The JV with Consolidated Shipping Agencies is the latest in a series of high-profile partnerships the IRM specialist has forged around the globe. Earlier this year, it was awarded three major frame agreements which saw it expand its global footprint

New joint venture (JV) between Harkand and Consolidated Shipping Agencies has resulted in its first contract win in Ghana, West Africa. The award will see the global inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) company delivering onshore and offshore support to Technip in the region.

Having formed a strategic alliance with Consolidated Shipping Agencies, the company’s Aberdeen-based Harkand Andrews Survey team will deliver services to Technip on the Tullow Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntomme (TEN) project situated in the deepwater Tano block, approximately 60km off the coast of Ghana.

When the campaign begins in October 2015, the survey team will manage and support all survey requirements on board Technip vessels during offshore construction activities which includes rigid and flexible lay, structure installations, spool metrology, pre-lay and as-built surveys. The work is expected to be completed by summer 2016.

Harkand Andrews Survey managing director Stuart Reid says: "We are delighted that Technip has chosen us to support them during this major project in Ghana and continues our successful long term working relationship with Technip.

"This contract award underlines Harkand’s commitment to working in the West African region in general and Ghana in particular. I believe that this will be the first of many campaigns that we engage in with our local Ghanaian JV partner, Consolidated Shipping Agencies Ltd."

The JV with Consolidated Shipping Agencies is the latest in a series of high-profile partnerships Harkand has forged around the globe. Earlier this year, the IRM specialist announced it had been awarded three major frame agreements which saw it expand its global footprint, including a new venture into Mexico for the first time. The company has also recently started its first decommissioning project in the UK Continental Shelf supporting Maersk Oil North Sea Ltd.

$10.5M SWORDFISH DSV UPGRADE

Harkand has successfully completed the $10.5 million upgrade of its Gulf of Mexico based dive support vessel (DSV) Swordfish. Originally built in 2007, the Swordfish is the youngest DSV in this region and has been upgraded to the highest safety standards in the offshore industry.

The fully International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) compliant, ABS classed, 104 m long, DP2 DSV features a newly upgraded 15-man saturation diving system with a three-man bell along with a new 165’ surface diving system.

The vessel comes fitted with a new build 18-man self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboat (SPHL) for evacuation of the divers under saturation in case of an emergency. This SPHL can be coupled with a newly built and dedicated portable hyperbaric rescue facility (HRF) to ensure safe decompression of divers.

Following the upgrade work being carried out at the Port of Galveston, Mike Brown general manager of diving operations for North America and Africa, said: "Our commitment to establish industry standard in safety is exemplified by this recent investment to upgrade the Swordfish ensuring that the vessel not only meets but surpasses the required IMCA safety standards.

"The Swordfish with its new surface diving system, the upgraded saturation diving system, dual 70 and 150 Te active heave compensated (AHC) cranes, heavy duty work-class XLS ROV and its own dedicated SPHL and HRF will be the most advanced DSV in this region and enable us to tackle the most challenging IRM and light construction projects for any operator."

TWO SURVEY FIRSTS

Meanwhile, Harkand has successfully carried out the first ever free inertial metrology in Mexico’s waters and at a new depth for this approach in the region.

The global inspection, repair and maintenance company achieved the survey results for their client at a depth of 380 fsw in the Bay of Campeche, setting a new record in the area.

The scope of work saw Harkand working in collaboration with their metrology technology partner Zupt to complete the survey project in support of the installation of an expansion spool piece for a new pipeline and platform campaign in Mexico.

AJ Jain, Harkand managing director North America and Africa says: "Our client wanted to know if the inertial metrology would better suit the project over the acoustic method.

"Our personnel are experienced in both techniques so after reviewing the work we were able to determine the free inertial metrology was the most time-saving and cost effective solution in this circumstance.

"Although a diver had not performed inertial metrology in this water depth before, we were confident in our saturation diving team’s experience and capabilities. Our client had the results in just 12 hours allowing the expansion spool piece design and fabrication to proceed very quickly. In comparison, the acoustic method would have taken three days to be reported back."

The expansion spool piece was fabricated onboard the vessel in two days, with the Harkand saturation diving team successfully installing the spool piece without any issues.

Jain continues: "Our mission is to deliver the most efficient solution and the most accurate results for our clients. In subsea survey, project planning is essential. It’s key to consider all the factors including the environmental and project specific ones before proposing the best method of metrology.

"Being the first global company to complete this type of survey successfully in the region and by a diver at this depth is a really great start for our new office in Mexico. It not only showcases our in-house knowledge, skill and the expertise of our personnel, but our excellent assets combined with Zupt’s technology."

Keith Vickery, Zupt president comments: "Inertial metrology is a mature product and has been used for over eight years worldwide with great success. Harkand has fully embraced the advantages and benefits of inertial technology and is bringing it to their clients with true value addition; their clients are seeing new and improved ways of doing old tasks, and with reduced project costs and improved project schedules."

STRATEGIC MOVES

Harkand’s key shareholder Oaktree Capital Management has reaffirmed a strong commitment with an additional $25 million of funding which will allow the company to expand its footprint in new and existing regions.

As well as maintaining its operations in current market conditions, the global inspection, repair and maintenance company has recently been awarded three major frame agreements taking them into West Africa and Mexico for the first time. It has also expanded its services with its first decommissioning project in the North Sea supporting Maersk Oil North Sea.

Ben Gujral, Harkand’s chief financial officer, says the company has made several financially strategic moves to position itself for increased operational activity in the future.

"We have successfully negotiated payment deferrals with bondholders, refinanced assets, and amended terms and conditions with existing suppliers. We are working closely with all of our stakeholders during this current market downturn to ensure that we have the funding in place required for uninterrupted operations and financial stability going forward."

The company is on course to deliver the newbuild DP3 dive support vessel the Harkand Haldane and the company has also been upgrading several of their fleet assets.

Chief executive officer John Reed says: "The companies who emerge successfully from downturns are those who continue to pursue their strategic goals. We are poised to emerge from this downturn not only more efficient but having made strides in our strategic progress.

"Oaktree’s support will provide us with the leverage necessary to maximise the new infrastructure relationships we’re building in Mexico and West Africa as well as looking for further opportunities across the globe.

"Frame agreements are significant because they mean we have secured current and future work and the operators only award these types of contracts to companies who have the qualified organisational skills, equipment capability and the track record to successfully execute projects. They also demonstrate Harkand’s staying power and speak well of our strategic positioning and the service levels our people are delivering."

VESSEL FOR OIL IN UKCS

Meanwhile, Harkand, has embarked on a contract awarded by Premier Oil to support the operator activities on the Solan field development, West of Shetland.

The multi-purpose service vessel the Siem Spearfish, which is on long-term charter to Harkand, arrived in Newcastle earlier this month to begin mobilisation for the campaign which will see it perform walk-to-work duties for the ongoing commissioning work on site.

The Spearfish is being fitted with an Ampelmann active motion compensated gangway which will allow personnel to walk onto the Solan platform safely, even in high wave conditions. The Spearfish is due to arrive on site in Block 205/26a in the UKCS later this month with the work expected to run until August.

The 120m Spearfish was launched last year after being designed and built at the Vard facility in Norway with input from Harkand. Constructed with a deck layout specifically designed to increase the efficiency for mobilisation and demobilisation, it is equipped with a 250 tonne AHC offshore crane with 3,000m of wire and two heavy work class Triton 4000 meter XLS ROVs and can accommodate a crew of 110.

Harkand Europe managing director David Kerr says: "Solan is an important development and is expected to contribute to the UK economy for the next 20 years. It is also a potentially challenging project in terms of the variable weather conditions anticipated West of Shetland.

"The safety and welfare of the offshore workforce is paramount and we are pleased to have been selected to provide support with a state-of-the-art vessel which is outfitted with the necessary equipment and the people to meet the demands of working offshore West of Shetland."