LUKOIL has placed the basis of a fixed offshore ice-resistant off-loading terminal (FOIROT) meant for the Varandey Oil Export Terminal (VOET) at the bottom of the Barents Sea, LUKOIL press center reports according to Oilcapital. FOIROT is designed for filling ice-class 70,000-dwt tankers with oil. FOIROT has been manufactured by OOO LUKOIL-Kaliningradmorneft steelworks. The FOIROT is a structure with a total weight of over 11 thousand tons which consists of a base leg with an accommodation module, a mooring cargo handling system (MCHS) with a jib, and a helicopter pad. It was delivered by two sea-going barges. According to the project the FOIROT base leg will be launched afloat and secured to the seabed by 24 piles at the depth of 17 meters, 22 km offshore. Then the MCHS will be mounted on the base leg and the FOIROT will be connected to two underwater pipelines, whereby the oil will be fed from onshore tanks.
The upgraded VOET is to be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2007.
The VOET is designed for sea export of oil produced by LUKOIL in the north of Nenets Autonomous District.Currently, the Company is increasing the terminal capacity up to 12 million tons of oil per year. It is expected that after capacity of the terminal has been increased, the oil will be exported via the shortest route, including to the North American market.