GAC Sri Lanka has completed the movement of offshore drilling rig Hercules Triumph from the port of Trincomalee to India. The rig, owned by Hercules Offshore, Inc., USA, is now safely anchored at Kakinada, ready to start drilling operations for CAIRN Energy at the RAVVA offshore oil field, the company said in its press release.
GAC Sri Lanka, part of global shipping, logistics and marine services provider GAC Group, chartered three anchor-handling tug boats - SCI URJA, SCI Ahimsa and Mahaweli - to off-land the Hercules Triumph from heavy-lift vessel Target at Trincomalee Anchorage and worked in close liaison with the Harbour Master and port officials throughout the complex operation. GAC also provided a range of port services including using its own fleet of supply boats for the transfer of crew and other personnel to and from the rig. Further, GAC Sri Lanka supplied provisions, stores, fresh water and bunker fuels to the rig and anchor-handling tugs.
As part of its task to oversee the entire project, GAC Sri Lanka was also responsible for domestic air transfers of Hercules Offshore officials to and from the site.
After four days of servicing at Trincomalee, the Hercules Triumph was then towed by two tugs, the SCI URJA and the SCI Ahimsa, over 700 NM miles to Kakinada, arriving 8 days later.
Mr. Preethilal Fernando, Director and CEO of GAC Sri Lanka, says: "GAC has long been a pioneering company in the oil and gas support services industry and this is another milestone in rig operations in Sri Lanka. The Port of Trincomalee is perfectly suited to this type of operation as it can accommodate vessels with a very deep draft, which is critical for off-landing and floating of rigs.
"This was a complex operation and we have worked very closely with Hercules Offshore throughout the process, which has been a great success. We are very proud that Hercules Offshore entrusted GAC with the movement of the Hercules Triumph, which is now in location in the Indian Ocean and ready for operations again."
As one of the world's leading shipping, logistics and marine services providers, GAC Group has a strong presence across the oil & gas sectors worldwide, providing a wide range of offshore support services for exploration, construction and production through to decommissioning of rigs, as well as a range of support services including ship supply, bunkering and crew travel services.