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Case Studies
IRS is a trusted partner to organisations across a wide range of sectors. We partner with a diverse array of outstanding organisations and clients, dealing with a spectrum of demands.
The below case studies showcase the real examples with real results to demonstrate how we have successfully helped our clients succeed.
MORAY EAST OFFSHORE WINDFARM
The 950MW Offshore Moray East Windfarm has 100 Vesta 9.5MW turbines and is located in the Outer Moray Firth on the East Coast of Scotland where the water depth varies between 37m - 57m.
Our client was responsible for completing 55 of the 3-legged tripod jackets with the lower sections built in Newcastle and the upper sections in Belgium. The sections were aligned and assembled together in the Newcastle facility giving a final height of an average 85m (height varied due to water depth) and a weight of approximately 1000 tonnes. Our client received tubulars of varying diameters and thicknesses with each section allocated, cut, prepared and welded together in node sections and final varying thickness lengths. Sub-assemblies were made, lifted into position to form leg sections followed by erection to produce the final structure.
Each complete jacket was fully fitted out with all the supports, cable j tubes, access ladders and platforms, handling cranes as well as the upper being fully painted and the lower fitted with anti-corrosion anodes.
All welding was done by ISO 9606 qualified welders to exacting procedures and associated ultrasonic testing, quality control and dimensional accuracy.
The final jackets were sea fastened to barges alongside the quayside utilising their ringer crane to load directly onto the barge. The jackets were transported to the Moray East field and were located and accurately positioned offshore using a pile template and associated pin piles.
BEATRICE and ABERDEEN BAY OFFSHORE WINDFARMS
The 588MW Offshore Beatrice Windfarm is located in the Outer Moray Firth which has an operations base at Wick. It has a total of 84 7.0MW Siemens turbines. The water depth varies between 35m- 55m.
Our client was responsible for completing 28 of the 4-legged jackets with the lower sections built in Newcastle and the upper sections in Belgium. The sections were aligned and assembled in the Newcastle facility giving a final jacket height of 80m; the lower sections weighed around 600 tonnes and an overall final weight of 950 tonnes.
Our client built a further 18 bottom sections by order from BiFab. Top sections were then delivered by BiFab to enable final assembly to be completed at the Newcastle yard.Each assembled jacket was fully fitted out with supports, cable j tubes access ladders and platforms, the upper sections were painted, and the lower sections protected from corrosion by anodes.
Our client received the tubulars, allocated to positions, cut, prepared, welded to nodes or lengths, pre-assembled into sub-structures and finally lifted together, aligned and welded together. All welding was done by ISO 9606 qualified welders to exacting procedures and associated ultrasonic testing, quality control and dimensional accuracy.
The Beatrice jackets had a pile gripper operation at the bottom of the lower sections required to grip to the installed offshore piles. This required specialist fitting and welding of high-pressure pipework on the Newcastle facility.
The 92.4 MW Aberdeen Bay Offshore Windfarm was for the European Offshore Development Centre and comprised of 11 suction piled jackets and our client was responsible for aligning and welding the jacket topsides to the 80mm thick-walled suction pile. This operation required a series of sequential complex welds which were successfully completed to specification. The turbines were Vestas 8.8 MW and located in water depth of 32m. The facility is primarily for demonstrations and various trials requested and paid for by offshore wind engineering companies and organisations, but also supplies power to the grid; assembly and welding was to the same standards as the Beatrice project.
BABBAGE PROJECT
This wellhead platform was a full EPC contracted project including topside, jacket and piles, offshore hook-up and commissioning, providing a unique solution to a challenging design brief.
The wellhead production platform incorporates living quarters (LQ) for 30 personnel on board, offices, control room, line of site communication, a 20 tonne lift capacity crane, well clean up equipment, proppant filters, metering, a cantilever helideck and lifeboat escape system. The deck is designed for coiled tubing intervention if required. Procurement sources for the project were both UK and internationally secured.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the EPC scope of works, supplying various trades as follows: Engineers, Inspectors, HSE Personnel, Office Personnel, Designers, Welders, Platers, Riggers, Electricians, E&I Technicians.
VALHALL PROJECT
It comprises 9 luxurious levels of accommodation and includes a fully integrated living area made up of a central atrium, an exceptional first class galley and dining room, a sea view lounge and recreation area, a gymnasium and sauna, as well as an elevator, a laundry, switch rooms, control room, changing and locker area, medical suite, offices, Helicopter Landing Officer (HLO) office, an antenna tower and 180 self-contained single bed cabins with integrated bathroom facilities.
Built to NORSOK standards, this high specification offshore accomomodation module integrates into the PULQ topside platform, and incorporates the latest helideck and hanger bay designed for a permanently-based infield transfer aircraft, meeting the most recent statutory requirement.
This offshore hotel complex facility has a 40 year design life, and incorporates blast and fire rating protection to provide safe and very well-appointed Living Quarters (LQ) for Valhall field operations.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the design and main construction.
NYHAMNA ONSHORE GAS COMPRESSION
Nyhamna gas receiving site is on the west coast of Norway, it receives via pipelines North Sea natural gas from the Shell Orman Lange offshore gas field. The site cleans and compresses the gas for distribution via the European Gas Grid and interconnectors to the UK system. Shell wanted to increase the capacity of the site whilst in full operating mode and went to Kvaerner as the main contractor.
Subsequently, Kvaerner awarded a contract to Offshore Group Newcastle (OGN) to construct Preassembled units (PAUs) with both free issue main and specialist equipment and internally procured structural and piping materials. The work also included full painting and special fire and heat insulation over the main steelwork and pipelines.
The contract work scope was for a total of 18 PAUs, these ranged from 20 tonne structural pipe racks to three 900 tonne fully equipped and tested PAU compression modules. As all these new PAU units had to integrate fully with the existing plant systems it was critical that the PAUs had a dimensional accuracy to ensure the installation, testing and commissioning plan had no connection problems.
There was a sequential delivery plan which had to be achieved to avoid production problems on the Nyhamna site.
CULZEAN PROJECT
The Culzean project is a gas condensate development located East of Aberdeen in the UK sector of the Central North Sea. This development is installed at a water depth of 90 meters involving a three platform bridge linked concept including a Wellhead platform (WHP), Central Processing Platform (CPF) and a Separate Living Quarters and Utility Platform (ULQ).It is the largest gas field sanctioned by the UK since East Brae in 1990 and the project has the potential to meet around 5% of UK gas demand in 2020/21.
The PGM module comprises of 3 x 7500kw Dual Fuel Turbines and associated systems, a pedestal crane and various workshops and stores. The WHP to CPF Bridge carries process and utility fluids via 18 pipes, whilst the CPF to ULQ Bridge carries process and utility fluids via10 pipes. The bridges also provide support for the routing of power and communications cables and walkways providing safe access between platforms.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the main construction of yard personnel.
BRENT BRAVO DECOMMISSIONING
The Brent field comprised four large platforms namely, Alpha, Delta, Charlie, and Bravo. The Alpha’s topside was supported by a steel jacket while the topsides of Delta, Charlie, and Bravo sat on a separate three-legged gravity-based structure (GBS).
The Brent field decommissioning activities included unplugging 146 wells spread across the field, the removal and recycling of the topsides of the four platforms, as well as the upper portion of the Alpha platform’s steel jacket. The removed structures were transported to Hartlepool in northeast England for recycling.
Our client was awarded with the decommissioning project of the Shell Brent B platform and IRS supplied general black trades consisting of Supervision, Coded Welders and Platers, Labourers, Fire Watchers working at the Able Seaton Port Hartlepool.
ENQUEST PRODUCER FPSO PROJECT
Our client, the North East-England offshore engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) specialist, has secured a multi-million pound contract with independent UK oil and gas development and production company EnQuest.
Our client provided its specialist fabrication services to undertake finishing and commissioning works on the EnQuest Producer, a 249m long Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.
The EnQuest Producer, which was previously Bluewater’s Uisge Gorm FPSO, recently arrived in Wallsend. Ahead of its arrival, our client completed dredging in the River Tyne at its quayside to accommodate the 53,176 gross tonne FPSO.Upon completion of the works, the vessel was deployed to the Alma/Galia field in the North Sea, which is a redevelopment of the UK’s first producing field, Argyll.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the EPC scope of works, supplying various trades as follows: Engineers, Inspectors, HSE Personnel, Office Personnel, Designers, Welders, Platers, Riggers, Scaffolders, Mechanical Fitters, Pipefitters, Electricians, E&I Technicians
KILMAR MFP PROJECT
The topside includes a 2.5 ton lift capacity crane, Venturi metering, communications, Skyscape evacuation system, 2 x 20kW diesel generators, 48 hour UPS backup and a cantilevered helideck. The Kilmar Minimum Facilities Platform was complete at sail-away, leading to full communications start-up within hours of installation to the client’s head office.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the main construction of yard personnel.
CHISWICK MFP PROJECT
Produced under a full EPC contract including topside, jacket and piles, offshore hook-up and commissioning, this particular design encompasses future well tie-in capability with additional risers and J-tubes.
The topside includes a 4 ton lift capacity crane, Venturi metering, line of sight communications, lifeboat evacuation system, diesel generator, and a cantilevered aluminium helideck. Procurement sources for the project were both UK and internationally secured. This Normally Unmanned Installation (NUI) was complete at sail-away, leading to full communications start-up within hours.
Utilising Gulf of Mexico design technology under exclusive license from Seahorse Platform Partners Ltd, this Minimum Facilities Platform has a Sea Harvester© 4 leg jacket, a strong design evolved to suit the harsh environment of the North Sea.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the main construction of yard personnel.
CLIPPER PROJECT
Designed and built by our client based in Lowestoft, it was successfully delivered to the UKCS Southern North Sea. The Clipper PR Platform was a full EPIC lump sum contracted project including topsides, jacket and bridges, offshore hook-up and commissioning, providing procurement opportunities from UK and internationally secured sources.
The PR platform consists of fiscal metering, Slugcatcher, HIPPS, condensate export pumps and a gas import riser from the Carrack QA platform.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the main construction & Onshore & Offshore hook-up and commissioning as follows: Engineers, Office Personnel, Designers, Welders, Platers, Riggers, Electricians, E&I Technicians, Pipefitters.
GOLDEN EYE PROJECT
This Normally Unmanned Installation (NUI) was a full EPC contracted project including, topsides, offshore hook-up and commissioning, providing procurement opportunities from UK and internationally secured sources. The wellhead platform consists of metering, injection/MEG facilities, control room, 12 man overnight accommodation, cantilevered helideck, lifeboat escape system, 20 tonne lift capacity crane and flare tower.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the main construction & Onshore & Offshore hook-up and commissioning as follows: Engineers, Office Personnel, Designers, Welders, Platers, Riggers, Electricians, E&I Technicians, Pipefitters.
HOTON PROJECT
A build only lump sum contract, including topsides and jacket, Hoton MFP provides a unique fast track solution to shallow water gas development. Taking just 5 months from contract award to delivery, this Normally Unmanned Installation (NUI) was installed in a single lift operation. Procurement for the project was primarily UK sourced.
The topsides for the Hoton Minimum Facilities Platform include metering, communications via a utility line from the Dimlington terminal, power supplied via an umbilical from the West Sole WA platform and a Skyscape evacuation system. Halliburton Brown & Root designed the platform and had overall project management responsibilities.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the main construction of yard personnel.
SPOTS PROJECT
This was a full EPIC contracted project including topside, offshore hook-up and commissioning. Providing a key solution to low pressure gas problems, the new compression platform will act as a reception facility for future satellite gas platforms. Procurement sources for the project were both UK and internationally secured.
The SPOTS compression platform comprises a 4-level deck which houses the two gas turbine driven compression trains and associated coolers, fuel gas facilities, compressed air system, power generation, control room, switchgear, 12 tonne lift capacity crane, plus reception facilities for the Skiff satellite platform.
IRS Recruitment assisted with the supply of labour as part of the main construction & Onshore & Offshore hook-up and commissioning as follows: Engineers, Office Personnel, Designers, Welders, Platers, Riggers, Electricians, E&I Technicians, Pipefitters.
MACCULLOH: FLOATING PRODUCTION STORAGE AND OFFLOADING PROJECT
The Living Quarters (LQ) are of a superior quality and finish and comprise a fully integrated living area with galley and recreation area, changing and locker room and 53 beds located in 14 cabins with integrated bathroom facilities. A cantilevered helideck and a telecommunications module are also included.
Constructed to North Sea standards, this offshore accommodation module was integrated into the main platform topsides deck. The Esmond platform ceased oil production in 1994, this was completely removed in 1996. The helideck was removed at the same time and installed onto the North Sea Producer FPSO previously called Macculloch.Our client built a further 18 bottom sections by order from BiFab. Top sections were then delivered by BiFab to enable final assembly to be completed at the Newcastle yard.Each assembled jacket was fully fitted out with supports, cable j tubes access ladders and platforms, the upper sections were painted, and the lower sections protected from corrosion by anodes.
FURTHER PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY IRS
SATURN: MINIMUM FACILITIES PLATFORM PROJECT
MUNRO: MINIMUM FACILITIES PLATFORM PROJECT
VAMPIRE: MINIMUM FACILITIES PLATFORM PROJECT
EUROPA: MINIMUM FACILITIES PLATFORM PROJECT
MALORY: MINIMUM FACILITIES PLATFORM PROJECT
VISCOUNT: MINIMUM FACILITIES PLATFORM PROJECT
SHEARWATER: ACCOMMODATION PLATFORM PROJECT
RHYL FLATS: METEOROLOGICAL MEASURING STATION PROJECT
CARRACK: WELLHEAD PRODUCTION PLATFORM PROJECT
BUZZARD: ACCOMMODATION PLATFORM PROJECT
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