Halliburton plant on the cards for Walvis Bay
Halliburton Industries plans to invest nearly N$200 million (US$10.5 million) in Walvis Bay to construct a liquid mud treatment and completion fluid plant (LMTP).
The plant will provide drilling and completion fluids for use by oil rigs involved in various oil exploration campaigns along the Namibian coast.
The environmental clearance process has been initiated, and SLR Consulting Namibia has been appointed to manage the process and prepare the necessary applications. Stakeholders can find background information on the SLR website and have until June 5th to provide input and register as an interested or affected party.
According to initial information, the new facility will be located at Berth 8 in the Port of Walvis Bay, identified by NamPort as the best location due to its proximity to the pier for shipping materials, ingredients and final products to and from the facility.
Operational plans
The facility will include a warehouse and an area for horizontal tanks to store and process synthetic and water-based drilling fluids, brine completion fluids and base fluids, as well as used waste fluids. Another part of the facility will be used for storing dry materials such as barite, bentonite and calcium carbonate.
Lastly, there will be a laboratory unit where the quality of fluids mixed at the facility, as well as those received back from the oil rigs, will be controlled. The laboratory also provides engineering and support services for offshore operations. According to the environmental consultants, all dust emissions will be collected by dust collectors designed to minimise exposure to personnel and the environment. Fluids to and from ships will be transferred through industrial pipes with transfer pumps. Supply vessels will transport products back and forth between the drilling rigs and the facility.
The facility may require up to 3 800 cubic metres of water and 115 000 litres of diesel every three months, depending on the levels of activity and the specific fluids needed by clients. Two dedicated diesel generators are planned for the facility.
In consideration of waste such as empty oil drums, bags and oily water, the services of local company Wesco will be employed. Spillage accidents will be avoided by ensuring tanks are leak-proof, while movable concrete barriers around all fluid storage areas, covered by impermeable leak-proof membranes, will be used to ensure no hazardous liquids can escape.
Once the design of the facility is completed and all necessary permits are obtained, the construction of the facility is expected to take about six months, with the facility being operational for the next five years thereafter.
The plant is expected to create up to 22 employment opportunities during peak operational periods, while some specialists will be brought in from abroad due to a lack of skills within Namibia. Training of Namibian employees is also on the cards.
The American company has grown over the years into a major international energy service provider, which last month signed an agreement with Rhino Resources to drill exploration wells within the PEL85 area in Oranjemund.
The plant will provide drilling and completion fluids for use by oil rigs involved in various oil exploration campaigns along the Namibian coast.
The environmental clearance process has been initiated, and SLR Consulting Namibia has been appointed to manage the process and prepare the necessary applications. Stakeholders can find background information on the SLR website and have until June 5th to provide input and register as an interested or affected party.
According to initial information, the new facility will be located at Berth 8 in the Port of Walvis Bay, identified by NamPort as the best location due to its proximity to the pier for shipping materials, ingredients and final products to and from the facility.
Operational plans
The facility will include a warehouse and an area for horizontal tanks to store and process synthetic and water-based drilling fluids, brine completion fluids and base fluids, as well as used waste fluids. Another part of the facility will be used for storing dry materials such as barite, bentonite and calcium carbonate.
Lastly, there will be a laboratory unit where the quality of fluids mixed at the facility, as well as those received back from the oil rigs, will be controlled. The laboratory also provides engineering and support services for offshore operations. According to the environmental consultants, all dust emissions will be collected by dust collectors designed to minimise exposure to personnel and the environment. Fluids to and from ships will be transferred through industrial pipes with transfer pumps. Supply vessels will transport products back and forth between the drilling rigs and the facility.
The facility may require up to 3 800 cubic metres of water and 115 000 litres of diesel every three months, depending on the levels of activity and the specific fluids needed by clients. Two dedicated diesel generators are planned for the facility.
In consideration of waste such as empty oil drums, bags and oily water, the services of local company Wesco will be employed. Spillage accidents will be avoided by ensuring tanks are leak-proof, while movable concrete barriers around all fluid storage areas, covered by impermeable leak-proof membranes, will be used to ensure no hazardous liquids can escape.
Once the design of the facility is completed and all necessary permits are obtained, the construction of the facility is expected to take about six months, with the facility being operational for the next five years thereafter.
The plant is expected to create up to 22 employment opportunities during peak operational periods, while some specialists will be brought in from abroad due to a lack of skills within Namibia. Training of Namibian employees is also on the cards.
The American company has grown over the years into a major international energy service provider, which last month signed an agreement with Rhino Resources to drill exploration wells within the PEL85 area in Oranjemund.
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