Aberdeen-based hydraulic engineering company, DE Hydraulics, has successfully completed an upgrade project for Diamond Offshore Drilling (UK) Limited, onboard the Semi-Submersible Drilling Unit Ocean Guardian.

The contract – worth around £200,000 – involved DE Hydraulics producing and installing a new hydraulic power unit on the platform.

The project, which took around five months to complete, saw the company design and build the equipment at its Dyce base, before DE Hydraulics personnel travelled to Invergordon, where the rig was berthed, to install and commission the unit.

Now in operation, the single unit provides fluid power for the Ocean Guardian’s rotary drilling system (top-drive) and casing stabbing arm, as well as its torque and rider spiders, and replaces two units, which were previously required to power the machinery.

And the unit, which delivers 378Lpm/3000psi, also meets strict safety requirements. The system is ATEX Zone 1 approved, certifying it’s safe to operate in atmospheres where a mixture of air and flammable substances in the form of gas, dust, vapor or mist are present frequently, continuously or for long periods.

The Ocean Guardian Semi-Submersible Drilling Unit is currently being mobilised from the Cromarty Firth on a 62-day journey to the Falkland Islands.

Once there, the rig is due to drill for both Desire Petroleum PLC and Rockhopper Exploration PLC in the North Falklands Basin.

DE Hydraulics’ operations manager, Stewart Dalgarno, hailed the project a major success and says its completion is an important development for the company.

He said: “We’re delighted to have concluded this project, which provided us with the opportunity to demonstrate our expertise at each stage of the production process – from designing and building the unit, to installing and commissioning it onboard the Ocean Guardian.

“Not only is the power unit an impressive piece of equipment – replacing the two systems previously required for the rig – but it also adheres to strict safety regulations, and the successful completion of the work highlights the exceptional standard of products and services we provide clients with.”

The successful completion of the project comes hot on the heels of DE Hydraulics revealing a first year turnover in excess of £1million and announcing that, in the coming 12 months, it aims to increase this figure by 50%.

As part of the firm’s growth strategy, it also plans to expand its workforce – the company currently has 13 members of staff – by 20% over the next year.

Tags: DE Hydraulics