Hidramar Assists Seadrill with SPS of the Vessel 'West Gemini'

Hidramar has begun today the repair work on the drilling vessel 'West Gemini', owned by the international company Seadrill, which is docked at the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is the ninth project that this company has awarded to the Hidramar Group, which thus relies on the high standards of quality and occupational safety that characterize the work carried out by the company.

The project, valued at around two million euros, will mainly focus on assisting Seadrill in conducting the SPS (Special Periodic Survey), a mandatory review that this type of vessel must undergo to detect which parts need renewal or repair and to officially certify that it is fully operational.

Among the most notable tasks is the unloading and installation of a new BOP (Blowout Preventer), a structure that weighs almost 300 tons and whose function is to prevent spills and hydrocarbon leaks during drilling operations. The new BOP to be installed on the vessel was unloaded days ago in a way never seen before in the Canary Islands: using a single lifting point to raise the 270 tons of the piece. This was something that was done in Houston weeks ago and that the Hidramar group has managed to reproduce under perfect safety and quality conditions. Other tasks to be carried out include improving the accommodation area to increase the crew capacity on board the vessel and renewing the flare boom chimney, among others.

For this project, more than 60 new hires will be made, which, combined with the current Hidramar staff, will result in over 120 people working on board the vessel alongside the Seadrill crew.

Jorge Lozano, the project superintendent, believes that “as an engineer, it is a pride to face such complex projects that allow me to give my best professionally, but it is also a pride to be able to work hand in hand once again with a great company like Seadrill.”

The repair work on the drilling vessel 'West Gemini' is the ninth project that Seadrill has awarded to the Hidramar Group and the second in 2019. However, Hidramar is currently carrying out repair work on up to 4 vessels simultaneously: 'Deepwater Corcovado', 'West Gemini', and 'Pacific Mistral', along with other minor works. Likewise, Hidramar continues to prepare upcoming projects that will dock at the port of Las Palmas.

Photo: Seadrill