Sea Island No. 4 is back in business after the completion of three big projects and a scheduled Test and Inspection.
"The quality and safety standard recorded during these upgrade projects is gratifying," said department manager Nasir K. Al-Naimi, "even more so because the four projects were conducted simultaneously, with two contractors and over 400 people working together on the confined offshore deck."
Sea Island No. 4 is an offshore crude-oil loading facility capable of berthing and loading the world's largest oil tankers.
The capital improvements included a new system to automate the monitoring and control of loading. It also will improve efficiency, minimize contamination and measurement discrepancies.
A new fire-water system consisting of six new higher-capacity main pumps and three jockey pumps will enhance firefighting capacity and, therefore, safety aboard all three Sea Islands, according to a report of carried by Saudi Aramco's web-site.
There also are new higher-capacity hammerhead-type tower cranes equipped with the latest technologies and safety precautions
The Test and Inspection (T&I) covered the overhaul of four breasting dolphins, six mooring dolphins, 115 valves, 12 loading arms, 60 quick release hooks, and grit blasting and coating of 1.5 million square meters of structure and pipeline. Also installed were 5,200 meters of new cable trays and 26,000 meters of new cable.
Sea Island No. 3 has already started the same upgrade projects, and No. 2 is scheduled for later this year. Both Sea Island No. 2 and No. 3 are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2009. The projects will improve reliability and safety, helping the company meet expected increases in worldwide oil demand.
Saudi Press Agency 2008
