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Dredging International and MEDCO, have been awarded a contract for mixed dredging and civil engineering works to construct two artificial energy islands, including their service harbours, aimed to provide Abu Dhabi with energy based on facilities for oil drilling, etc. from the previously untapped offshore Satah al-Razboot (SARB) field. Dredging International is part of the Belgian dredging, environmental and hydraulic engineering Group DEME.
Such small-scale energy islands, serve as a valuable alternative for oil exploration and exploitation from steel offshore platforms. Their design and implementation is based on a full-fledged environmental impact assessment study. The new energy islands will be located 120 km off the northwest coast of Abu Dhabi City. The contract has been signed during the official mission of the Flemish Minister-President Kris Peters to Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
The award of this contract, which requires a wide range of dredging and complex marine construction skills, gives further proof of the versatility of the services offered by MEDCO in the Middle East and DEME on worldwide level. Interesting prospects exist for instance in offshore European coastal areas, amongst others in the North Sea, for the construction of small-scale multipurpose artificial service islands for the maintenance of offshore wind farms and other marine structures related to the production of renewable energy.
The works will be executed by MEDCO and Dredging International. The contract was awarded by Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO), which is the daughter company of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) for exploration of oil and gas offshore. The works are scheduled to start mid February 2011. The contract involves engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and starts with approx. 5 months of engineering and preparation of all logistics. Total contractual execution period is 110 weeks.
The project consists of reclaiming two 500m x 500 m artificial islands and protecting their perimeters with a shore protection consisting of concrete armour units and armour rock. The scope comprises design and model testing, dredging and reclamation, deep compaction of the reclaimed site, construction of the perimeter shore protection, construction of the harbours consisting of concrete block walls and installation of navigational aids. The works will require the deployment of trailing suction hopper dredgers, offloading and positioning pontoons, crane pontoons, transport barges and heavy earth moving equipment. A work force of over 500 people will be required for the execution of the works.
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