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UAE "Xin Hai Sha" Dredging Project

"Dredging heavy equipment boosts China-UAE cooperation"

In the shallow waters near Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, at the site of the UAE "Xin Hai Sha" dredging project—contracted by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "China Harbour") as general contractor and implemented by CCCC Shanghai Dredging Co., Ltd.—China's independently developed new-generation ultra-large self-propelled cutter suction dredger "Xin Hai Sha" is busy at work. Its blue hull and yellow gantry stand out strikingly against the emerald sea.

The UAE "Xin Hai Sha" dredging project marks the first project in the Middle East for the "Xin Hai Sha" since it was delivered in December 2021. The main scope of work is land reclamation for artificial islands in Abu Dhabi. Since operations began in early May this year, the project team has continuously run in and adjusted all aspects of construction. "We are doing our utmost to familiarize ourselves with local hydrological and geological conditions so as to ensure the vessel and equipment are tuned to optimal condition and better demonstrate the high-quality project delivery capabilities of Chinese enterprises," said Zhang Wenliang, captain of the "Xin Hai Sha."

According to reports, the "Xin Hai Sha" has the most powerful cutter power among cutter suction dredgers currently in service in Asia, with a maximum dredging depth of 38 meters. The vessel is equipped with a heavy-duty gantry, a flexible steel pile carriage with five-speed control capability, and three different types of cutters for rock, clay, and sand, capable of excavating moderately to weakly weathered rock with compressive strength up to 50 MPa. In addition, the "Xin Hai Sha" features long-distance, high-efficiency, multi-condition slurry transport capability, enabling single-pump, dual-pump, and triple-pump dredging and shore discharge operations, with a maximum discharge distance of 15 kilometers.

The deep integration of intelligent dredging with high-tech equipment is a major highlight of the "Xin Hai Sha." The vessel is equipped with China's independently developed intelligent dredging decision-making and control system, which uses machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to achieve one-touch operation and intelligent optimization control of the cutter suction dredger. In the wheelhouse, operators keep a close eye on touch screens, manually adjusting parameters such as cutter depth and power. These data are collected and analyzed by the intelligent system to help further improve construction efficiency. Ayman, an engineer stationed aboard by the UAE side, said that the Chinese personnel are skilled and flexible in adjusting construction operations, and that communication and coordination between the UAE and Chinese sides are smooth and well-synchronized. "I am very confident in the operating capability of the 'Xin Hai Sha.'"

As a hot international dredging market, the UAE has high requirements for equipment, teams, safety, and environmental protection in dredging and reclamation projects. Numerous top international dredgers are operating in waters adjacent to the "Xin Hai Sha," and the "Tian Kun" of CCCC Tianjin Dredging Co., Ltd. is also working in Abu Dhabi waters. Zhang Wenliang expressed the hope of using this opportunity to compete alongside peers to accelerate breakthroughs in key technologies, equipment renewal and modification, and standardization of construction techniques and methods, thereby further improving dredging and reclamation efficiency.

Chen Xiangyang, deputy general manager of the Middle East Regional Management Center of China Harbour, said that China and the UAE are currently advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and the joint operation of the "Xin Hai Sha" and the "Tian Kun" in Abu Dhabi waters is precisely a reflection of the two sides' strengthened practical cooperation. "We will play our part and use these dredging heavy equipment to boost China-UAE cooperation and contribute to deepening China-UAE relations."

Uzbekistan Syrdarya 1,500 MW Gas-Fired Combined Cycle Power Plant Project

"Now Using *** Equipment"

"The new power plant uses *** equipment, which can not only improve the efficiency of natural gas use but also better protect the environment. I am proud to work at the new plant and will definitely help build this project well." Uzbek engineer Ilkhom once worked at the old Syrdarya power plant. The new plant he refers to is the largest gas-fired combined cycle power plant in Central Asia—the Uzbekistan Syrdarya 1,500 MW Gas-Fired Combined Cycle Power Plant Project—for which China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "China Energy Engineering") serves as EPC general contractor.

The Syrdarya 1,500 MW gas-fired combined cycle power plant is a large gas-fired power generation project developed by Uzbekistan in recent years under the independent power producer (IPP) model. The project covers an area of about 25 hectares, and its designed installed capacity accounts for about 8% of Uzbekistan's total domestic power installed capacity. Once completed and put into operation, the plant is expected to supply about 36 million kWh of electricity per day to the local grid, fully meeting the electricity demand of Syrdarya, Bukhara, and Samarkand regions, and directly providing more than 700 job opportunities.

To ensure efficient and stable power output, the project adopts the 9H-class gas turbine, which currently has the highest combustion temperature, largest single-unit capacity, and highest efficiency in the world. Project manager Chen Songyin introduced that, to meet design requirements and ensure the safe and stable operation of the units, the project execution team actively coordinated with various auxiliary equipment manufacturers, made every effort to handle interfaces between different systems, and actively promoted the detailed design and equipment manufacturing of auxiliary systems centered on the gas turbine, achieving design parameters of the project's water treatment system, natural gas boosting system, and others that rank among the world's top.

Syrdarya Region is an important agricultural production area in Uzbekistan. To protect local irrigation and drinking water sources, the project proposed a "zero wastewater discharge" design scheme at the feasibility study stage, which won recognition and support from the local government and residents. "The project fully practices the concept of 'green productivity,' attaches great importance to wastewater treatment from the early design stage, and aims to build a world-leading, efficient, green, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly project," said Chen Songyin.

The "zero wastewater discharge" design scheme adopts an innovative membrane reverse osmosis unit combined with forced evaporation pond technology. Production wastewater is recovered and filtered through the reverse osmosis unit, achieving an initial recovery rate of 96.7%; the remaining 3.3% of concentrated brine that cannot be treated is discharged into three evaporation ponds for forced evaporation treatment. This leading technology ensures zero wastewater discharge and zero environmental pollution from the project, directly reducing wastewater discharge by about 2 million tons per year, avoiding pollution of surrounding soil and water sources, and achieving a unity of economic benefits and ecological environmental protection.

In November 2023, Unit 1 of the Syrdarya 1,500 MW gas-fired combined cycle power plant project officially entered commercial operation, and Uzbek President Mirziyoyev attended the commissioning ceremony. He stated that Chinese enterprises have efficiently advanced project delivery and construction, greatly alleviating the local power shortage dilemma, which is of great significance for improving local people's living conditions and promoting economic and social development.

Ultra-Quiet Intelligent Drilling Rig for the Albertine Graben Oilfield in Uganda

"A Powerful Practice of Green Intelligent Manufacturing"

"49.2 decibels, good condition, very little noise." Planning and scheduling engineer Wang Liang came to the area around the wellsite to conduct the final pre-spudding test of the drilling rig's noise. Forty minutes later, the third ultra-quiet intelligent drilling rig, independently developed by Dongfang Honghua Group Co., Ltd. of China Dongfang Electric Group (hereinafter referred to as "Dongfang Honghua"), officially spudded in the Albertine Graben oilfield on Uganda's western border.

The Albertine Graben oilfield is Uganda's largest commercial oil development project, covering an area of more than 1,500 square kilometers, with proven geological reserves of more than 6 billion barrels. The project officially began full-scale construction in February 2022 and is expected to be completed and put into operation in early 2025. During project construction, Chinese enterprises not only brought China's advanced technology to Uganda but also integrated the concepts of green environmental protection and sustainable development throughout the entire construction process.

Zhu Hua, president of Dongfang Honghua, introduced that to ensure that the lives of nearby residents are not disturbed, the ultra-quiet intelligent drilling rig uses advanced noise reduction control technology. "The volume of our normal speech is between 40 and 60 decibels. The noise generated by the ultra-quiet intelligent drilling rig at the wellsite boundary does not exceed 55 decibels, which can minimize the noise problem caused by oil extraction." Vowel Wilson, a foreign electrical technician's assistant at the project department, said that he had worked on multiple oil drilling projects around the world but had never seen such a quiet wellsite. "The outstanding performance of Chinese equipment is incredible."

While remaining quiet and reducing noise, the ultra-quiet intelligent drilling rig strictly controls the exhaust emissions and energy consumption of its supporting generator sets, reducing carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, and particulate matter emissions by more than 90%. Its recovery and treatment system can fully recover mud, oil stains, and other waste generated by the equipment, ensuring zero discharge of waste and waste liquid during drilling. Michaelton, a resident living outside the wellsite wall, said: "If there were no tall drilling rig towering nearby, we would not even know that oil was being extracted here, and our daily lives have not been affected at all."

In addition, the generator sets of the ultra-quiet intelligent drilling rig are equipped with an intelligent control system and an energy storage system, which can not only monitor the overall operation of the units in real time but also optimize operating efficiency through automatic start-stop, reducing extraction energy consumption. To improve environmental adaptability, the ultra-quiet intelligent drilling rig as a whole adopts brownish-yellow camouflage paint and customized LED dimmable color-changing lamps to further reduce the impact on surrounding animal habitats. "At work, we are always accompanied by various animals, and animals often appear near the drilling rig," said Robert, an engineer at the project department.

Through participation in the construction of the Albertine Graben oilfield, Dongfang Honghua also developed a "one-touch coordinated" lifting-type pipe racking system, centered on five core technologies: lifting and transport, multi-system coordination, offline operation, intelligent perception, and one-touch centralized control, enabling automated operations in three major areas: ground, floor, and high altitude. "With the support of our independently developed intelligent system, operators only need to click on the screen to complete operations such as making up stands and drilling," introduced Wang Hongyu, deputy general manager of Honghua Electric, a subsidiary of Dongfang Honghua.

"The ultra-quiet intelligent drilling rig is a powerful practice of China's green intelligent manufacturing and has been highly recognized by the Ugandan government and the project developer," said Qiu Chuanjun, general manager of the Overseas Engineering Company of Sinopec Zhongyuan Petroleum Engineering Co., Ltd., the contractor for the Albertine Graben oilfield.