Angolan construction firm Sonamet, a joint venture between Sonangol, Subsea 7 and WAPO, specialises in steel fabrication for shallow and deep water projects, many of them structures for the oil industry.
It contracted Sarens to engineer a method of getting the 37m high structure on to a barge.
“The crew decided to deploy four 200t strand jacks for the load-out and 20 ballast pumps to maintain the barge level during the load-out,2 Sarens said. “Maintaining the barge level at all times is a seminal challenge we face in this tupe of operations across the world.”
Sarens said it mobilised the necessary equipment in four weeks from its HQ in Belgium, and set it up in three weeks.
The skid track was laid on the quayside and the barge, while ballast pumps maintained the barge’s stability during the skidding process.
“The conditions for coordination were challenging considering the location of the project and the work culture with which Sarens is abundantly familiar as the company now nears over 40 years of presence and consistent work on the African continent,” the company said.
