A new multi-million dollar jack-up offshore production unit (MOPU) for single buoy moorings (SBM), built by a UAE company in record time, is on its way to Turkmenistan.

Lamprell was awarded the full construction and load out of the MOPU by operating clients Petronas of Malaysia in November last year and completed the project in nine months, less than half the time it normally takes, said Stephen Smith, marketing manager, Lamprell Energy Ltd.

The mobile production unit at Lamprell's yard in the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

The MOPU is being loaded out of Lamprell's Jebel Ali facilities today.

Citing client confidentiality, Lamprell refrained from giving information on the contract value.

Owing to record oil prices, the industry has been buoyant witnessing greater deployment of rigs all over the world.

"Business growth for Lamprell on the whole has been 60 per cent over the forecast for the year," said Tim Lamprell, vice-president, oilfield engineering division.

The company expects to be busy over the next two years working on one of a kind projects as well as its core businesses including upgrades and refurbishment of jack up rigs and land side rigs.

The MOPU completed last week is a newbuild and consists of two barges, one being 106 x 16 metres and the other 60 x 16 metres, independently built to enable passage through the Volga Don canal to the Caspian Sea, said Smith.

"Time constraints were also being driven by the limited access to the canal during the winter months. Further assembly will take place on arrival in the Caspian, connecting the barges to resemble a cruciform by means of ballasting and on board winch systems," said Smith.

Lamprell is a British-owned company, with its corporate headquarters in Sharjah. It provides services to the offshore oil industry. It operates a full service shipyard in Sharjah and owns and operates a modern fabrication facility in Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai.