Sparrows Group wins crane refurbishment contract

Global provider of specialist equipment and integrated engineering services to the energy and industrial industries, Sparrows Group, has been awarded a contract to fully refurbish two offshore cranes for British multinational utility company Centrica in the East Irish Sea.

According to Sparrows Group, the 27-year-old cranes are located on the Morecambe gas field’s DP6 and DP8 platforms, off the UK’s Lancashire and Cumbria coast.

Centrica said it is set to spend up to £60million to completely refurbish both platforms and boost overall production at Morecambe Bay.

The project work will cover a range of engineering disciplines – including mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, structural, as well as automation and control – and includes the complete removal of each crane from the platforms and their transfer onshore for full refurbishment before reinstallation. All components and machinery will be refurbished, repaired, upgraded or replaced, with inspection, testing and recertification performed to ensure compliance with safety standards, said Sparrows Group.

Stewart Mitchell, chief executive officer at Sparrows, commented, “A full refurbishment will enable these well-used and aging cranes to operate reliably and safely. With many aging installations in UK waters, we often assist operators to decide the most effective way to plan their lifting requirements for life extension and decommissioning stages. The work involved in this project is core to what we do and utilises the in-house skills we have over several engineering departments.”