Marine & Aviation

Twelve hulls, twelve classes, twelve rotors.

Offshore drilling is a logistics business with a derrick attached. Ameristar owns and crews its own vessels and aircraft so the drilling programme never waits on a charter.

12Support vessels
12Bell helicopters
6Bell types operated
99.1%Crew-change on-time rate

Marine division

Twelve boats, no two the same.

Ameristar Marine owns twelve vessels and deliberately made every one of them a different class. A supply boat cannot fight a fire, a liftboat cannot chase a medevac at twenty-six knots and a dive support vessel cannot pull an anchor. Rather than buy six of one hull and charter in whatever else the day needs, we specified one of each and ordered them new.

The fleet covers platform supply, deepwater supply, fast intervention, emergency response, anchor handling, heavy multipurpose lift, well intervention, saturation diving, self-elevating liftboat work, survey and ROV support, crew transfer and oil spill response. Between them they serve all five offshore assets out of Port Fourchon, Venice and Galveston on a fixed weekly schedule.

Every hull is dynamically positioned, carries FiFi fire-fighting capability and is manned by Ameristar mariners on a 28-and-28 rotation. The Guardian sits on permanent standby duty within 500 metres of whichever rig is in the most exposed position.

DP-1 to DP-3FiFi-1Oil recovery ready28/28 rotation

88.0 mlength overall14.4 mkeel to main deck6.4 mdraftMV AMERISTAR SENTINEL — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · PLATFORM SUPPLY VESSEL · DP-2 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
94.0 mlength overall15.5 mkeel to main deck6.9 mdraftMV AMERISTAR VANGUARD — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · DEEPWATER PLATFORM SUPPLY VESSEL · DP-2 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
67.0 mlength overall10.3 mkeel to main deck4.1 mdraftMV AMERISTAR RANGER — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · FAST SUPPLY INTERVENTION VESSEL · DP-2 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
62.0 mlength overall11.4 mkeel to main deck5.0 mdraftMV AMERISTAR GUARDIAN — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · EMERGENCY RESPONSE & RESCUE VESSEL · DP-1 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
80.0 mlength overall14.8 mkeel to main deck6.8 mdraftMV AMERISTAR IRONHORSE — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · ANCHOR HANDLING TUG SUPPLY · DP-2 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
105.0 mlength overall16.4 mkeel to main deck7.2 mdraftMV AMERISTAR MARSHAL — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · MULTIPURPOSE SUPPORT VESSEL · DP-3 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
99.0 mlength overall16 mkeel to main deck7.0 mdraftMV AMERISTAR PIONEER — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · WELL INTERVENTION VESSEL · DP-3 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
84.0 mlength overall15 mkeel to main deck6.6 mdraftMV AMERISTAR BULWARK — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · DIVE SUPPORT VESSEL · DP-3 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
66.0 mlength overall9.6 mkeel to main deck3.6 mdraftMV AMERISTAR DERRICK — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · SELF-ELEVATING LIFTBOAT · Jack-up · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
74.0 mlength overall12.4 mkeel to main deck5.4 mdraftMV AMERISTAR SURVEYOR — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · SURVEY & ROV SUPPORT VESSEL · DP-2 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
42.0 mlength overall7 mkeel to main deck2.6 mdraftMV AMERISTAR LARIAT — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · CREW TRANSFER VESSEL · DP-1 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
58.0 mlength overall10.6 mkeel to main deck4.6 mdraftMV AMERISTAR CUTLINE — OUTBOARD PROFILEAMERISTAR MARINE · OIL SPILL RESPONSE VESSEL · DP-1 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
EVERY HULL TO A COMMON SCALE — 1 px = 0.43 mSentinel88.0 mVanguard94.0 mRanger67.0 mGuardian62.0 mIronhorse80.0 mMarshal105.0 mPioneer99.0 mBulwark84.0 mDerrick66.0 mSurveyor74.0 mLariat42.0 mCutline58.0 m

Bulk and deck cargo to Rigs 17 and 18

ClassPlatform Supply Vessel
Length overall88.0 m
Beam19.0 m
Draft6.4 m
Capability3,800 t deadweight
Station keepingDP-2
Service speed14.5 kt
Home portPort Fourchon, LA

The baseline hull. Ten segregated bulk tanks, 1,020 m² of clear deck and a 30 t knuckle-boom crane.

Long-endurance deepwater supply

ClassDeepwater Platform Supply Vessel
Length overall94.0 m
Beam20.0 m
Draft6.9 m
Capability4,100 t deadweight
Station keepingDP-2
Service speed15.0 kt
Home portPort Fourchon, LA

Bigger tanks and a helideck, so it can hold station on a deepwater unit for a fortnight without relief.

Rapid resupply and urgent parts runs

ClassFast Supply Intervention Vessel
Length overall67.0 m
Beam15.5 m
Draft4.1 m
Capability1,150 t deadweight
Station keepingDP-2
Service speed26.0 kt
Home portVenice, LA

Aluminium hull, four engines, twenty-six knots. It exists for the day a part is worth more than fuel.

Permanent standby, 500 m of the most exposed unit

ClassEmergency Response & Rescue Vessel
Length overall62.0 m
Beam14.0 m
Draft5.0 m
Capability300 survivors
Station keepingDP-1
Service speed13.0 kt
Home portVenice, LA

Two fast rescue craft, a survivor reception hospital and a hundred-person heated shelter. It never carries cargo.

Rig moves, mooring and towage

ClassAnchor Handling Tug Supply
Length overall80.0 m
Beam18.0 m
Draft6.8 m
Capability210 t bollard pull
Station keepingDP-2
Service speed15.5 kt
Home portGalveston, TX

Two 500 t anchor-handling winches and a shark-jaw stern. It moves the semis and holds them where we left them.

Subsea construction and heavy module handling

ClassMultipurpose Support Vessel
Length overall105.0 m
Beam22.0 m
Draft7.2 m
Capability250 t active heave crane
Station keepingDP-3
Service speed14.0 kt
Home portPort Fourchon, LA

The largest hull we own. A 250 t heave-compensated crane and a 7 × 7 m moonpool with a DP-3 redundancy class.

Riserless light well intervention

ClassWell Intervention Vessel
Length overall99.0 m
Beam21.0 m
Draft7.0 m
Capability125 t intervention tower
Station keepingDP-3
Service speed13.5 kt
Home portGalveston, TX

Wireline and coiled tubing through a 125 t tower over the moonpool. Intervention without taking a rig off a well.

Saturation diving and subsea inspection

ClassDive Support Vessel
Length overall84.0 m
Beam20.0 m
Draft6.6 m
Capability18-diver saturation system
Station keepingDP-3
Service speed13.0 kt
Home portPort Fourchon, LA

Twin-bell saturation spread to 300 m with a hyperbaric lifeboat. Divers only go in the water off this hull.

Platform workover and shelf construction support

ClassSelf-Elevating Liftboat
Length overall66.0 m
Beam40.0 m
Draft3.6 m
Capability65 m legs, 45 m water depth
Station keepingJack-up
Service speed9.0 kt
Home portGalveston, TX

Three 65 m legs and a jacking system. It stands up out of the water and becomes a stable work platform.

Site survey, route survey and asset inspection

ClassSurvey & ROV Support Vessel
Length overall74.0 m
Beam16.0 m
Draft5.4 m
Capability2 × work-class ROV
Station keepingDP-2
Service speed14.0 kt
Home portVenice, LA

Multibeam, sub-bottom profiler and two work-class ROVs through a moonpool and over the side.

Shelf crew transfer inside helicopter weather limits

ClassCrew Transfer Vessel
Length overall42.0 m
Beam10.5 m
Draft2.6 m
Capability90 passengers
Station keepingDP-1
Service speed28.0 kt
Home portPort Fourchon, LA

A motion-compensated bow gangway. When the aircraft are weathered in, people still get to work.

Tier 2 spill response standby

ClassOil Spill Response Vessel
Length overall58.0 m
Beam13.5 m
Draft4.6 m
Capability1,200 m³ recovered oil
Station keepingDP-1
Service speed13.5 kt
Home portVenice, LA

Sweeping arms, 1,200 m³ of recovered-oil tankage and 800 m of boom. It has never been used in anger.

Vessel register

VesselClassBuiltCapabilityStation keepingHome portPrimary duty
MV Ameristar SentinelPlatform Supply Vessel20263,800 t deadweightDP-2Port Fourchon, LABulk and deck cargo to Rigs 17 and 18
MV Ameristar VanguardDeepwater Platform Supply Vessel20264,100 t deadweightDP-2Port Fourchon, LALong-endurance deepwater supply
MV Ameristar RangerFast Supply Intervention Vessel20261,150 t deadweightDP-2Venice, LARapid resupply and urgent parts runs
MV Ameristar GuardianEmergency Response & Rescue Vessel2026300 survivorsDP-1Venice, LAPermanent standby, 500 m of the most exposed unit
MV Ameristar IronhorseAnchor Handling Tug Supply2026210 t bollard pullDP-2Galveston, TXRig moves, mooring and towage
MV Ameristar MarshalMultipurpose Support Vessel2026250 t active heave craneDP-3Port Fourchon, LASubsea construction and heavy module handling
MV Ameristar PioneerWell Intervention Vessel2026125 t intervention towerDP-3Galveston, TXRiserless light well intervention
MV Ameristar BulwarkDive Support Vessel202618-diver saturation systemDP-3Port Fourchon, LASaturation diving and subsea inspection
MV Ameristar DerrickSelf-Elevating Liftboat202665 m legs, 45 m water depthJack-upGalveston, TXPlatform workover and shelf construction support
MV Ameristar SurveyorSurvey & ROV Support Vessel20262 × work-class ROVDP-2Venice, LASite survey, route survey and asset inspection
MV Ameristar LariatCrew Transfer Vessel202690 passengersDP-1Port Fourchon, LAShelf crew transfer inside helicopter weather limits
MV Ameristar CutlineOil Spill Response Vessel20261,200 m³ recovered oilDP-1Venice, LATier 2 spill response standby

Aviation division

The entire Bell line-up, all in our black.

Ameristar Aviation operates twelve Bell aircraft spanning every model Bell currently sells commercially: the 505 Jet Ranger X, the 407GXi, the 429, the 429 on wheeled gear, the 412EPX and the 525 Relentless. Two 505s, three 407GXis, two 429s, one 429WLG, three 412EPXs and one 525. Every airframe wears the same livery — matte black with the slanted Ameristar wordmark on the tail boom.

Owning the whole range means the aircraft matches the sortie. A single engineer moving between two pads does not need a medium twin. A fourteen-man crew change to a deepwater semi does not fit in a light single. Running one manufacturer keeps the training footprint, the parts pool and the maintenance organisation to a single relationship.

All aircraft are IFR-equipped, HUMS-monitored and flown two-pilot on offshore sectors. Two hold medevac readiness around the clock, one at Venice and one at Port Fourchon, with a 20-minute launch commitment for any Ameristar location in the Gulf.

Six Bell typesIFR equippedTwo-pilot offshoreHUMS monitored20-min medevac launch

STATIC GROUND LINESTATIC DROOP, BOTH SIDES10 ft 8 inheight to rotor hub37 ft 0 inmain rotor diameter42 ft 5 inoverall, rotors turning2-BLADE TAIL ROTOR2-BLADE MAIN ROTORFRONT ELEVATIONSIDE ELEVATIONBELL 505 JET RANGER XAMERISTAR AVIATION · LIGHT SINGLE · 1 + 4 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
STATIC GROUND LINESTATIC DROOP, BOTH SIDES11 ft 8 inheight to rotor hub35 ft 0 inmain rotor diameter41 ft 8 inoverall, rotors turning2-BLADE TAIL ROTOR4-BLADE MAIN ROTORFRONT ELEVATIONSIDE ELEVATIONBELL 407GXIAMERISTAR AVIATION · LIGHT SINGLE · 1 + 6 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
STATIC GROUND LINESTATIC DROOP, BOTH SIDES13 ft 3 inheight to rotor hub36 ft 0 inmain rotor diameter41 ft 8 inoverall, rotors turning2-BLADE TAIL ROTOR4-BLADE MAIN ROTORFRONT ELEVATIONSIDE ELEVATIONBELL 429AMERISTAR AVIATION · LIGHT TWIN · 1 + 7 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
STATIC GROUND LINESTATIC DROOP, BOTH SIDES13 ft 3 inheight to rotor hub36 ft 0 inmain rotor diameter41 ft 8 inoverall, rotors turning2-BLADE TAIL ROTOR4-BLADE MAIN ROTORFRONT ELEVATIONSIDE ELEVATIONBELL 429WLGAMERISTAR AVIATION · LIGHT TWIN · WHEELED GEAR · 1 + 7 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
STATIC GROUND LINESTATIC DROOP, BOTH SIDES15 ft 0 inheight to rotor hub46 ft 0 inmain rotor diameter56 ft 1 inoverall, rotors turning2-BLADE TAIL ROTOR4-BLADE MAIN ROTORFRONT ELEVATIONSIDE ELEVATIONBELL 412EPXAMERISTAR AVIATION · MEDIUM TWIN · 1 + 13 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
STATIC GROUND LINESTATIC DROOP, BOTH SIDES16 ft 9 in *height to rotor hub54 ft 6 inmain rotor diameter64 ft 10 in *overall, rotors turning4-BLADE TAIL ROTOR5-BLADE MAIN ROTORFRONT ELEVATIONSIDE ELEVATIONBELL 525 RELENTLESSAMERISTAR AVIATION · SUPER-MEDIUM TWIN · 1 + 16 · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE
ALL SIX TYPES AT ONE COMMON SCALESIDE ELEVATIONS · ROTORS TURNING · INDICATIVE ENVELOPE50542 ft 5 in407GXi41 ft 8 in42941 ft 8 in429WLG41 ft 8 in412EPX56 ft 1 in52564 ft 10 in *

Training, light utility and district shuttle

ClassLight single
Main rotor diameter37 ft 0 in
Overall length42 ft 5 in
Height to rotor hub10 ft 8 in
Seating1 + 4
Max cruise125 kt
Range333 nm
Max gross weight3,680 lb
Powerplant1 × Safran Arrius 2R
Landing gearSkid
Tails in serviceXG-01, XG-02

The lightest airframe we own. It exists so that low-value sorties do not consume a medium twin.

Inspection, survey, flare and pipeline patrol

ClassLight single
Main rotor diameter35 ft 0 in
Overall length41 ft 8 in
Height to rotor hub11 ft 8 in
Seating1 + 6
Max cruise133 kt
Range324 nm
Max gross weight6,000 lb
Powerplant1 × Rolls-Royce M250-C47E/4
Landing gearSkid
Tails in serviceXG-03, XG-04, XG-05

Carries an external load well and gets into locations a twin cannot. Our survey workhorse.

Medevac primary, 24-hour readiness

ClassLight twin
Main rotor diameter36 ft 0 in
Overall length41 ft 8 in
Height to rotor hub13 ft 3 in
Seating1 + 7
Max cruise150 kt
Range390 nm
Max gross weight7,500 lb
Powerplant2 × P&WC PW207D1
Landing gearSkid
Tails in serviceXG-06, XG-07

Flat floor, large clamshell doors and single-pilot IFR. Both airframes hold medevac standby.

Client and management transfer

ClassLight twin, wheeled
Main rotor diameter36 ft 0 in
Overall length41 ft 8 in
Height to rotor hub13 ft 3 in
Seating1 + 7
Max cruise155 kt
Range390 nm
Max gross weight7,500 lb
Powerplant2 × P&WC PW207D1
Landing gearRetractable wheeled
Tails in serviceXG-08

Retractable wheeled gear buys about five knots and lets it be moved on a deck without a dolly.

Shelf and mid-water crew change

ClassMedium twin
Main rotor diameter46 ft 0 in
Overall length56 ft 1 in
Height to rotor hub15 ft 0 in
Seating1 + 13
Max cruise122 kt
Range529 nm
Max gross weight11,900 lb
Powerplant2 × P&WC PT6T-9 Twin Pac
Landing gearSkid
Tails in serviceXG-09, XG-10, XG-11

Four-blade soft-in-plane rotor. The aircraft that moves most of our people most of the time.

Deepwater long-sector crew change

ClassSuper-medium twin
Main rotor diameter54 ft 6 in
Overall length64 ft 10 in *
Height to rotor hub16 ft 9 in *
Seating1 + 16
Max cruise160 kt
Range580 nm
Max gross weight20,500 lb
Powerplant2 × GE CT7-2F1
Landing gearRetractable wheeled
Tails in serviceXG-12

Fly-by-wire, marinised airframe, sixteen-seat flat floor. It reaches Green Canyon without a fuel stop.

Aircraft register

TailTypeDeliveredSeatingBasePrimary role
XG-01Bell 505 Jet Ranger X20261 + 4Port FourchonTraining, light utility and district shuttle
XG-02Bell 505 Jet Ranger X20261 + 4GalvestonTraining, light utility and district shuttle
XG-03Bell 407GXi20261 + 6Port FourchonInspection, survey, flare and pipeline patrol
XG-04Bell 407GXi20261 + 6GalvestonInspection, survey, flare and pipeline patrol
XG-05Bell 407GXi20261 + 6VeniceInspection, survey, flare and pipeline patrol
XG-06Bell 42920261 + 7Port FourchonMedevac primary, 24-hour readiness
XG-07Bell 42920261 + 7GalvestonMedevac primary, 24-hour readiness
XG-08Bell 429WLG20261 + 7Port FourchonClient and management transfer
XG-09Bell 412EPX20261 + 13Port FourchonShelf and mid-water crew change
XG-10Bell 412EPX20261 + 13GalvestonShelf and mid-water crew change
XG-11Bell 412EPX20261 + 13VeniceShelf and mid-water crew change
XG-12Bell 525 Relentless20261 + 16Port FourchonDeepwater long-sector crew change

Aircraft are maintained to manufacturer schedules by Ameristar-employed engineers at Port Fourchon and Galveston. Flight following is 24/7 from the Fourchon operations desk. Envelope dimensions shown in the viewer above are rounded and are superseded by the manufacturer specification book and our own controlled drawing pack.

Ground & heavy equipment

The rest of the fleet

64

Rig-move trucks

Winch trucks, lowboys and bed trucks for pad-to-pad and district-to-district moves.

6

Workover units

Mobile workover rigs supporting recompletions and rework across all onshore districts.

2

Coiled tubing units

Cleanouts, nitrogen lifts and plug milling on Ameristar and third-party wells.

18

Mud & fluid plants

Closed-loop solids control packages, one dedicated to each drilling rig.

In the field

Ameristar liveries

Ameristar Oil branded Bell helicopter on offshore helipad
Bell 412EP on final approach to an offshore helideck.
Ameristar Oil branded Bell helicopter in flight
Bell 429 crew-change flight, Gulf of Mexico district.
Ameristar Oil branded support vessel underway
Platform supply vessel underway with a full deck cargo.
Ameristar Oil branded support vessel at dock
Support vessel alongside at Port Fourchon, dusk turnaround.

How we take work.

Marine and aviation capacity is bundled into drilling contracts for operators we already work for. We do not charter hulls or aircraft out, and we do not quote them separately.