J M Baxi Heavy has supported India’s Tapti decommissioning project, handling 10 modules weighing a combined 12,528 tons (11,365.2 tonnes).
Located approximately 150 km offshore near Hazira in the Gulf of Khambhat, the Tapti Mid and South fields span 1,471 sq km with water depths of around 21 m. The decommissioning works involved the transport of five wellhead platforms and topsides to the Lavgan Shipyard.
On behalf of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), J M Baxi Heavy managed the marine operations, load-in and land transportation. Over 75 days, the company executed five barge trips to move the modules to the shipyard. SPMTs, three power packs and four prime movers were then used to move the cargoes from the barge to the yard.
One of the project’s biggest challenges was the modules’ aged condition, said J M Baxi Heavy. Fabricated over 40 years ago, their wear and tear, combined with uncertain centre-of-gravity (COG) data, necessitated extensive pre-engineering and simulations.
Operational planning also had to contend with tidal limitations, jetty height mismatch, and a congested ship repair yard. Tidal windows were limited to 3–5 days per fortnight, while jetty heights and barge drafts required adaptive ballast strategies.
J M Baxi Heavy conducted multiple simulations, installed high-capacity trench covers, and planned module storage with minimal disruption to ongoing ship repair operations.
“By combining considerate pre-planning, comprehensive hydraulic and structural simulations, adaptive operational strategies, and real-time responsiveness, L&T and J M Baxi Heavy successfully executed a highly complex offshore-to-shore logistics operation with zero delays or incidents,” said J M Baxi Heavy. “This pioneering effort underscores India’s growing capability in handling technically challenging, large-scale offshore decommissioning projects.”
