RAK Petroleum orders first wave piercer vessel for Offshore Platform Service in Gulf

Ras al Khaimah, Nov 1, 2010 (WAM)- RAK Petroleum Public Company Limited has chartered the first Topaz Wave Piercer for use in the Gulf, the Company announced yesterday. Designed by Incat Holdings Limited of Australia and built by Topaz Marine based in Dubai, the long-term charter vessel will be used for production crews commuting to and from the Company's offshore Oman platforms.
"The use of a fast, stable and fuel-efficient crew vessel will significantly reduce our transportation operating costs and provide more safety for our crew as they commute from Ras Al Khaimah to our platforms in the Strait of Hormuz," said Michel Pick, Group Technical Director of RAK Petroleum. "Working closely with Topaz for monthly servicing, we will also improve the in-port turnaround down time," he added.
RAK Petroleum will call the vessel "Topaz Zenith" and expects to take delivery in April 2011. At 24.0 meters long, this high speed crew vessel will be water jet propelled and feature several innovative features being seen in the Gulf region for the first time. The most significant of these is the super stable wave piercing catamaran hull design that provides a smoother passage in high sea swells than comparable mono-hulled vessels. This helps to provide comfort to the crew and stability for work at sea for up to 40 crew members.
The Wave Piercer feature combined with the waterjet power package is believed to be the first of its type in the world servicing oil and gas offshore platforms The twin-engined Caterpillar driven craft is combined with two Hamilton waterjet propulsion units which will power the vessel at speeds approaching 35 knots; sufficient speed to allow RAK Petroleum to carry out two platform inspection and operational visits per day to its West Bukha platform that would have previously required two separate vessels to undertake. – Emirates News Agency, WAM