30 June 2020
Oil & Gas Workboats
The O&G industry requires many different types of vessels for its offshore oil drilling and rigging platforms as it faces unique maritime challenges. The Oil & Gas (O&G) companies operate in very remote areas where accessibility and environment conditions are very difficult. All of the vessels are built to cater to the tough maritime environment surrounding offshore oil platforms and they carry rescue boats and other types of workboats onboard.
Some of these workboats are Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) which are mainly used by the oil companies for daily offshore transport of personnel and equipment or for platform security-zone enforcement. These RHIB Boats can also be versatile if required such as in addition to their main function, they can be used for rescue, servicing needs and watchmen over the offshore drilling rig platform.
Below are the top 3 tips for the best type of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats for the Oil and Gas offshore operational needs:
1. Hull Type: Aluminum or FiberGlass
Depending on the company’s preference and the purpose of the boat use, the company might opt for an Aluminum or Fiber Glass material for the hull of the workboat RHIB. Both hull types have their advantages and disadvantages. At OCM, we have experience in manufacturing both hull types for O&G companies.
2. Engine Type: Inboard or Outboard Diesel
For the airport rescue boats only the life raft is a must-have feature. The rest depends on the specifications and requirements of each airport. However, some airports do ask to have a fire pump installed.
Up until a few years ago, Oil & Gas workboats were powered by inboard engines but since the development and introduction of the outboard diesel engine for commercial use by OXE, diesel engines became a requirement for the Oil and Gas operations for safety reasons. Safety regulations prevent the use of petrol engines as they are spark ignited.
OXE Diesel range is the first and only commercially available outboard able to be used in the O&G sector as it runs on compression ignition diesel fuel. Other than the OXE Diesel, there is Dtorque outboard diesel engine but currently it is only available with 50Hp.
So between having the option of an inboard and outboard engine, we highly recommend the outboard diesel engine. Also, the outboard diesel engine provide the following additional benefits:
- The boats are more operational
- You have additional space as the engine hangs on the transom
- It is easy to service and replace as the activities can be performed externally
3. Deck option: Marine anti-slip rubber platform
Given the harsh environments of the Oil and Gas environment, adding an anti-slip protection on the deck of the boat is a must and we highly recommend it for the safety of the personnel on the boat. It will help avoid personnel from slipping and from the deck flooring to be damaged from heavy equipment transported.
You can check OCM O&G RIBs range as we have a vast experience for the specialized Oil & Gas work environment. We custom-design the workboat to your operations needs whether you require an open-boat or a cabin-boat. Contact us now so we can build the Oil & Gas workboat RIB together to ensure no time is wasted on the oil platform.
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