Saudi Aramco’s In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) programme has announced the completion of what it claims to be the largest offshore tie-in platform in Saudi Arabia
The platform, TP-9 Deck, is part of the Saudi Aramco’s Offshore Maintain Potential Program, which includes the fabrication and installation of four oil producing platforms and associated pipelines and power cables.
The facility was constructed by STAR yard (Saipem Taqa Al-Rushaid Fabricators Company), a joint venture between Saudi Enterprises and Saipem, at King Abdul Aziz Port of Dammam. The yard was established in 2007 with the direct support of Saudi Aramco to fabricate offshore structures and accessories.
Speaking at the ceremony to mark the event, Saudi Aramco senior vice-president of technical services Ahmed A Al-Saadi praised the capabilities of in-Kingdom manufacturers.
“The completion of the massive 3,500-tonne structure represents a major milestone for Saudi Aramco’s strategy to develop its offshore oil resources and to sustain the Kingdom’s manufacturing capabilities. This is the biggest offshore structure to have been fabricated to date in Saudi Arabia, and a major proof of the high level of technical competency and capability that in-Kingdom manufacturers have achieved,” Al-Saadi said.
The initiative of fabricating platforms for the offshore oil and gas fields has recently been expanded with the opening of the newly established fabrication yard of McDermott International, an offshore contractor of Saudi Aramco.
Describing the effectiveness of the IKTVA programme, he noted, “We are showing the world that our manufacturers are highly competent and customer focused. In fact, I believe this can be expanded and extended nationally across many industrial sectors to create thousands of new, well paid, and highly skilled jobs for our young men and women.”
