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Polar Tankers to build fourth millennium class ship Phillips’ Alaska production set to increase from 350,000 barrels of oil per day equivalent to approximately 375,000 to 400,000 BOE Petroleum News Alaska
Polar Tankers Inc. said Oct. 13 that it will build a fourth millennium class tanker to carry crude oil from Alaska to the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. Polar Tankers, based in Long Beach, Calif., is the shipping unit of Phillips Alaska Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Phillips Petroleum Co. The fourth ship contract is valued at $197 million.
Polar said the millennium class tankers are the first new crude oil carriers built specifically for the Alaska trade in compliance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and meet and/or exceed existing and proposed environmental regulations. The first of the four tankers the company is building, the Polar Endeavour, will enter the Alaska trade in early 2001. Production increase projected “The decision to build a fourth Millennium Class tanker for the Alaska trade reflects Phillips’ plan to increase our Alaska production from a current level of 350,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day to approximately 375,000 to 400,000 BOE per day for the foreseeable future,” said Kevin Meyers, president of Phillips Alaska Inc. “The start-up of the Alpine field later this year will increase Phillips’ net production by 50,000 barrels of oil per day. And with our plans to drill 12 to 15 exploration wells this winter, Phillips is clearly excited about Alaska’s future. Today’s decision to build a fourth Millennium Class tanker demonstrates our long-term commitment to Alaska and our belief that Alaska is a great place to grow our business.”
The 125,000 deadweight ton crude oil tankers are setting the standard for safety at sea, with double hulls, twin engine rooms, twin propellers, twin rudders and a sophisticated navigation and control system, which allows control of the ship from a single joystick, the company said.
The tankers are being built by Litton/Avondale Industries Inc. in New Orleans. The Millennium Class vessels will have cargo, fuel and lubricating oils isolated from the ship’s side by ballast tanks or void spaces. The vessels also will meet pending regulations for air emissions from engines. The ships will be painted with tin-free anti-fouling paint in deference to proposed regulations. Fourth ship in service in 2004 “The Millennium Class tankers built for the Alaska trade demonstrate our commitment to the highest environmental standards,” said John Hennon, president of Polar Tankers.
The new ship, yet to be named, will enter service in early 2004. Her sister ships, the Polar Resolution and the Polar Discovery, will be delivered during the first quarters of 2002 and 2003. Like her three sister ships, the new ship will be 272.69 meters long by 46.2 meters wide by 26.3 meters deep (894.7 feet by 151.6 feet by 86.29 feet). The vessels are powered by twin 11,060 KW (15,000 BHP) slow-speed diesel engines. The ships have a 2206 KW (3000 HP) bow thruster. The design speed is 16.5 knots loaded and 17.5 knots in ballast. Each ship’s tanks will hold just over 1 million barrels of cargo at full capacity, but will carry a lesser amount, maximum 125,000 deadweight tons, for Puget Sound, Wash. The new ship will be equipped with the latest electronics to ensure safe and efficient operation.
Polar Tankers’ fleet consists of five vessels ranging in size from 50,000 to 265,000 DWT. All of the ships are employed in the Alaska crude trade.
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