Baker Hughes Introduces State-of-the-Art Vessel to its Global Deepwater Fleet

The Blue Tarpon vessel is designed for high-rate, high-volume stimulation treatments in demanding deepwater operations.

Baker Hughes announced  the launch of its state-of-the-art fracturing and stimulation vessel, the Blue Tarpon™. The 300-foot ship, one of the world’s largest stimulation vessels and the seventh vessel in the Baker Hughes fleet, is designed to provide high-rate and high-volume stimulation treatments for demanding offshore operations. With one of the largest proppant and fluid-carrying capacities in the world, the ABS class-certified ship can perform complex, multiple-zone completions without traveling back to port for resupply.

“The Blue Tarpon is designed to provide operators with redundancy on all key elements of the stimulation plant,” says Derek Mathieson, president of products and technology for Baker Hughes. “Enhanced safety systems, as well as redundant back-up blending and pumping capabilities, have been installed to reduce the risks associated with performing multizone, high-rate, high-pressure completions. The ship also was designed with a focus on reliability and efficiency, allowing operators to minimize delays and associated operating expenses in high-cost offshore environments,” he notes.

With a maximum pump rate of 80 barrels per minute, proppant capacity of 2.1 million pounds, and accommodations for up to 44 people, the Blue Tarpon is designed to perform round-the-clock operations in deepwater plays. The vessel’s 10 separate high-pressure pump units—housed in a fully enclosed structure to protect the equipment from the environment—can deliver up to 24,000 hydraulic horsepower and pump up to 32,000 pounds of proppant per minute. The Blue Tarpon also features a DP-2 dynamic positioning system with twin bow thrusters and a stern thruster specifically designed to operate safely in the widest possible weather and sea conditions.

“We are excited to launch our second world-class stimulation vessel into the Gulf of Mexico,” says Richard Williams, president of Gulf of Mexico operations for Baker Hughes. “This milestone further demonstrates market leadership and our commitment to the return of activity in deep water.”