Thunder Hawk

SBM Atlantia used its extensive project experience to supply a second DeepDraft Semi® FPU for the ultra-deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  In October 2006, a Production Handling Contract (PHA) was signed by the SBM Offshore Group with field Operator Murphy Exploration & Production Company USA and its co-producers Eni Petroleum US L.L.C., StatoilHydro USA E&P, Inc., and Marubeni Offshore Production Company (USA) Inc. for the provision of a new build semisubmersible Floating Production Unit (FPU) for the Thunder Hawk field and surrounding acreage.

The Thunder Hawk facility has been installed offshore Louisiana in Mississippi Canyon (MC) 736 and is processing production from the Thunder Hawk field located in MC 734.  The Thunder Hawk project has many firsts for the SBM Offshore Group, including the first PHA contract and the first SBM-owned FPU in the Gulf of Mexico.

Thunder Hawk is SBMA’s second DeepDraft Semi® FPU in the ultra-deep GOM. SBM Atlantia and SBM GustoMSC previously teamed up to supply the worlds first DeepDraft Semi® for Enterprise Products Partners’ Independence Hub project located in a record setting 8,050-ft. water depth in MC 920.  SBM Atlantia has now fully merged with SBM GustoMSC and SBM Imodco, all three of which contributed to the Thunder Hawk effort.  The Thunder Hawk project scope included providing full Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI) services for the Topsides, Hull, Moorings, Installation and offshore commissioning.  SBM Atlantia also provided the detailed Riser Analysis.

Thunder Hawk was the first project to use the full range of SBM capabilities in the Houston office. The topsides were jointly designed by the SBM Imodco/Atlantia team, which was formally merged during the course of the project.  SBM GustoMSC and SBM Atlantia, working as an integrated inter-company project team, supplied the hull design, analysis, and construction services for the fast-track development.

The Thunder Hawk field is located in approximately 6,060 ft of water.  The DeepDraft Semi® is anchored with a polyester spread mooring system and is connected to the subsea trees and infrastructure with steel catenary riser (SCR) flowlines, SCR export risers, and multiple control umbilicals.  Provisions have been made to accommodate future subsea tiebacks and associated production from other fields/blocks in the area, including processing production from third party producers.

The Thunder Hawk FPU is initially connected to four (4) subsea trees, two (2) 8” diameter flowlines, one (1) control umbilical, two (2) 12” dia. export SCRs (oil and gas), with an option for a future gas lift umbilical.  In addition, the platform has the capability to accommodate future subsea tie-backs, which may consist of up to six (6) 8” diameter flowlines and six (6) umbilicals.