Polarcus’ distinctive vessels nearing completion

A new breed of seismic company is taking shape in the Gulf. With the launch of Polarcus Nadia on the 25 June 2009 at the Drydocks World - Dubai shipyard in the United Arab Emirates, Polarcus is moving ever closer towards commencing first operations in October this year.

Polarcus Nadia is the first vessel in the technologically advanced Polarcus fleet, of purpose built high-end 3D marine seismic survey vessels, capable of towing up to 12 by 8,000m solid streamers. The shipbuilding contract for this vessel was signed on the 28 April 2008 and steel cutting commenced on the 18 May 2008. The vessel design incorporates many new and innovative features ranging from the distinctive ULSTEIN X-BOW® hull that provides for a smoother and more fuel efficient passage through water, to the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, designed to maximize operational performance and minimize engine exhaust emissions. The sophisticated double skin hull design also incorporates a range of advanced safety features including a DP 2 dynamic positioning system. But not all X-BOW’s are the same. There are three distinct vessel classes in the Polarcus ULSTEIN X-BOW® fleet designed for different market requirements ranging from high ice class vessels for the most challenging Arctic conditions to smaller capacity vessels capable of high transit speeds and dual purpose source / 3D operations. But all incorporate the latest maritime and seismic technologies to maximize operational efficiency and safety while presenting some of the lowest environmental footprints available in the industry today.

Another milestone for the company took place on the 01 July 2009 when Polarcus Chairman Peter Rigg and Executive Vice President and co-founder Peter Zickerman attended the official keel laying ceremony of hull NB72, the sixth vessel in the Polarcus fleet, at Drydocks World - Dubai. This event followed less than one week after the successful launch of Polarcus Nadia, and comes just 14 months after the signing of the Company’s first shipbuilding contract.
"On behalf of the Board of Polarcus I congratulate all involved on this important milestone event," said Peter Rigg. "The management and staff at Drydocks World together with the Polarcus site team, management, and our various suppliers and consultants have all done an outstanding job to keep this large and complex project on track. We are very much looking forward to seeing Polarcus Nadia commence operations in October and to the subsequent delivery of the rest of the fleet, including this vessel, over the coming 12 months."

The 92m long vessel, named Polarcus Alima, is an advanced 3D survey vessel of Ulstein Design type SX134. Capable of towing 12 streamers at 100m separation the vessel also carries the ICE-1A notation alongside several important environmental systems enabling her to operate safely and with minimal environmental footprint in the Arctic and elsewhere in the world.

Polarcus’ unique and purpose-built seismic fleet will be at the forefront of maritime and seismic innovation from launch, well positioned to meet current and future industry demands. The worldwide service capabilities will encompass conventional 3D surveys, sophisticated wide and multi-azimuth projects, high-density 4D production surveys, and marine seismic operations in difficult operating areas.

The fleet is also well positioned for industry expansion into new frontier regions that demand the latest in maritime and seismic technology and environmental safeguards. Four of Polarcus’ vessels will incorporate the new BWM-T (advanced ballast water treatment) notation making these vessels the ideal choice for operations in environmentally sensitive sea areas for years to come.

There is an ever increasing awareness of environmental issues and government regulators around the world are starting to introduce legislation that seeks to control these emissions to air and water. For example, a recent study published by the European Commission suggested that shipping pollutants are reducing the lifespan of every European by several months with particulates of soot and the compounds of sulphur and oxygen being some of the major culprits. As a result the European Union is planning Europe’s first low-emissions marine zones designed to cut pollution from shipping in certain designated areas of the North Sea, English Channel and the Baltic Sea from 2015. More locally, toxic dinoflagellates, commonly known as ‘red tide’ algae, are becoming an ever increasing problem around the Gulf region, causing potentially severe damage to both fishing and tourism industries. There is increasing evidence that these algae are transported via ballast water, spreading the occurrence across regional borders.

As expansion of the oil and gas industry into environmentally sensitive areas continues there can be  an expected drive to much higher levels of environmental compliance as new legislation on emissions to air and water are developed and introduced worldwide. The ultra-modern Polarcus fleet, investments in “green” technologies within both maritime and seismic, and the Company’s commitment to a pioneering environmental agenda will help national and international oil companies comply with these regulations while  working safely and efficiently within these constraints.

In response to the existing environmental regulations, and those of the future, Polarcus’ vessels will meet the stringent Det Norske Veritas (DNV) CLEAN DESIGN and BWM-T notations regulating emissions to water and air. In addition, each vessel will also carry the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Green Passport. This regulates the environmental and occupational health and safety risks through the life of the vessel, from shipbuilding to eventual recycling.

“In launching Polarcus we are building an environmentally responsible company that we envision as being a model for others”, says Peter Zickerman, Executive Vice President and co-founder. “Our beliefs are embedded in our corporate values of respect, innovation and excellence, and are apparent throughout the corporate lifecycle from design of our seismic fleet, through their operation, to their eventual recycling. Our corporate values are the foundation for what we call “our pioneering environmental agenda”. To be a pioneer we lead by example, this means we know where we start from and how we will compare alongside our peers”.

Geophysical excellence is also at the top of the offerings. The company can provide high-end geophysical solutions in survey design and onboard QC and we have formed a partnership with GX Technology to offer clients a full seismic data services solution for faster project turnaround. Polarcus’ own team of geophysical experts will work together with GX Technology to assure data quality as well as continuous client support.

Construction of the vessels is well underway at Drydocks World-Dubai. All six keel layings have taken place to date and the first 12 streamer vessel, Polarcus Nadia, is scheduled for launch and operations in October 2009, with Polarcus Naila, also a 12 streamer vessel, following shortly thereafter in November. Polarcus Samur, Polarcus Selma, Polarcus Asima and Polarcus Alima are all scheduled for delivery in 2010.

“We are continuously attracting experienced talent from across the industry. We have a well respected and highly experienced management team at Polarcus with extensive knowledge of the seismic industry and we are directly employing office, marine, and seismic personnel who operate under one unified EHS&Q management system” says Paul Hanna SVP Human Resources.

Partnering with Polarcus for marine seismic acquisition projects means working together on the journey towards sustainable business practices and project excellence.
Polarcus is a pure play marine geophysical company with a pioneering environmental agenda, specializing in high-end towed streamer data acquisition from pole to pole. Polarcus is launching an ultra-modern fleet of initially 6 advanced seismic vessels designed by Norway's Ulstein Design AS incorporating the innovative ULSTEIN X-BOW® hull. The vessels are being built in Dubai, UAE, by Drydocks World - Dubai LLC, with the first vessels becoming operational in 2009.

www.polarcus.com