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A NORTH-EAST company specialising in explosion and fire protection has clinched a major contract during construction of a “hotel” platform in the North Sea.

Mech-Tool Engineering Limited will supply stainless steel external fire wall cladding for a new living quarters platform for BP Norge AS, as part of the Valhall Oil Field re-development, in the Norwegian sector.

The contract, which is worth £1.5m to Mech-Tool, is expected create engineering and manufacturing jobs over the next 18 months at the company’s head office in Whessoe Road, Darlington, and manufacturing centres in Darlington and Middlesbrough.

Ian Farquharson, general manager of Mech-Tool’s fire and blast wall products division, said: “In respect of fire and blast protection, it is arguably our most prestigious contract to date and will take standards of offshore accommodation to a new level in terms of both safety and comfort.”

The new living quarters will include 180 single-bed cabins, as opposed to multiple occupation rooms on Valhall’s existing Quarters Platform.

Mech-Tool will supply 4,800sq m of fire-rated stainless steel cladding that will effectively form a protective skin around the nine-storey high accommodation block.

“Offshore workers experience some of the worst conditions of any profession,” said Mr Farquharson. “In complete contrast, the quarters platform, where they will eat, sleep and socialise between shifts during each 14-day stint offshore, will provide them with facilities equivalent to a five-star hotel, including restaurants, a cinema and state-of-the-art gym. Our role is to help ensure they enjoy these facilities in total safety.”

The Valhall field, which began production in 1982, has oil reserves to 2050 and estimated at 247 million barrels. It expects to start production from a new field centre in 2010 and the new accommodation platform will replace the existing quarters platform, which has been “home” to workers since 1979.

SLP Engineering, of Lowestoft, the main construction contractors on the Valhall Redevelopment Project, awarded the cladding contract to Mech-Tool.

The companies have a working relationship spanning many years and numerous offshore projects, most notably an accommodation platform for Pemex, the Mexican state-owned oil corporation, in the Mexican Gulf.

Mech-Tool’s fully-certified range of firewalls, blastwalls, radiation heatshields, blast-relief systems and fire and blast-rated doors have been an integral feature of fixed and floating offshore platforms for more than 35 years.

Design engineering on the Valhall project will be carried out at its research and development offices in Whessoe Road, Darlington, while the cladding will be manufactured at its factory in the Albert Hill area of Darlington and delivered to Lowestoft by road.

Cladding will be manufactured in 4m x 2.5m panels of typically A60 and H60-rated stainless steel, which will provide at least 60 minutes of protection in the event of an evacuation.

Helen Redman, Mech-Tool’s project manager, said: “The Norwegian sector of the North Sea is particularly hostile and stainless steel cladding is preferred not only for its protective qualities, but also because of its corrosion resistance, maintenance-free properties and, with a 40-year lifespan expectancy, should cover the life of the installation.”

The contract is due for completion in June 2009. However, Mech-Tool has submitted an enquiry to SLP to supply all 36 doors for the accommodation platform, which will similarly be fire-rated to offshore standards, which will extend the contract until 2010.

For further information contact Phil Dunn at Mech-Tool on 01325 355141.

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