Ibrahim Fawzy, ABS District Manager for the Caspian region, confers with engineers and managers from the Caspian Shipyard Company (CSC) in Baku, Azerbaijan. Transocean’s Trident 20/Qurtulus (background), a self-elevating drilling unit, was constructed in the Caspian Shipyard under ABS certification. - View larger image (160 k)

BS is providing classification and survey services to a variety of deepwater and shallow water projects in the Caspian Sea region. Working in this region means addressing the unique challenges of unstable geotechnical features and a highly sensitive environment. With its huge oil and gas reserves, the area continues to be a focus for international attention, says Karel Van Campenhout, vice president of ABS Europe. “The Azerbaijan area has been most active in exploration, with unique challenges due to seismically active mud volcanoes, complex pressure regimes and other unstable geotechnical features in some 3,000 feet of water,” said Van Campenhout. He adds that the Kazakhstan area is most active in field development work, but with water depths of approximately 20 feet, the dynamics of floating structures and shallow hazards for moving vessels are particularly challenging. “Given these challenges, ABS remains committed to the safety of human lives, property and the region’s sensitive environment.

In Azerbaijan, ABS has completed the required annual survey of Transocean’s Trident 20/Qurtulus, classed by ABS as a XA1 self elevating drilling unit, CDS, and constructed in the Caspian Shipyard under ABS certification.

ABS also has conducted the required periodical survey of the Caspian Drilling Company’s Dada Gorgud, classed by ABS as a XA1 column stabilized drilling unit. These periodical surveys maintain the currency of ABS classification, verifying and certifying the safety standards and structural security of the units.

ABS classification and certification work on the column-stabilized semisubmersible drilling unit Maersk Explorer/Lider received an exemplary audit from the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), reports Ibrahim Fawzy, ABS district manager for the Caspian region.

“We are proud of our positive and constructive participation with this highly sophisticated and advanced deepwater mobile drilling unit, the first semisubmersible to be built in Azerbaijan. This world-class prototype design is an example of the real success of the cooperative teaming of ABS with Azeri professionals,” said Fawzy.

Classed by ABS as a XA1 column-stabilized drilling unit, CDS, the Maersk Explorer/Lider was constructed jointly by Maersk Contractors, Keppel FELS and the Caspian Shipyard Company. The hull, pontoons and columns were constructed in Singapore and transported to Baku, Azerbaijan, for final assembly. This latest generation of semisubmersible is subject to annual ABS surveys and a special periodical survey every five years.

ABS conducted similar periodical surveys of the Parker 257/Sunkar rig, the world’s only arctic-class barge drilling rig. The Parker 257/Sunkar was not built for the arctic north, but to tap the great reserves offshore southwest Kazakhstan in a safe and environmentally responsible way, reports Van Campenhout.

“This rig has left the smallest environmental footprint of any wildcat exploration program in history,” said Van Campenhout.

For a complete technical discussion of these units and historical account of ABS involvement in the Caspian region, go to the Spring 2004 issue of Surveyor.

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