Page 6 - LatAmOil Week 42 2021

LatAmOil TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO LatAmOil

UESL to build, install Zandolie drilling

platform under contract with DeNovo

DENOVO Energy Ltd of Trinidad and Tobago Energy that was used to build the Iguana facil-
has awarded another local company, United ity, it will be able to benefit from innovations and
Engineering Services Ltd (UESL), a contract improvements that will make it lighter, as well as
for work on a drilling platform for Zandolie, an more efficient.
offshore natural gas field within the Block 1(a) Additionally, the company pointed out that
licence area. the Zandolie platform would be entirely pow-
In a statement, DeNovo reported that the ered by renewable energy sources. “Consistent
contract charged UESL with constructing, with DeNovo’s ambition towards net-zero emis-
installing and commissioning the Zandolie sions, the Zandolie platform will be a totally
platform. It did not reveal the value of the deal unmanned minimum facility, which will be
but stressed that it had chosen the contrac- 100% fully powered by wind and solar energy.
tor through a competitive bidding contest. The space saving achieved by the elimination of
Additionally, it said that UESL had a “proven full power generation equipment or fuel storage
track record” of delivering on its commit- in favour of a conductor also minimises the use
ments in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere of steel in the design,” it stated.
in the Caribbean region, as well as experi- Bryan Ramsumair, DeNovo’s managing
ence in a wide range of industries, including director, stressed all these points. “Zando-
upstream hydrocarbon production, oil refin- lie demonstrates DeNovo’s commitment to a
ing, fertiliser, ammonia, urea, cement, sugar and greener and more local energy future,” he said.
manufacturing. “The choice of a local contractor is in line with
Working with a local partner on the project our continued focus on increasing local content
will “[create] opportunity for in-country fab- and further proof of our intent to deepen and
rication and maximum engagement of local widen the participation of local service provid-
services for upstream development through the ers in delivering the company’s growth objec-
Zandolie project,” it added. tives. I am confident that the selection of UESL
When finished, the drilling platform will will further emphasise the wealth of in-country
support a single well drilled at Zandolie. It will capabilities to safely and efficiently deliver off-
be capable of handling 40mn cubic feet (1.12mn shore projects of this unique nature.”
cubic metres) per day of gas and is due to begin Idris Saqui, the managing director of UESL,
operating in the first half of 2022. expressed similar sentiments. “We are pleased
DeNovo asserted that the Zandolie drilling to bring our capabilities to the Zandolie project,”
platform would be more efficient and sustain- he remarked. “DeNovo’s vote of confidence in
able than its counterpart at Iguana, another UESL’s capabilities is predicated by our history
field within Block 1(a). First, it commented, the [of] reliable and efficient services and under-
structure will build off existing infrastructure at pinned by our sterling safety record over three
Iguana and will therefore be able to have more and a half decades. DeNovo must be applauded
compact topsides. Secondly, it said, although for its confidence in the philosophy of local con-
the new platform will be a Sea Swift unit based tent participation. This clearly emphasises the
on the same modular design from Aquaterra vault of skills in our country.” ™

Rendering of Zandolie rig (Image: Aquaterra Energy)

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