Rig refurbish-ment company Lamprell, in conjunction with Sharjah Port Authority, has acquired another 9,000 sq m of yard space as part of a reconfiguration of its South Yard, according to the company.

The additional area, designated largely for storage and logistics, will enable the company to lay down a further 6,000 sq m of heavy duty concrete fabrication pads, bringing up the total to 14,000 sq m of concrete hard standing for fabrication and allied operations.

''The pads will be used in conjunction with newly acquired tower cranes and forklift trucks to support and service the extended fabrication capability in the yard,'' explained Peter Whitbread, group chief executive.

As part of the overall expansion, the company has also built an additional project office and, in conjunction with the port authorities, repaired and refurbished a 350 m length of the deepwater quay wall.

Rig refurbishment activity continues to proceed apace at Lamprell, according to reports, with Nabors Drilling having awarded three contracts for rig upgrades, and fabrication of the 80-man North Pailin (Thailand) living quarters module is set for completion this month.

The company has also won an order from SBM to fabricate the external turret for the Amenam/Kpono Field FSO, being developed by Elf Petroleum Nigeria Ltd. After completion next January the turret will be integrated into the FSO vessel hull.

A top Lamprell official had predicted in the summer that this year would be the busiest the company had had in its 25-year history, with its order book exceeding expectations.

Lamprell says that it has earned a reputation for being the leading drilling rig repair and refurbishment facility in the Gulf region, while also establishing an expanding reputation worldwide.

Although Lamprell is also an established fabricator of offshore modules, such as living quarters and control rooms, its core business is firmly founded on the upgrade and refurbishment of mobile offshore drilling units.