Baldpate is the first free standing offshore compliant tower and tallest free standing construction in the world at 1,902 feet from the sea floor to the tip of the flare boom (1998). The discovery well was drilled by the semi submersible Ocean Rover in 1991. The production from this platform reached its peak in 1999. Due to high pressure the wellhead had to support 15,000psi stress. Engineered and built by McDermott the Baldpate was designed to be more flexible in bad weather allowing it to move 10 feet laterally. The GB 260 topside was installed by Heerema Offshore and designed to run on a crew of 28. Oil is offloaded by a 16in line running just under 20 miles, and the gas line at a size of 12in, running just over 10 miles into Mobil’s SMI 205A platform. The facilities are 1,902 feet tall and have been installed in 1,650 feet of water.
Baldpate, Gulf of Mexico, Amerada Hess, America(North),