Heerema Vlissingen, one of the operating companies of Heerema Fabrication Group (HFG) in Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands recently signed an EPC contract with ABB in Sweden for the design, procurement and fabrication of a 400 MW transformer offshore platform in the German sector of the North Sea.

Heerema Vlissingen together with the US based engineering firm within Heerema Fabrication Group, HFG Engineering US in Houston, will design and fabricate the platform and the jacket, on which the innovative and environmentally friendly HVDC Light (high-voltage direct current) transmission technology concept of ABB will be installed. Also the procurement and the hook up offshore activities are part of the contract.

The 2,500 tonne weighing topside will have a length of 55 metres and a width of 35 metres. The jacket will be 60 metres high with a weight of 1,500 tonne.

The fabrication will start in March 2008 and is scheduled for completion in April 2009. The installation is planned in May 2009. The offshore wind farm is scheduled to be operational in September 2009.

Jan-Pieter Klaver, Chief Executive Officer of HFG says: "This unique project is perfectly in line with our strategy to leverage our EPCI project management capabilities in the offshore oil & gas industry to other markets. Our reputation and expertise in the execution of offshore EPCI projects in the harsh North Sea environment have contributed to the award of the project by ABB. A challenging project in many respects; an innovative and environmentally friendly electrical power concept in a for HFG relatively new market, which will also contribute to fight climate change", continues Jan-Pieter Klaver.

The transformer platform will be part of the world’s largest offshore wind farm located 130 kilometres off the German coast in the North Sea. The NordE.ON 1 transformer platform, owned by E.ON Netz Offshore GmbH in Germany, will be connected to the most remote wind farm in the world and consisting of 80 wind turbines generating 400 MW in total. ABB developed an innovative and environmentally friendly transmission, which convert the energy generated by the offshore wind turbines at the offshore transformer platform and transmits it through a 130 kilometres direct current cable to shore.