​Qatargas Operating Company Limited (Qatargas) achieved a major milestone with its North Field Bravo (NFB) Living Quarters Expansion (LQX) Project as it safely and successfully completed the onshore fabrication of the living quarters structure by Nakilat-Keppel Offshore Marine (N-KOM) at the Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard.

The project is significant for the State of Qatar as it is for the first time that a major offshore living quarters structure has been entirely fabricated at a local yard in the country. This aligns with Qatargas’ commitment to Tawteen, the supply chain localisation programme initiated by Qatar Petroleum for the energy sector. A key element of this commitment is supporting the realisation of the Qatar National Vison 2030 in supporting local companies engaged in knowledge and technology-based businesses.

Qatargas organised a ceremony to mark the sail-away of the jacket and topside of the structure at Ras Laffan. The event was attended by Qatargas’ shareholders and senior executives, Nakilat- Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (N-KOM) and the project’s contractors, Rosetti Marino.

Speaking at the ceremony, Khalid bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chief Executive Officer, Qatargas, said:  “This project is a historic milestone for the State of Qatar as it highlights a new and important capability. It is for the first time that the fabrication of a major offshore structure of this magnitude has been completed in a Qatari yard. This achievement showcases the capabilities, skills and resources which are available locally at the Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard for the fabrication of large and complex offshore structures.”

He added: “I congratulate the project team, including the contractors, who successfully ensured its delivery and were able to overcome the challenges that are expected of projects of such a scale and nature. This is a positive reflection of the dedication and commitment demonstrated by all parties.”

Nakilat’s Chief Executive Officer Eng. Abdullah Fadhalah Al Sulaiti, said: “We are proud to be delivering this project in a safe, timely and efficient manner to support the growth of Qatar’s energy industry. This project is not only a milestone achievement for Qatar but also an excellent testament to N-KOM’s experience in handling offshore fabrication projects.”

He added: “I would like to congratulate the entire project team for their dedication and commitment that has led to this milestone achievement and extend my appreciation to our long-term standing partner Qatargas for their strong support and trust throughout this period. Moving ahead, we look forward to handling more large-scale projects that are made with pride in Qatar, for Qatar. This will further complement our existing range of maritime services being offered. We are confident of our ability to continue providing our customers with safe, reliable and efficient services.”

Qatargas previously awarded the Engineering Procurement & Construction (EPC) Contract for the LQX project to Rosetti Marino who undertook engineering designs for the project in Italy. All the fabrication work was undertaken by N-KOM at the Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard at Ras Laffan Port.

The project provides for additional living quarters which will increase the capacity of the NFB Offshore Living Quarters by 90 personnel on board. When fully installed, this will allow for the catering of additional operational requirements. The project work scope includes the construction of a four-legged jacket and piles weighing approximately 2200 tonnes. This will support the new living accommodation platform weighing approximately 2800 tonnes and consisting of five decks, a fully equipped helideck, six bridge links to existing living quarters, services and utilities.

The project has recently achieved 2.5 million safe man-hours without any lost time incidents with a peak manpower rate of over 900 persons.  The next major milestone of the project is the safe transportation and installation of the 5000 tonnes of structure to offshore NFB in February 2020. The load out, sail away and installation activities will be carried out by subcontractor Heerema using their heavy lift vessel ‘Aegir’.

The original NFB accommodation, installed in 1995, was designed for the operational needs of Qatargas Trains 1 and 2.  The offshore accommodation expansion project was initiated to cater for the changes in the operational requirements following various expansion projects. Brownfield modifications will also be done on the existing living quarters and platform to properly integrate the new additional living quarters.​​