SURVEY TOW-OUT COROCORO CPF

Project Summary

In August 2011, the 7,500 t heavy COROCORO Central Production Facility (CPF) was moved by barge from the construction site near Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, to its offshore installation site in the Gulf of Paria. Argonautics Marine Engineering, Inc. was hired to be on-site during the tow preparations and to ride the tow down the Orinoco river to the offshore mooring site. During the preparations, the unmooring, towing, mooring, and mating procedures were reviewed and the various tugs were surveyed for suitability. The BOABARGE 29 and the deck grillage and seafastening were also surveyed.

Late August, the tow departed Puerto Ordaz and safely sailed down the Orinoco river in 3 days, anchoring each night. When the mouth of the river was reached, the weather forecast was favorable and the tow proceeded to the mooring site at the Corocoro field, where the barge was moored and grounded in preparation of the mating operation.

Scope of Work

The project scope included:

Project Photographs

specialists in marine heavy-lift transportation engineering

naval architects

marine surveyors

If you can read this and do not see a MENU here, please allow for scripts to run

Est. 1992

■	Review all procedures, report, and engineering calculations related to the tow-out, mooring and mating of the CPF;
■	Survey the barge BOABARGE 29 and the CPF and the grillage and seafastenings for suitability for the tow;
■	Suitability survey of the various ocean going tugs, pusher tugs and field assist tugs;
■	Issue Cetificates to Proceed at various steps of the tow-out and mooring operations;
■	Ride the lead tug ARMADA TUAH 105 down the Orinoco River and offshore to the installation site;
■	Ride the BOABARGE 29 from the last hold point offhsore to the mooring site next to the platform installation piles.

BOABARGE 29 on a short tow line behind the ARMADA TUAH 105

Grillage and seafastenings CPF

Securing loose items on CPF

Anchored at night

Safely moored close to piles