Hebron Gravity Based Structure

Bull Arm, Newfoundland

Kiewit-Kvaerner Contractors (KKV), a partnership between Kiewit and Kvaerner Newfoundland Ltd., designed, procured, constructed and installed the 600,000-ton Hebron Gravity Based Structure (GBS), one of the world’s largest oil and gas projects. This GBS supports an integrated topsides deck, has the capacity to store 1.2 million barrels of oil and is designed to withstand the harsh ocean conditions of the North Atlantic.

The GBS is 120 meters tall, 130 meters in diameter and consists of 132,000 cubic meters of concrete, 40,000 tons of rebar, 3,400 tons of post-tensioning steel, 8,000 tons of mechanical outfitting and 52 well slots for oil storage. Additionally, KKV provided constructability input and fabricated a 3,300-ton drilling support module (DSM) for this program. The fabrication and construction of all DSM components included the installation of structural, mechanical, piping, electrical, instrumentation and ancillary pieces.

Kiewit performed vibroflotation of hydraulically placed material to allow for construction of the 950-linear-foot cut-off wall in the core of the dry dock bund wall for water-tight graving dock.