Wison Offshore & Marine Ltd., a subsidiary of the Wison Group, and BPZ Energy have confirmed the successful load out and sail away of the world’s first Buoyant Tower drilling and production platform.

The facility is destined for installation on BPZ Energy’s Corvina field offshore Peru. The CX-15 platform was safely completed and successfully delivered to BPZ Energy at Wison Offshore & Marine’s Nantong, China fabrication facility in a record 11 months from contract signature and without a single lost time incident.

Wison’s workscope included the engineering, procurement, and construction of the facility’s 2,500-ton Buoyant Tower hull and 1,500 ton topsides facility. This project represents not only the first use of the design, says Wison, but also the first implementation of the company’s integrated international delivery model including members from the company’s three operation centers located in Shanghai and Nantong, China, and Houston.

The hull for the facility was designed and engineered through a joint venture between Wison affiliate, Horton Wison Deepwater, and GMC Limited and consists of four, ring-stiffened connected cylindrical tubes or ‘cells’ with one central suction pile. Each cell measures 8.4 m (28 ft) in diameter and 60.1 m (197 ft) long, with a total hull length, including suction pile, of 69.9 m (229 ft).

This design, which is similar to proven cell spar technology, was a key enabler for the project due to the fact that it will not require a derrick barge for installation as it is located in a region with minimal resident offshore construction vessels, added the company.

When installed, the Buoyant Tower will support the three-level topsides facility designed by Audubon Engineering and GMC Ltd. and equipped to produce 12,200 b/d of oil, 12.8 MMcf/d of gas and inject 3,500 b/d of water.

Additionally, the facility will be capable of supporting a drilling rig with 24 well slots.

Both hull and topsides were loaded onboard a single heavy lift transport vessel, the Osprey, which is sailing to Peru for the installation operation.