Minister announces completion of LER at Bull Arm for White Rose Project

Mines and Energy Minister Ed Byrne announced today the completion of the first of two topsides modules for the White Rose Project at the Bull Arm Site.

In early April of this year, North Eastern Constructors Limited (NECL) signed a contract with Aker Maritime Kiewit Contractors to supply two modules for the White Rose FPSO, the Local Electrical Room (LER) and the Main Electrical Room (MER). The LER is approximately 200 tonnes and will form part of the M09 module on the FPSO topsides. It is scheduled for arrival in Marystown on Monday, November 25, ahead of the contractual delivery date.

Minister Byrne is pleased that this portion of the project at Bull Arm has been completed on schedule and on budget. He said it bodes well for both the site and the labour force employed by NECL. "Since reactivating the Bull Arm site in early April, NECL had all of the necessary elements in place to make this project a success including an experienced project management team, labour agreement and a skilled, qualified work force," said Minister Byrne.

"I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the staff of NECL and the union membership for their achievement of this milestone," said Fred Cahill, president of NECL. "The success of delivering this module on time is the result of a superior site team and an efficient, quality driven work force."

The fabrication of these modules at Bull Arm will involve over 100,000 person hours of employment with an estimated peak work force of 150 tradespeople.

Fabrication of the second module, the M12, is presently 60 per cent complete. It is anticipated this module will be delivered to the Kiewit Offshore Services facility in Marystown in the first quarter of 2004.

Minister Byrne said both NECL, which is operating the topsides portion of the site under a two year lease, and the Bull Arm Site Corporation, are aggressively pursuing other projects for Bull Arm. He is optimistic that the future of the site is, indeed, bright.

Media contact: Craig Ennis, Communications, (709) 729-1537

2003 11 21                                         2:40 p.m.