Lamprell Golden Eagle PUQ Deck Load-Out Breaks Guinness World Record
By John Gauldie
In April the completed Golden Eagle Production, Utilities and Quarters (PUQ) deck for Nexen Petroleum U.K. left Lamprell’s Jebel Ali, UAE facility. As well as an on-schedule and on-budget delivery, Lamprell achieved a new safety record and the ALE load-out of the 13,191.98t deck broke the Guinness World Record for the ‘Heaviest Load Moved by SPMTs’. The deck is currently en route to the Golden Eagle Area Development (GEAD) in the North Sea.
Growing Reputation in New Build Offshore Construction Market
The PUQ deck is the largest offshore platform constructed by Lamprell and the sixth offshore fixed topside that Lamprell has delivered in 4 years. Lamprell CEO James Moffat commented: “The delivery of this latest offshore structure highlights Lamprell’s growing reputation in the new build offshore construction market and confirms our position as one of the few yards in the MENA region that has both the expertise and the capability to build large scale complex North Sea projects.”
The dimensions of the PUQ deck measure 98.5 x 46 x 58.8m and a total fleet of 512 axels on self-propelled modular trailers (SPMTs) were used to perform the load-out. Although Lamprell has loaded out similar structures in the past, this is the largest offshore platform officially recognised and constructed by Lamprell, the total weight of the platform including the grillage, temporaries and 
SPMTs is 15,511t. The deck was transported 883m and took 4 hours for transport and 10 hours for load-out to complete.
ALE Provides Record-Breaking Transportation & Load Out
Heavy transportation and lifting provider ALE provided the transportation for the project. ALE’s Executive Director – Middle East and Africa Richard Peckover stated, “We’re proud to have worked with Lamprell on this landmark project. The industry is continuing to see an increase in the size and weight of offshore structures and it’s great to see that ALE’s capabilities have enabled yet another record to be broken. Everyone involved worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the project and the teamwork between ourselves and Lamprell has accumulated in the achievement of this award.”
Guinness World Records has confirmed that Lamprell’s delivery of the offshore platform is the ‘Heaviest load moved by self-propelled modular trailers (SPMTs)’, measured at 13,191.98t. The 
award was confirmed and presented by the UAE Guinness World Records adjudicator Samer Khallouf at an event held at the Habtoor Grande hotel in Dubai on 22 April 2014. This beats the previous record achieved by Almajdouie Logistics Company (Saudi Arabia) on 22 January 2012 with 4,891t.
In addition to the transportation and load-out, ALE provided a range of services including all engineering works, such as FEED studies and method statements, project management, mooring and assisting with the ballasting.
World Class Safety Record for Yard
The project teams from Nexen and Lamprell have worked closely to make this project a success. With the completion and sail away of the PUQ deck, the team has completed 10 million man-hours without a lost time incident on the combined wellhead and PUQ deck projects. This new safety record for 
Lamprell is truly a world class achievement.
Delivery to such high standards would not have been possible without the close teamwork and strong relationship between the Lamprell and Nexen project management teams, Mr Moffat commented.
In 2011 Nexen contracted Lamprell to build two decks for the GEAD project – a GBP2 billion investment 70km offshore Aberdeen in the North Sea. The wellhead deck was delivered in June last year and has already been installed. Completion and delivery of this second structure was marked at a ceremony held in Dubai, in the UAE, on 17 April.
