Living Offshore

Gas production must continue round the clock; so our operations continue offshore 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, regardless of the weather. The offshore facilities in the Kinsale Head Field are totally self-sufficient, akin to a small village located in the middle of the sea.

Our aim is to provide safe, comfortable facilities for everyone, whether company employees, contractor employees or visitors. Our normal offshore crewing compliment is typically around 15 persons, but this can increase during the summer months when we plan our maintenance, inspection and upgrade campaigns. The Kinsale Energy crew is supplemented with painters, scaffolders, electricians, mechanics, welders, fitters, and any other trades persons required to do the job, and this can bring the numbers accommodated offshore to over 40.

The main facilities on an offshore installation include:

• Helideck (for transfer of personnel via helicopter)

• Power Generation (for all our electrical demand)

• Potable Water Generation (converts sea water to drinking water)

• Living Accommodation (including offices, dining areas, recreational areas and bedrooms)

• Workshops

• Communications with onshore (phone, fax and e-mail link via microwave)

• Cranes (for transport of essential supplies via boat)

• Escape Systems (lifeboats and life rafts)

• Production Facilities (to process the gas)

Day-to day supplies and provisions are transferred by regular helicopter flights, with heavier items of equipment being shipped by supply boat from Cork.