ICON Heave Compensator completes deployment on LNG field

ICON’s most advanced ARTP Series of Heave Compensated Tension Lift Frame
ARTP E-Series assumes rig’s primary compensation function
Significantly reduces completions risks

ICON Engineering has announced its most advanced model of heave compensator, the ARTP E-Series Compensated Tension Lift Frame, has just completed well flowback operations on an LNG project in Western Australia’s Carnarvon Basin.

The ICON ARTP E-series was deployed and operated on a semi-submersible drilling rig for the supermajor’s nine well completions campaign in 110-240 metres water depth. The ARTP was deployed specifically to mitigate risks associated with unintentional lock up of a rig’s active heave drawworks while conducting flowbacks and other ‘locked-to-bottom’ well completion operations. The ARTP is a passive compensation system with in-built redundancy and failsafe mechanisms enhancing reliability.

Once deployed on the contracted rig, the ARTP E-Series provided primary compensation for the rig for the entirety of the nine well, locked to bottom operations. ICON achieved a Non-productive time (NPT) rating of 0.1% which far exceeds industry norms.

Using ICON’s onshore test facility in Henderson allowed full interface and function testing of the ARTP prior to deployment which saved valuable critical path time once offshore.

ICON had a team of 6 people on the rig throughout these operations providing round the clock operations and maintenance support services, gaining significant experience and lessons learnt.

ICON was commended by the client for the well planned and executed rig up and handling of the equipment and seamless integration with the rig crew.

ICON has been granted patents for its innovative ARTP Series of Tension Lift Frames. The ARTP E-Series is now being deployed to a Woodside project and will be in operation again later this year. ICON’s ARTP B-Series is continuing to be used on the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG project in the Timor Sea.

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Further Information for Editors

ICON has installed more offshore platforms with jackup drilling rigs than any other company worldwide and are expert in minimal facilities installation techniques such as Minnowpods, Monopods and Annex platforms.
ICON’s work won a British Government engineering award for the innovative North Sea design and installation method of Shell’s Skiff oilfield and installed the first fixed platform in the Timor Sea
ICON has carried out the deepest and lowest cost deployment of flexible flowlines carried out from a semi-submersible drilling rig in Australia and has pioneered mini-floatover technology for installing small topsides in weight range up to 1200 tonnes
ICON are world leaders in the supply of conductor tensioning systems for jackup drilling rigs from the Gippsland Basin to the Gulf of Mexico and is renowned for completing difficult upgrades to drilling rigs outside shipyards in remote offshore locations
ICON’s growing equipment division sells and rents equipment internationally and focuses on developing niche equipment to support construction and drilling operations
ICON dominates the Australian market for heave compensated systems and for drilling locked to bottom well test conditions. This is the area of compensation that requires the highest level of reliability.

For more information:

Contact: David Field

Position: Managing Director

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +61 (08) 6313 5500