Allseas’ single-lift installation/decommissioning and pipelay vessel “Pioneering Spirit” marked another milestone on 2 June 2018 with the safe and successful installation of the 22,000 t Drilling Platform topsides for Equinor’s Johan Sverdrup development on the Norwegian continental shelf.

This was the first platform installation job performed by Pioneering Spirit, and the heaviest installation ever executed in a single lift offshore to date.

Pioneering Spirit’s motion-compensated topsides lift system beams accurately positioned the topsides on an eight-legged steel jacket standing at 110 m water depth, after which the installation went exactly as planned.

The 147 m tall topsides was transferred to Pioneering Spirit by barge in Bømlafjorden, outside Stord, on 1 June. The vessel arrived nine hours later in the Johan Sverdrup field, located 160 km west of Stavanger, Norway, and operations commenced immediately.

The actual installation, from manoeuvring around the jacket, setting down the topsides and moving out of the 500 m zone, only took three hours.

The Drilling Platform topsides is the first of three structures Pioneering Spirit will install during the Johan Sverdrup field’s first development phase. The vessel will return to the field in the spring of 2019 to install the 26,000 t Process Platform topsides and the 18,000 t Living Quarters platform topsides.

About Allseas

Allseas Group S.A. is a world-leading contractor in offshore pipeline installation, heavy lift and subsea construction. The company employs over 3000 people worldwide and operates a versatile fleet of specialised heavy-lift, pipelay and support vessels, designed and developed in-house.

About Equinor

Equinor, is an international energy company with a proud history. Formerly Statoil, we are 20,000 committed colleagues developing oil, gas, wind and solar energy in more than 30 countries worldwide. We’re the largest operator in Norway, among the world’s largest offshore operators, and a growing force in renewables. Driven by our Nordic urge to explore beyond the horizon, and our dedication to safety, equality and sustainability, we’re building a global business on our values and the energy needs of the future.