ALE completes Malikai load out

ALE loaded-out the 27,500-tonne Malikai tension leg platform (TLP) at Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering (MMHE) West in Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia.

Load out operations of the Malikai TLP, from ALE.

The actual skidding was completed in just 12 hours and it marks another major milestone for Malikai Project.

This load-out was part of the contracted scope of work for the Malikai Project, which was awarded on behalf of TMJV.

Shell's Malikai is Malaysia’s fourth deepwater development. The oil field consists of two main reservoirs with peak annual production of 60,000 b/d. The field’s TLP will pipe oil to the shallow-water Kebabangan platform 50km away for processing. It also produces natural gas which will both power the TLP and be pumped into the production tubing to help oil flow from the reservoir. Any extra gas will be sent out via the Kebabangan platform.

In July 2015, ALE was responsible for superlift activities which include weighing the topside, jacking it up 40m using ALE’s Mega Jack system and skidding it 90m at elevation before mating the topside with the Hull. Currently, it stands as the world’s highest ever jackup and skidding operations on this scale.

Subsequently in March 2016, ALE skidded the TLP 75m onto the White Marlin vessel using eight strand jacks, with 900-tonne capacity each. Each strand jack was fitted with 39 strand wires, giving a total pulling capacity of 5928-tonne. As well as the skidding operation for the load-out, ALE operated their barge level monitoring system.

“This was a challenging operation as the loadout was undertaken with the vessel in a side-on position. This meant that the control and monitoring of the vessel stability during the load transfer was crucial. Quay jacks were used to ensure the vessel heel remain positive by way of monitoring calculated load on the quay,” Barney Mills, ALE engineering manager said. “We also utilized our barge level monitoring system to constantly monitor the vessel trim, heal and deck shape in real time throughout the load-out.”

The White Marlin has since taken the TLP to an area off the coast of Singapore, where the float-off operation was completed, the TLP towed back and moored against the quay for final testing and commissioning. Once completed, the TLP will be towed to its operating offshore site, 100km from Sabah, Malaysia.