Mammoet has completed a series of heavy lifting operations for the Rig BW Maromba B Wellhead Platform (WHP) conversion project at Drydocks World Dubai, marking a key milestone in the redevelopment of the offshore asset.

The project involves converting the former VALARIS 247, a heavy-duty jack-up drilling rig, into a wellhead platform that will ultimately be deployed at the Maromba field offshore Brazil.

Commissioned by Drydocks World, Mammoet provided engineering expertise, specialist personnel and heavy lifting equipment to install nine rig leg extension sections.

The work covered three rig legs, each comprising three triangular sections weighing approximately 105 tonnes.

Each section measured 10.2 metres in height and 16.2 metres in width.

A major milestone was the first deployment in the United Arab Emirates of Mammoet’s CC 8800-1 Boom Booster crane configuration. The crane was equipped with a 120-metre main boom and a 96-metre luffing jib, providing the required hook height and lifting capacity to safely install the large leg extension sections.

The Boom Booster system, fitted to the crane’s main boom, increased its lifting capability, allowing heavy components to be positioned at greater heights and longer working radii without requiring a larger crane.

Mammoet also developed a comprehensive engineering package covering lifting studies, ground bearing pressure calculations and detailed execution procedures. The preparation enabled the lifting operations to be carefully planned and carried out within the operational constraints of the shipyard environment.

The project increased the height of all three rig legs from 175 metres to 205 metres, enabling the converted platform to operate at its planned offshore location.

The lifting works were completed ahead of schedule.

“The BW Maromba B WHP conversion project is an important project for Drydocks World, bringing together our engineering, fabrication and project delivery teams to prepare the platform for its next operational life,” said Ajith Puthenveettil Ramachandrakurup, Senior Project Manager at Drydocks World.

“The successful completion of the rig leg extension works is a significant milestone in that journey. We appreciate Mammoet's contribution in providing the specialist heavy lifting expertise required to safely execute this phase of the project."

"Repurposing offshore assets is becoming an increasingly important way for operators to extend the life of existing infrastructure, maximize the value of previous investments and reduce the need for new construction," said Samar Iqbal, Project Manager at Mammoet.

"We're proud to support Drydocks World on the Rig BW Maromba B WHP conversion project, applying our engineering expertise and heavy lifting capabilities to help prepare the platform for its next phase of operation”.

Once the conversion programme is complete, the BW Maromba B wellhead platform is expected to be deployed at the Maromba field offshore Brazil, supporting the next phase of field development. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service