AN offshore protection firm has lauded its world-class expertise after its order book hit new heights.

MTE Ltd is supporting a Kazakhstan oil field development, which bosses say marks the largest single contract award in the company’s 47-year history.

The business’ bumper crop of orders also includes projects in the North Sea, Norway and Angola.

MTE, which has its head office in Darlington, makes fire and blast protection for oil and gas platforms.

Officials say its Kazakh deal, secured through Wood Group Mustang, will see it design, engineer, make and fit-out office modules and enclosures for instruments on the Tengiz oil field.

They added MTE tendered for the work over a four-year period, with its designs required to withstand temperature changes of 50C to -50C.

The firm, known by many as Mech-Tool Engineering, is also helping Hartlepool-based Heerema Fabrication Group build an offshore substation platform for the Galloper Wind Farm, off the Suffolk coast, which developers say will provide electricity for around 330,000 homes every year.

MTE will design and make internal and external stainless steel firewalls and louvres and supply doors and windows.

Anthony Jones, MTE’s business development director, told The Northern Echo: “The fire and blast division is delighted to have secured such a number of high-profile contracts on some of the industry’s most recognised projects.

“Undoubtedly, this is testament to the company’s world-class design and engineering expertise, coupled with our supply and manufacturing capabilities, which enable us to deliver large-scale projects across the globe safely, on budget and on time.”

Further fire louvres, which allow blasts to transfer through wall systems and away from hazards, will be sent to the BP Kinneil project, which processes crude oil from the North Sea.

The company, which has manufacturing bases in Darlington and Middlesbrough, will also provide a louvered walls system and heatshields to the Martin Linge oil and gas production project, off Norway’s coast, and send heatshields for vessels on the Angola-based Koambo project, which officials say has the capacity to treat 115,000 barrels of oil every day.

MTE previously opened a manufacturing base in South Korea to attract work from yards in the country.

The business’ UK and Asian teams also complement each other on design and fabrication.