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NEW MARKETS Storage & Power "To Go" Mobile and cost effective, both FPSO's and floating powerplants are catching on — respectively — with companies eager to capital- ize quickly on promising oil discoveries and developing countries hungry for power Time and money drive business decisions, and it is these two factors primarily responsible for driving a boom in FPSO and power barge contracts. Time was the prime consideration in Mobil Oil's decision to produce a half million-acre con- cession offshore Equatorial Guinea in West Africa from a floating production, storage and offloading system (FPSO). A successful discovery well and two subse- quent appraisal wells established the Zafiro field as commercial. Mobil's Equatorial Guinea, Inc. (MEGI) unit initiated a fast-track develop- ment program "to get on stream fast and find out what we've got," according to Art Green, MEGI vice president. Enter Oceaneering Production Systems, a Houston company renowned for its conversions of ships and drilling rigs. After scouring the market, Oceaneering selected 22-year old oil tanker M.T. Swift (incidentally owned by Mobil) for conversion to FPSO Zafiro Producer. In brief, a FPSO receives raw wellstream flu- ids from production wells, separates the crude oil from the natural gas and water present in the wellstream, and stores the crude onboard for offloading to shuttle tankers. The natural gas is used for fuel aboard the FPSO, and excess gas is flared. The water is cleansed of residual hydrocarbons before being discharged into the sea. "FPSO technology is about 20 years old," said Oceaneering's Marketing Manager, Chuck McCabe. "Exxon used an FPSO at its Hondo Field off the coast of California in the 70s and 80s. It was later decommissioned and sold when the company installed a pipeline in the interest of environmental protection. FPSOs got a shot in the arm a few years ago when a Norwegian- built tanker proved the viability of a monohull production and storage facility in the harsh environment of the North Sea. They are gaining in popularity there, as well as throughout the world with about 30 FPSOs currently in opera- tion. We estimate as many as 45 will be at work (Continued on page 74) HALEY CLUTCHES IGEARSI COUPLINGS 800-6,000 HP Range • Ratios From 2:1 UpTo 10:1 Able To Match Existing Foundations With Custom Designs HALE? Clutches & Couplings Complete The Perfect Package HALEY Rl 2828 _b_[ PNEUMATIC CLUTCH MARINE GEAR Jfc- HALEYDRI2016 HYDRAULIC CLUTCH MARINE GEAR MEMBER AMERICAN GEAR MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION MARINE GEARS, INC P.O. BOX 689 • Greenville, MS 38702-0689 • TEL 601-332-8716 • FAX 601-335-4322 MARINE GEARS INTERNATIONAL, INC. 2600 Concord • Belle Chasse, Louisiana 70037 TEL 504-394-4431 OR TOLL FREE 1-800-227-9198 • FAX 504-394-1460 Circle 260 on Reader Service Card EASY KOTE A NEW MULTIPURPOSE SURFACE TOLERANT PAINT • POTABLE WATER - Classified by UL under ANSI/NSF standard 61. • SALT WATER BALLAST - Type approval from ABS, DNV, BV, others pending. • PAINT PRIMER — Top coat with acrylics. EASY KOTE is a water based modified asphaltic coating that dries to a semihard finish. It is safe to torch, heat resistant, and inexpensive to use. EASY KOTE has gone through a comprehensive testing by Marine Materials Technology Centre for Applied Materials Research in Norway which resulted in a class rating of C - 2. ^ OVERSEAS DISTRIBUTORS NEEDED DIVISION ROYAL CHEMICAL CORP. P. O. BOX 342 • GRETNA, LA.70054 USA 504/392-8811 Fax 504/392-2173 72 Circle 279 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
