Key Milestone in Saudi Offshore Development

China's Offshore Oil Engineering Company (COOEC) has successfully installed an offshore jacket for Saudi Aramco's Abu Safah oilfield, marking a significant achievement in the project. This installation is part of Aramco's contract release purchase order (CRPO) 149, awarded to COOEC in 2024.

Project Details and Construction

The jacket, weighing approximately 950 tonnes, was installed in the Persian Gulf region using a "horizontal fabrication and vertical assembly" construction process. This approach was combined with an integrated offshore operation model for transportation and installation. The CRPO-149 project is located in the Abu Safah offshore oil field, where COOEC is responsible for the full engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning (EPCIC) scope.

Milestone and Future Work

The installation of this structure marks the 30th offshore structure installed by COOEC in Saudi waters. Following this achievement, the CRPO-149 project team will advance the installation of remaining steel piles, conductors, boat landing platforms, and other accessories. COOEC had previously completed construction of the Abu Safah jacket in January.

Context and Significance

The Abu Safah oilfield, located in shared waters between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, has been a significant production hub since 1966 and plays a key role in regional energy supply. COOEC operates under Aramco's long-term agreement (LTA) framework, which includes other international contractors such as India's Larsen & Toubro with Subsea7, Italy's Saipem, McDermott International, Abu Dhabi's NMDC Energy, and Lamprell. These contractors participate in brownfield, maintenance, and greenfield projects tendered by Aramco.