GMSSA Awarded Contract for Karan Field

Gulf Marine Services Saudi Arabia Ltd (GMSSA), a joint venture between Shoaibi Group and Gulf Marine Services has entered into a contract with J Ray McDermott (JRM) for the supply of offshore accommodation support services. Under this contract GMSSA will support JRM, in the latest phase of the Karan field offshore development in Saudi Arabia. The contract will be fulfilled using GMS ENDURANCE, the company’s self-propelled jackup barge which will accommodate up to 185 client personnel offshore. GMS ENDURANCE was constructed at GMS’s own yard in the UAE earlier in 2010 and is designed to provide clients with a stable and offshore work platform in support of their offshore activities. The design incorporates state of the art jacking and manoeuvring systems and allowing the barge to position itself precisely using satellite navigation systems in water depths up to 65 meters. Cranes fitted on board allow lifts up to 160t with options to increase this to 300t.

The Chairman of GMSSA, Mr Khalid Al Shoaibi said, “We are extremely pleased at the speedy entry of GMS into the Saudi market. In just over a year since we entered into this joint venture, GMSSA have been able to secure a contract participating in one of the biggest offshore developments in Saudi Arabia.”

CEO of GMS, Mr Duncan Anderson, also expressed his delight on the award of the new Contract. “We see JRM as a very important customer in the future, and the award of this new contract coupled with our entry into the Saudi Arabian market is a very important and exciting development for GMSSA. GMS ENDURANCE marks the beginning of a new chapter for GMS through the introduction of larger more capable jackup units and we are pleased to see these capabilities being recognised by our clients.”

Shoaibi Group and Gulf Marine Services entered into a joint venture in July 2009 to provide offshore barge operation services in Saudi Arabia. Shoaibi Group have unmatched expertise in the oil and gas market in Saudi Arabia. GMSSA therefore is able to capitalise on this expertise, and on the substantial offshore capital expenditure forecast for the region.