Mid August we were awarded the contract for the conversion of Normand Tonjer to a seismic vessel by Fairfield Geo technologies.
The challenge was to build a structure of 3 decks of around 500 tons of steel, install a huge HVAC installation to keep the seismic equipment cool, and build a fully furnished office block with instrument room and other utilities at the third level within a time period of 75 days.
Having both repairs and a new building team in-house was a big factor in winning this project as it makes these conversions so much more efficient. Prefabrication of the blocks were done prior to the vessel’s arrival to the shipyard. The vessel arrived at Albwardy Damen on 07-10-2018 and all block erection was done in 3 weeks. From there, the scope of works kept on increasing and deviating from the original, nevertheless the final timeline was not flexible. We had different parties working simultaneously on board. Frequent meetings, setting proper guidelines and plotting specific roles between the parties streamlined the production process the most efficient way.
Main highlights
Around 500 tonnes of steel fabrication in 45 days.
More than 3500 m2 insulation and covering of the under deck and bulkheads in 3 weeks.
Fabrication of provisional crane pedestal, in-situ machining of the flange, installation of a 5 tonnes crane, commissioning & load testing.
Complete outfitting / furnishing of the office block.
Installation of a hydraulic driven conveyor belt system.
Fabricate compartment for HPU and install CO2 flooding system for the compartment.
Complete lighting of the seismic decks and office module.
Installation and powering of the owner arranged HVAC blocks.
Complete integration of the seismic equipment with the existing electrical system of the vessel, including cabling, MSB modification, installation of transformers etc.
The project was completed successfully within the agreed timeframe, safely, and in accordance with the specification
