Cold. Remote. Threatened by icebergs. Just the sort of environment for innovation to thrive. The Hibernia Platform, an exciting new offshore oil platform in Newfoundland, is filled with brilliant ideas. This includes a fresh water production system designed and built by MECO.




An amazing engineering feat is completed offshore in Newfoundland. This exciting project is the Hibernia Producing Platform, which will harvest the vast oil field off Canada's eastern coast about 200 miles east-southeast at St. John's, Newfoundland. The Hibernia Platform will contribute to energy security throughout Canada and the United States.

At full capacity, Hibernia can produce 135,000 barrels of oil a day, much of which will be transported to refineries throughout North America. The gas produced with the oil will be reinjected and stored for use in the future. In time, the gas may be utilized for United States and Canadian markets.

The Platform is unique because it is the inaugural design of a platform specifically developed to resist the impact of icebergs. The structure's base is designed to deflect icebergs weighing several million tons even though an iceberg that size is extremely rare in this part of the world. The Platform's design also includes several other safety and environmental protection innovations.

The oil production on the Hibernia Platform is expected to last 17 years, but this time period could be extended. Improving technology may allow the recovery of more oil than what is now economically practical. The platform may also produce the oil and gas in nearby waters. The innovations of the Hibernia Project have led to new exploration and production methods in the maritime region.

MECO is proud of the fact that our vapor compression system was chosen as the process most suitable for the critical application of fresh water production. The sole source of fresh water on the 5.2 billion dollar Hibernia Platform is a single, specially designed MECO plant which produces 1,372 gallons of fresh water per hour.