Case Study: Armoda's Single Lift Accommodation Package
Location: Gulf Of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf 1200 meters or 4,000 feet of water
Offshore Facility: Floating Production Facility, Semi-submersible
Operations: Subsea wells (31,000 feet or 9,400 meters)

Project Overview

Armoda has completed the engineering, delivery, and installation of a single lift accommodation package to support a semi-submersible floating production facility operating in the Gulf of Mexico. The package will become a permanent addition to the facility, providing additional living quarters, recreational space, offices, and storage areas to support the additional personnel needed for present and future production.

The Challenge

The customer, a major offshore oil and gas producer, needed to expand the living quarters on their floating production facility. The project called for adding living quarters for 28 people and providing space for laundry, offices, and storage. The package would need to fit within a limited work envelope that would connect with the existing living quarters and main deck walkways. Operating in the Gulf of Mexico and being semi-submersible, the quarters required certification. The customer also requested the additional living quarters be delivered and installed within 12 months of the project award.

Armoda's Custom Solution: Single-Lift, Multi-Level Accommodation Package

Armoda’s operations and in-house engineers designed and proposed a solution that would provide the required additional living quarters in a multi-level single-lift package. This approach not only met the customer's space and schedule requirements, but also minimized the complexity of offshore installation, helping the operator stay on track for expanded production. The design prioritized functionality within a tight footprint, ensuring efficient use of space while maintaining comfort, accessibility, and code compliance for offshore environments.

Inside the Single-Lift Accommodation Package

Level 3: Armoda's Single Lift Accommodation Package

• 4 Four-person bunkrooms
• 1 Mechanical/Electrical Room
• 1 Internal Corridor

The third level features four bunkrooms, each accommodating four people. They feature the same setup and amenities as the units on the second level. A combined mechanical and electrical room houses the water, HVAC, and power distribution equipment. The level also includes an internal corridor that allows movement between all the rooms without exiting the level. The exterior is set up like level two, with walkways covering two sides of the building and connecting to the original living quarter walkway and stair tower.

Level 2: Armoda's Single Lift Accommodation Package

• 3 Four-Person Bunkrooms
• 1 Laundry Room
• 1 Electrical Room
• 1 Mechanical Room
• 1 Internal Corridor

The second level features three bunkrooms, each accommodating up to four people. Each bunkroom is outfitted with two bunk beds, accommodating four personnel. The bunk beds feature privacy curtains, LED reading lights, and power outlets with USB ports for charging. There are individual storage cabinets for clothing and personal items. Every bunkroom has a wet unit that contains a shower, toilet, and sink. The level also includes an electrical room to house the power distribution equipment and a mechanical room that houses the water and HVAC equipment. There is also a laundry room with three stacked industrial washers and dryers, a sink, a folding station, and storage for cleaning supplies. The level's interior has an internal corridor, allowing occupants to move between all the rooms without going through an exterior walkway. The level's exterior has walkways that wrap around two sides of the building. These walkways will tie into the existing living quarters' second level and the main deck's stair tower.

Level 1: Armoda's Single-Lift Accommodation Package

• Large Storage Room
• Restroom
• Multi-Person Office
• IT Closet

The first level would be divided into two sections. The first is a large open storage area with a restroom containing a toilet and a sink. The second smaller section would include a multi-person office setup with desks for six people. The section would also contain an IT closet to house all the necessary networking and accessories to support the office. The level would have a door that opened onto the existing living quarters’ walkways and a second double door that would open onto an Armoda-provided walkway connecting to the same existing walkway.

Compliance and Certification

The entire package would be built to meet all the applicable governing bodies' regulations, including:

• ABS (American Bureau of Shipping)
• USCG (United States Coast Guard)
• SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea)
• DNV 2.6-1 (Det Norske Veritas)
• A60 

From Design to Delivery

Armoda was awarded the project based on this proposed package. After being awarded the project, Armoda’s team of engineers worked with the customer to finalize a few remaining items. After the customer approved all the details, the manufacturing of the single-lift living quarters package began.

Manufactured in Belle Chasse, LA

Over the next nine months, the manufacturing of the living quarters took place at Armoda’s headquarters and manufacturing facility in Belle Chasse, LA. During this time, regular progress updates were provided to the customer, as well as check-ins and sign-offs by regulatory bodies on the construction of the living quarters. The manufacturing process proceeded on time, and the construction of the living quarters was completed in 10 months. Upon completion of the project, a factory acceptance test was completed with the customer representatives present. Some small items were noted during the test and were addressed and approved the following week. The single-lift living quarters project was now ready to be transported.

Streamlined Load-Out

Armoda’s Belle Chasse location offers a unique geographical feature offering direct access to the waterway. This access point enabled the package to go directly from the factory acceptance test approval to load out on the barge for transport to the offshore facility. Without access to the waterway, the package would have to have been disassembled, loaded onto trucks, transported to a port, and then reassembled, all before being loaded on a barge for final transportation to the facility.

Single Lift Installation

Unloading the barge and placing it on the facility's deck was simple and efficient. The single-lift design of the three-story living quarters package enabled the facility’s crane to easily hook it, lift, and place the package at its final destination. The single lift design took what would have been 10 to 12 lifts of individual modules and made it one. The living quarters were then connected to the facility’s existing water, sewer, and electrical facilities, and the quarters were ready for occupancy. The installation was completed within 11 months, meeting the agreed-upon timetable for the project.

Results and Ongoing Impact

Today, the single-lift living quarters provide additional sleeping quarters, offices, and storage space for the offshore floating production facility operating in the Gulf of Mexico. If you need additional living quarters at your facility, contact Armoda today. As a leader in manufacturing single-point lift living quarters, Armoda has the engineering, design, and manufacturing expertise to provide the right solution for your project’s requirements, contact us today.