Heerema Vlissingen, one of the three construction yards of Heerema Fabrication Group (HFG) has been awarded an EPC contract for the construction of a jacket and piles for the Nexen Buzzard oilfield in the UK North Sea.

Recently a contract has been signed between Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited (Nexen) and Heerema Vlissingen B.V. (Heerema) for the engineering, procurement and construction of a 3,500 Te jacket and 8 piles for the fourth platform on Nexen’s Buzzard oilfield in the UK North Sea.

The 3,500 Te jacket will measure 42 x 42 x 124 meter with 8 off 96” piles. The construction is scheduled to start in August 2008 and the jacket and piles will be ready for sail-away in the 3rd quarter of 2009.

Peter Self, Vice President Commercial of HFG said: “a key to this contract award is the confidence Heerema was able to give Nexen in achieving the early jacket completion schedule for autumn 2009”. Remco van Gilst, Manager of Projects of Heerema Vlissingen continues: “A robust overall schedule for jacket completion in August 2009 is to have the total supply chain lined up from a smooth engineering start following up the work done in the tender period, to timely procurement driven by fabrication. The early jacket installation reduces the installation and hook-up work when the topside and bridge, built to suit the as-installed jacket, are installed in the 2010 installation period.