Chinese contractor launches bid process for new deepwater pipelay vessel
Vessel will install pipelines up to 60 inches in diameter in 500 metres of water
Chinese contractor Offshore Oil Engineering Company (COOEC) has initiated a quest for engineering services to facilitate the development of a new deepwater pipelay vessel.
The endeavour forms part of COOEC’s broader strategy to boost the capabilities of its offshore construction fleet.
The company has just approached the market to track down an engineering partner able to deliver the fundamental design for a pipelay vessel which would be equipped with a top-end dynamic positioning system, known as DP3 in the industry.
COOEC's new vessel will be equipped to operate in water depths of up to 500 metres and lay pipelines with diameters between four and 60 inches.
Prospective bidders are required to demonstrate a proven track record, having designed a dynamically positioned pipelay vessel or a DP3 offshore construction vessel in the past.
Currently, COOEC boasts a fleet of 19 vessels, including those equipped with DP3 systems for efficient deepwater operations.
In a similar development, COOEC’s parent company China National Offshore Oil Company has recently given the green light to a proposal for COOEC to construct a versatile multi-functional subsea construction vessel.
This strategic move involves a substantial investment of approximately 489 million yuan ($68.5 million) , with an anticipated delivery date of December 2025.
This vessel, equipped with a mid-tier dynamic positioning system (DP2), will be 126 metres long, with a beam of 28 metres, a maximum draft of about 6.8 metres, and an expansive deck area spanning 2000 square metres.
It will be outfitted with a main crane boasting a remarkable lifting capacity of 400 tonnes, complemented by an auxiliary crane with a capacity of 50 tonnes.
Designed to install and maintain subsea structures and flexible pipelines, this vessel will also, among others, be able to handle umbilicals and cables, conducting platform maintenance and upgrades and trenching.
On completion, this vessel will primarily operate in China's Bohai Sea but could also be deployed to the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
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