JDR Cables has been awarded a fast-track contract by Nigeria’s Royal Niger Emerging Technologies to support the deepwater Abo oil field project for the manufacture of a 1.55 km hybrid of steel tube and thermoplastic umbilical.

The umbilical, designed to include a combination of hydraulic control and chemical hoses, low voltage signal cables and a central bundle of steel tube chemical supply lines, is set to be delivered to the field during the first quarter of next year.

The umbilical will connect an existing Subsea Distribution Unit (SDU) to a new well through the use of two umbilical termination units (UTA). JDR will manufacture and load-out the umbilical on a 9.2 m (30 ft) installation reel from its deepwater quayside facility in Hartlepool, England.

The project is a first for Nigerian content in that it also provides for the training of Nigerian nationals in the integration, testing, installation and commissioning of the umbilical. This will take place at JDR’s facilities in Hartlepool.

Royal Niger stated the contract was “the first step in a bold move to domicile umbilical technology and services in Nigeria through the effective collaboration with JDR to deliver the umbilical product and technology transfer to the Nigerian market”.

Abo is located in the south eastern part of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 125, about 55 km (34 miles) offshore in water depths of up to 780 m (2,461 ft).

Offshore