Owner hopes for energy construction at Avondale

The company has a website extolling Avondale as a place to make everything from pipes and pump stations to offshore platforms. Because it's on the Mississippi River, it could ship modular components weighing hundreds of tons by barge. Because it has been making huge ships, it has cranes and other equipment needed for large equipment.

"Our deepwater river access enables entrance to the Gulf of Mexico, deep water ports worldwide as well as 33 states through Mississippi River System," the website states.

Kastner said Huntington Ingalls has been evaluating the oil and gas construction market for six to eight months and is in discussions with potential partners.

"We are confident about the market and we're confident about our capabilities to compete in the market. ... The skills of both our engineers and our craft men and women are directly transferrable. And the facility and capability we have here is ideally suited for it," he said.

Kastner wouldn't say how many projects Huntington Ingalls has bid on.

"There are over $60 billion in announced projects in the market on the Gulf Coast that are going to be performed in the next two to five years," he said.

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Online: http://www.hii-avondale.com/