The UAE’s Drydocks World Completes Module for North Sea Oil & Gas Platform

The UAE-headquartered marine and offshore services provider Drydocks World Dubai, a part of DP World, has successfully completed the final section of a module for a new platform destined for deployment at an oil and gas development in the North Sea, off the coast of Norway.

Describing its progress in constructing the Hugin A wellbay module at Drydocks World, Aker BP highlighted that the last structural section was lifted into place at the yard in Dubai, marking the completion of the stacking process of the module.

Yggdrasil Development

Hugin A, part of the Yggdrasil development, is anticipated to be the largest topside ever assembled in the Stord yard area. It consists of a 28-ton production platform and a 20,500-ton steel jacket that will be delivered from Aker Solutions’ yard in Verdal.

Aker BP confirmed the start of construction activities on Yggdrasil and another project in September 2023, with the cutting ceremony for the first steel plates for Hugin A and one more platform at Aker Solutions’ Stord yard.

The Norwegian player signed a deal valued at almost NOK 50 billion ($4.7 billion) with Aker BP and its alliance partners in December 2023 to enable the beginning of construction.

Project Milestones

The latest milestone comes after Drydocks World completed the Hugin A and Valhall PWP jacket pile clusters for deployment at two significant oil and gas projects under development on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

Hugin A is the area center of the Aker BP-operated Yggdrasil area, with the wellbay module being a key part of the 30,000-ton Hugin A topsides, which will be assembled and finalized at Aker Solutions’ Stord yard.

Future Plans

Aker BP outlined that more than 300 people at the yard in Dubai are involved in delivering the wellbay module, with work now continuing with piping, electrical, insulation, and equipment installations.

The Yggdrasil project, estimated at NOK 115 billion or over $10.3 billion, includes the Hugin, Fulla, and Munin license groups between Alvheim and Oseberg in the North Sea. Partners in the area are Equinor and PGNIG Upstream Norway.

Infrastructure Expansion

With gross resources of over 700 million barrels of oil equivalent, extensive new infrastructure is planned for the Yggdrasil area, including three platforms, nine subsea templates, new pipelines for oil and gas export, and power from shore.

The entire Yggdrasil area will be remotely operated from an integrated operations center and control room onshore in Stavanger.

Collaboration and Delivery

Aker Solutions’ yards in Egersund and Sandnessjøen will work on modules, while Leirvik will deliver living quarters. Aker BP’s Yggdrasil field development also includes an unmanned platform, Hugin B, which will be delivered from Verdal and tied back to Hugin A.

Aibel will deliver the topside for Munin, and Aker Solutions’ scope entails subsea and modification deliveries to the Yggdrasil fields. Multiconsult will provide onshore civil engineering for the power from shore system.