ASHTON COMPANY TRANSFORMS NORTH SEA PROSPECTS 

Hawke International, based in Ashton-under-Lyne, has saved a BP led consortium thousands of man-hours in a project to transform an uneconomic oil field into a viable proposition.  Production start-up has also been advanced by several weeks.

Hawke International supply explosion protected cable glands, connectors and electrical installation equipment to petrochemical companies around the world.  They have contributed to substantial start-up savings on the BP Clair, which is 75 kilometres west of the Shetlands.  Discovered in 1977, the cost of recovery was until now considered insurmountable.

Working with some of the engineering giants of the oil industry, Hawke developed a system to speed the electrical hook-up of the various production platform modules.  Traditionally, these modules are wired using terminal boxes and long cable runs.  This work is normally done offshore by large teams of electricians who must be accommodated for extended periods in hired accommodation modules.

The specification called for connectors suitable for both control and power cabling and fit for purpose over the 25-year design life of the platform.  Connectors were required to handle many different cable diameters, core sizes, voltages and currents.  After careful evaluation of offers from several manufacturers, Hawke were selected.  They have supplied over 200 BASEEFA certified ATEX IP66 EExd IIC T5 connectors.  These are made in grade 316 stainless steel, a material proven to withstand the affects of the harshest environments. 

The connectors were installed onto modules onshore at yards in Wallsend, Hartlepool and Norway.  The installation team from Wellhead electrical (Aberdeeen) assembled the Hawke connectors onto the cabling and tested them before modules for accommodation, living quarters, utilities, helideck and drilling were transferred to the platform.  Offshore hook-up became a simple plug-in operation, allowing the accommodation module and helideck to be connected in a fraction of the normal time.

Clair Phase 1 has an estimated recoverable yield of 250 million barrels.  Pumping will start soon to Sullom Voe on Shetland.  The lessons from the BP Clair project and the use of Hawke International coupling technology will help make the economics of exploitation viable in many more cases.


More information: Phil O'Connor, Hawke International, Tel. + 44(0)161 830 6698 Fax. +44 (0)161 830 6648 phil.oconnor@ehawke.com Web: www.ehawke.com

Advertising and other commercial enquiries: Gill Bancroft, Hawke International, Tel. +44 (0)161 830 6698 Fax. +44 (0)161 830 6648 E-mail: gill.bancroft@ehawke.com

High/low resolution images are on the web at www.ainsmag.co.uk/ha218/3704ha1a.htm

November 26, 2004