Physical environmental services in support of the Hibernia offshore platform towout and installation

The Hibernia oilfield is located in the North Atlantic approximately 315 km east of St. John's Newfoundland, in approximately 80 m of water. The original discovery well was drilled in 1979, and the field was delineated with extensive drilling through the early to mid 1980s. The successful conclusion of regulatory and royalty negotiations led in 1991 to the implementation of a development plan for the field. The field is to be produced from a concrete 600,000 tonne Gravity Base Structure (GBS) of 100 m diameter, with a total base to top height in excess of 200 m. The steel topsides structure on the GBS consists of five main functional modules and several ancillary structures. Critical milestones in the production schedule include completion of GBS construction in mid-May 1997, followed by towout of the completed structure from its coastal construction site in Trinity Bay, Newfoundland to the Hibernia field in early June. Installation of the structure during July and August, followed by the commencement of drilling, will yield first oil production in late 1997. This paper describes the support infrastructure and systems which have been implemented to provide safe and cost effective weather forecasting, ice management services, oceanographic services, physical environmental data management services, and related training, in support of Hibernia operations.