UAE Fabricator Lamprell says it has a strong order book going forward to 2010, with no cancellations despite the global financial crisis.

Earlier this month, the company completed commissioning and delivery of the self-propelled liftboat Seajacks Kraken to Seajacks International. Construction of a second liftboat, the Seajacks Leviathan, has advanced significantly and should be launched later this year.

Work on new jackups for Scorpion Offshore is also progressing, with the Offshore Freedom due to be delivered in April followed later in the year by the Offshore Mischief. Scorpion has completed full funding needs for the first rig and has arranged financing for a progress payment on the second unit.

A lump sum turnkey construction contract with BassDril for a self-erecting, tender-assist drilling unit should be completed towards end-2009. Another newbuild jackup, the Le Tourneau-designed, self-elevating Super 116E (Enhanced) class mobile offshore drilling platform commissioned by Riginvest GP, should be completed in November 2010.

The board is cautious about prospects for further newbuild jackups. However, despite the uncertain economic outlook, Lamprell is continuing its expansion program. Operations at the new facility at Hamriyah should start later this spring. This will have a developed area of 250,000 sq m (2,690,978 sq ft) with a deepwater berthing quay wall 1,250 m (4,101 ft) long and 9 m (29.5ft) deep.

The facility should give Lamprell more flexibility, allowing it to work on up to 10 rigs at once and to build up to three new jackups. It will also be able to refurbish drillships and drilling semisubmersibles, a service previously constrained by space and water depth limitations.

Elsewhere, the company is developing and expanding its yard at Jebel Ali, and it has also completed a new 46,950 sq m (505,365 sq ft) facility with a 158 m (518 ft) deep water quayside in Sattahip, Thailand.

(Sourced from www.offshore-mag.com)