La. O&G diversifies for wind farming

Gulf Island Fabrication, a Houma, La.-based oil-and-gas offshore platform-building company is expanding into the renewable energy market. They are building steel frames for a wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island. GIF is building steel frames for the wind farm, according to the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report. Like a great many petroleum industry firms, GIF lost work and was forced to lay off workers with the drop of oil prices, says Roy Francis, senior VP of business development. GIF saw an opportunity to diversify; and realized its metal frames built to support O&G platforms (called jackets) could be adapted to support wind turbines. Keystone Engineering, a Metairie-based firm, helped with the design of the jackets and pilings in a way to allow GIF to use the facility and equipment already within their inventory. (Source: NOLA.com 02/16/18)