and efficiently.”
