An Abu Dhabi-based company sees promising prospects for its pioneering offshore geo-technical drilling rig which was developed locally in association with a Belgian company.
A senior company official said yesterday the company has secured its first contract in Saudi Arabia and is likely to win more contracts in the UAE and the region.
"The new rig pioneered by our company, along with Gems International NV of Belgium, is designed to conduct offshore geo-technical investigations of the seabed to depths of 300 metres," said Maher Muqattash, head of the Architectural and Civil Department of Control Contracting and Trading Company (CCTC).
"We have won our first contract from Saudi Aramco and the completed unit set sail on its maiden voyage late last month and it will be involved in carrying out a geo-technical survey," he told Gulf News.
The project work will take 45 to 60 days, he added without stating the contract value.
CCTC, based in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, plans to build more geo-technical drilling rigs. "We foresee good demand for such rigs in the UAE and the region, especially in Iran.
"The drilling equipment enables high quality site investigations to be undertaken from a variety of vessels and the modular construction ensures efficient transportation and mobilisation.
"The equipment is equally at home in near-shore environments as well as deep offshore with a maximum drill depth rating of 300 metres below the sea-bed using standard five-inch API drill piping."
The 30-year-old company has diversified its business activities over the years from power, water, industrial and commercial projects to the oil and gas sector as well as the fast-growing construction industry.
"This project marks a departure for CCTC while for Gems it is part of their core business.
"Both companies have collaborated on projects in the past, but this is the first time they have worked on a project of this nature," Muqattash said.
Explaining the technical details of the rig, Muqattash said in survey terms, it provides real-time data acquisition with graphic display, using both Wilson APB-100 and 150 kn tools.
A wireline piston sampler and down-hole CPT have been developed and provided by Gems.
The rig was built over a period of 11 months.
Gulf News
