Hayleys Energy Services begins Sri Lanka’s First Oil & Gas Drillship Lay-Up at Hambantota Port
Hayleys Energy Services (HES), the pioneer in Oil and Gas support services in Sri Lanka, recently announced the arrival of the oil and gas drillship “Aban Abraham” for a warm lay-up to the Hambantota Port.
Aban Offshore Ltd, the company that owns the vessel, is India's largest offshore drilling services provider to oil companies, providing drilling operations, production and exploratory work worldwide.
HES, a subsidiary of Sri Lankan blue- chip conglomerate Hayleys PLC’s transportation and logistics arm - Hayleys Advantis Ltd, had competed with several players from established lay-up service destinations in the region to win the country’s first ever drill ship lay-up project, the company said in a media release.
Heralding Sri Lanka’s entry into the global oil and gas marine vessel lay-up services industry, this opens the doors to a world of new opportunities for the nation’s shipping industry.
“Projects of this nature have a significant impact on the economy as a whole, creating business and employment opportunities beyond the enterprises directly involved in it. The leadership, commitment and world class facilities of the Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) have been a key factor in the success of this project bid and will go a long way in helping us attract long-term businesses such as this,” said Ruwan Waidyaratne, Managing Director - Hayleys Advantis Ltd. He added: “Whilst commending the Hayleys Energy Services team for successfully competing with service providers from across the region and bagging this project, I look forward to seeing them expand their horizons and soar to greater heights.”
HES has set up a permanent office within the Hambantota Port, at the 6th floor of the Sayurupaya Building, the first by an oil and gas services company at this port, in light of this landmark project and the opportunities it is set to bring with it. Commenting about the initiative taken by HES, Saliya Wickramasuriya, Former Director General - Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat (PRDS), said, “Hambantota is an excellent location not just for a vehicle transhipment and break bulk hub, but also for a potential regional service and repair centre for the South Asian Oil and Gas industry. My congratulations to Hayleys Energy Services, long time partners with the PRDS in petroleum exploration and production, for kicking this concept off by bringing the drillship Aban Abraham to the port for longterm lay- up and refurbishment. This new area of business for Sri Lanka will help unlock the port’s full potential and no doubt increase employment and knowledge transfer opportunities for the people of Hambantota in the future.”
The Aban Abraham had called on the Hambantota International Port recently after completing a long drilling assignment in India. The almost 160 meters- long vessel is capable of drilling at depths of up to 6,600 feet and has a drilling depth capacity of up to 24,600 feet. It is to be docked at the Port for a minimum of six months, during which lay-up support services and vessel preservation, husbandry, bunkering, crew management and several other marine services will be provided by HES.
Earlier this year, the company successfully completed two projects at the Trincomalee Port Anchorage - the offloading of the SemiSubmersible oil rig, Olinda Star and provision of agency services to the heavy lift carrier “GPO Grace” dry towing the Semi-Submersible oil rig “Louisiana” and they also went on to provide offshore ship to ship supplies/ logistics services for Transocean Drillship “Dhirubhai Deepwater KG1” at the Colombo Port Anchorage.