Namibian Deepwater Current Measurement Programme Completed
Metocean Services International (MSI, Australia) has recently completed a deepwater current measurement programme offshore Namibia for Repsol Exploration (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd (Repsol), with 100% data return.
Repsol as operator of a Partnership including Tower Resources Plc. and Arcadia Expro Namibia Pty Ltd will drill its first well offshore Namibia in 2014, and as input to the design of the drilling programme required detailed current profile data at the expected well location. To ensure maximum chance of a successful measurement programme, Repsol contracted MSI to deploy 2 complete current profile moorings, in 1,145m and 1,240m water depth. Each mooring comprised 3 upward looking TRDI 75kHz Longranger ADCPs deployed at 8m, 408m and 808m above the seabed. Each mooring also had a surface spar buoy fitted with satellite tracking beacon, to ensure that its position could be continuously monitored throughout the programme for security.
One of the challenges was the short mobilisation period, especially given the significant quantity of equipment required. The contract was awarded and the moorings were ready to be loaded onto the vessel in Walvis Bay in less than 4 weeks. Another challenge was the notoriously bad weather off the Namibian coast, but with daily forecasts provided by MSI’s partner Aerospace and Marine International, a suitable window was identified in early October. The moorings were deployed in early October using the DP Star.
There were no vessels available on the spot market in Walvis Bay for recovery of the moorings so MSI charted the PSV Taraska out of Cape Town, completing the fieldwork with no HSE incidents to report. Data was returned to MSI’s Data Centre in Cape Town where processing and reporting was undertaken confirming another project successfully completed with 100% data return. This again reaffirms MSI’s capability of working in deep water, at short notice, and providing the client with all of the required data they need for their development.
