Two new access systems

Ampelmann responds to growing demand in the Middle East with two new L-type systems

An uptick in projects and an increasing demand for its solutions has prompted Ampelmann, the Dutch offshore access provider, to mobilise two new L-type systems to the Middle East.

The company has long been the preferred choice for both national and international oil companies (NOCs and IOCs) in the region, enabling Walk to Work (W2W) operations with the highest standard of safety and efficiency in the industry. The addition of the L-types to the current fleet will expand Ampelmann’s local offering and further improve its response time to new demand in the region.

An electric system for safe offshore access

Ampelmann has been active in the Middle East for close to a decade now, enabling W2W operations with both its A- and L-type gangway systems. The A-type is the company’s flagship system, and it has been supporting key players in the local market, including several vessel owners and operators in Azerbaijan and Qatar, to gain safer and more efficient access to their offshore assets.

The L-type, on the other hand, is Ampelmann’s smaller, fully electric system, which is particularly well suited to daily crew change operations or supporting EPC scopes, such as installation and hook-up and commissioning. It provides continuous access for personnel from a vessel to an offshore platform, making it faster and easier for clients to perform work on their assets.

The system has already enabled various scopes of work in Qatar and Oman and the success of those has sparked further interest in the gangway. The two L-types are newly assembled and coming directly from Ampelmann’s production facility in the Netherlands. They will be ready for operation in the region as of the end of September 2021.

Strengthening an already strong track record

To date, the L-type has supported two shutdown campaigns, one of which in Oman, as well as several offshore construction projects in Qatar. As a result, it has safely transferred close to 10,000 offshore workers onto Oil & Gas platforms and back.

For the shutdown support in Oman, the system provided 100% operability, allowing crucial well-related work to be performed on time. This reduced the risk of delayed start-up for the client. For the construction projects, the L-type provided flexibility, a fast response to the client’s needs as well as the ability to transfer a large number of personnel quickly and according to the highest safety standards.

Going forward, the company is looking to meet the demand for safe offshore access with its two new L-type systems, and to further expand its offering for the local market. Unlike many regions, the Middle East is still seeing exponential growth and currently, with offices both in Doha and Dubai, Ampelmann is best placed to support its clients locally.