ACTOM Energy was recently awarded a contract by international offshore oil & gas drilling company SeaDrill Ltd to perform the electrical and instrumentation system integration on its new drillship, SeaDrill Sonangol Quenguela.
The award of the electrical installations contract to ACTOM Energy in July this year follows the announcement by UK-based SeaDrill in May of a new offshore oil & gas drilling contract having been secured off Angola by SonaDrill Holding Ltd, SeaDrill’s 50/50 joint venture company with Sonangol E.P.
The ACTOM Energy contract, worth in excess of R20-million, is scheduled for completion in February 2022. The business is contracted to design, supply and install electrical and instrumentation systems that include distribution boards for mounting in safe areas on board the rig, junction boxes, many of which will be installed in explosion hazard areas, and to supply and install cable on the drillship.
“The equipment we will supply and install also comprises specific purpose-made ancillary equipment such as equipment used to process drilling fluid, or process the cuttings produced during drilling, or to enhance the drilling process with special functions,” commented Alex Passetti, ACTOM Energy’s General Manager.
All the equipment the business is required to deal with is classed as “3rd party equipment” because it does not form part of the basic drilling system.
“Installation of 3rd party equipment is not complex but it is governed by strict quality control procedures and installation regulations, particularly in the explosion hazard areas,” Alex pointed out.
ACTOM Energy will install the equipment in the drillship while it is docked at Swakopmund, Namibia. It will have a total of 20 people on board during the peak periods of activity while engaged on the contract.
