Long-term NICOLAS customer Lift & Shift Engineering Middle East (LSEME) has successfully completed some of the largest and heaviest transport and loadout contracts in the Sultanate of Oman.
The challenges, such as a high center of gravity and difficult undergrounds, were mastered by relying on self-propelled electronically steered NICOLAS MHD SPE vehicles that are recognized for their sturdiness and high bending moment worldwide.
Thanks to the NICOLAS steering philosophy, the MHD has the lowest driving height on the market when loaded. This was a major advantage for LSEME, which was awarded an order for transport and loadout of five offshore decks and one bridge at a fabrication yard in Sohar, Oman by L&T MFF Oman. The modules were to be delivered to the ADMA site in Umm Lulu and Umm Kaasar in Abu Dhabi’s offshore field. The offshore decks weights and dimensions:
- Module WHT 1 – 27 x 30 x 23 m – 2.250 tons
- Module WHT 2 – 37 x 24 x 24 m – 3.050 tons
- Module WHT 4 – 35 x 43 x 33 m – 2.900 tons
- Module WHT 6 – 47 x 27 x 37 m – 3.600 tons
- Module MFT 1 – 37 x 37 x 15 m – 2.600 tons
- Bridge – 85 x 6 x 6 m - 570 tons
The transport and loadout engineering of these modules commenced in 2012 and was completed in 2014. LSEME’s scope entailed the engineering of transport schematics for trailer arrangements, marine analysis to identify the suitability of barges and a final ballasting and loading plan for the load out of the modules. A total of 152 axle lines of NICOLAS MHD SPE were in use, driven by seven PowerPacks. LSEME’s team of technicians and engineers from Oman, India and UAE were mobilized to execute the operations.
The WHT 6, with 3.600 tons of weight the heaviest of the modules, was an especially challenging transport as it was executed in the evening and with fading light.