A Introduction

1.1 This book is concerned with contracts for designing, building and installing units or platforms or vessels or facilities, for the exploration, development, production and decommissioning of offshore oil and gas fields. Some of these are delivered at the shipyard. Some are installed and commissioned in the field. All are designed during the construction contract period for a particular purpose. They may be drilling units required for operations in harsh conditions or deep water. They may be floating production units required for particular fields, or fixed platforms with the same purpose. They may be required to perform specialist functions such as multipurpose pipelaying and well completion operations.