Columbia Industries, the leading global force in the design, engineering and manufacturing of custom rig moving systems, has announced its biggest single order for a multiple pad drilling project destined for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Abu Dhabi’s home-grwn National Drilling Company is thought to be the buyer, with the rigs destined to be used on the Upper Zakum man-made islands in the shallows offshore.Â
Labeled the 3000 hp Rig Island Project, the UAE order comprises a custom application of seven rigs in three different modules – drill, mud and power for a Chinese Drilling Rig manufacturer. This customized order offers a unique and diverse method of moving rigs to and from well sites. Intended for use on man-made islands in the Arabian Gulf, this large order cements Columbia’s unique walking systems as the preferred method for moving drilling rigs on islands across the world.
Abu Dhabi’s Zakum Development Company (ZADCO) is working at full stretch on the enormous expansion of drilling and production to achieve its goal to produce 750 000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil by 2015 – dubbed the UZ 750 project – raising output by 200 000 bpd.
In order to achieve the huge ramp up, ZADCO is shifting from traditional offshore platform production to a network of four artificial islands (three satellites and one main central island), from which greater production is anticipated. Drilling reach will be extended from 10 000 feet to around 30 000 feet from the new islands using ZADCO shareholder ExxonMobil’s extended reach drilling (ERD) technology.
The contract to construct the four artificial islands (three satellites and one main central island) was awarded to the Abu Dhabi based National Marine Dredging Company in November 2009. After a series of trials construction of the South Island began in August 2010 with the first visible signs appearing above the waves in October of that year. Three million cubic metres of dredged material to complete the islands which mark a transition from wellhead platform tower (WHPT) based facilities and jack-up rig drilling to island based facilities and land rig based drilling.
“Columbia’s unparalleled experience and expertise was key in winning the Walker Project. This was a large international bid where Columbia’s innovative, custom designed walking systems once again proved to be the ideal systems for island projects,” said President and CEO, Saj Shapiro. “Columbia’s custom rig moving systems are durable in any climate, weather conditions, and soil strength, from the icy planes of Alaska to the sandy islands of the Arabian Sea.”
Columbia’s equipment has been consistently tested and field proven and these successes have allowed the company to grow into the overwhelming global leader with over 100 of Columbia’s custom rig moving systems in use in the field today. “Columbia’s recent API certification was a further testament to the quality of our products,” added Shapiro.
Columbia’s diverse and innovative designs are sold to clients across the globe, including the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
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