SLP Engineering Ltd

The turn-key to success

Based in Lowestoft, Suffolk, and with more than four decades of experience working within the oil and gas industry, SLP Engineering has spent that time continuously developing its management systems and skills as an EPC contractor in order to provide its customers with turnkey solutions for the energy industries.

In it’s history SLP has provided accommodation, process, power generation, drilling, utility and compression modules as well as jackets, decks and even an FPSO. From its base, the company’s onsite engineering, procurement offices, bulk storage, fabrication workshops, construction areas and blasting and painting shops work in unison to provide a smooth transition through the EPC and EPIC contracting phases.

Since its establishment the company has been under the ownership of numerous large contracting firms, including Wimpey and Odebrecht. The company is now owned by the Dutch group Smulders, which acquired the business and assets of SLP Engineering from the administrators. The support of the Smulders Group has allowed the new management team to re-build the company, re-engage with the energy industries and continue to offer EPC services.

Extending across an area of 55,000 square metres, SLP Engineering’s facilities have the capacity to transfer up to 6000 tonnes via two load out points, and to moor barges up to 120 metres in length and 35 metres wide next to the load out quay for onward transportation. The company’s geographical location allows for direct access to the North Sea, while the surrounding harbour benefits from a low tidal range that significantly assists the load out operation.

When engaging with clients, the company likes to take a close yet open approach that allows for the free exchange of ideas between the two parties. A client will state what they want and require from their product, usually via a functional specification. Utilising its extensive history and know-how, SLP will create the MFP or accommodation module that best fits the customer’s request whilst also satisfying all of the health, safety and environmental (HSE) regulations that need to be followed

At the core of SLP Engineering’s EPC capability is its in-house complement of designers, engineers and draughtsmen. Since it first began undertaking these types of contract in 1983, it has built up a comprehensive range of personnel, equipment and procedures that together provide the kind of first-class engineering that the offshore industry demands.

It is a policy of the business that continuity in engineering is maintained throughout the lifecycle of all projects, from the initial design right the way through to mechanical completion and commissioning. One way it achieves this is by retaining key members of the engineering team throughout the project lifetime. These engineers will take responsibility for the complete design, including specifying equipment and acting as package engineers, providing construction support, developing project commissioning procedures and acting as engineers for on-site commissioning.

The second key element of the company’s EPC and EPIC capability is its project management, including procurement and compliance management, which undertakes the acquisition and management of all materials, equipment and services needed to optimise business. Over the years SLP Engineering has developed considerable experience in this field and now boasts a range of services that includes purchasing, expediting, inspection and shipping and transportation.

In December 2011, the company announced that it has been awarded a significant new contract by Nexen Petroleum UK Limited and co-venturers for a 140-man accommodation module for its Golden Eagle Area Development Project. Executed from SLP Engineering’s Lowestoft facility, this EPC contract will see work commencing immediately to achieve a completion and sail-away on 1st May 2014. Won against fierce UK and international competition, this multi-million pound undertaking is important for SLP Engineering and the UK construction industry, providing an important contribution to the Golden Eagle Project, one of the most exciting developments to come from the North Sea in the last decade and will help provide a significant number of local jobs over the next two and a half years.

SLP has also announced the award of a three year Frame Agreement with Centrica, which commences with the modifications of the Chiswick platform (designed and built by SLP in 2006) to allow the tie-back of the Kew subsea completion to the Chiswick MFP. This work involves the engineering, procurement and onshore fabrication of the elements required for the modifications, followed by the offshore installation and commissioning to complete the work.

The award of these two contracts brought the first full year of business under the Smulders ownership to a positive conclusion, complimenting the award of an MFP Platform in May and the successful completion of an 870 tonne jacket for a sub-station for the Thornton Bank wind farm.

Believing that its extensive knowledge and experience in the field of offshore engineering and construction provided it with the best foundations to diversify its business activities, it is over the last several years that SLP Engineering has expanded into the offshore renewables sector. In the relatively short space of time since this decision was taken a number of local wind farm developments have seen the involvement of the company. Recent projects involving the company include the engineering and construction of the Thanet Offshore Substation, Met Masts and the foundation for a prototype Tidal-stream turbine, making it well positioned to produce further such platforms as more wind farms are built at increasing distances from the shore.

As the industry enters 2012, more and more of the older platform accommodation structures that exist throughout the North Sea, and further afield, are increasingly coming to the end of their lifespan, particularly in relation to complying with modern health, safety and environment regulations. This has resulted in a steadily growing demand for replacement and refurbishment services, meaning a company as well versed in this type of work such as SLP Engineering is well placed to answer the call of its clients. Similarly, when it comes to the burgeoning wind farm business, the company, especially considering its geographic location, is ready and able to utilise its experience, its professional and motivated workforce and its technology to profit from the exciting times ahead.

SLP Engineering Ltd
Services: Offshore engineering and contracting