Global-leading energy services company Proserv has been awarded a multi-million pound contract with Statoil for the provision of production control equipment in Norway.
Proserv will supply five wellhead hydraulic power units (HPUs) for Statoil’s Gullfaks oil and gas field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea which is undergoing an extensive topside upgrade program.
The design, manufacture and supply of the workscope will be carried out by Proserv’s specialist engineering and project teams in Stavanger, Norway. Work has already begun on the manufacturing of these systems and all five are expected to be delivered to Statoil by 2017.
Statoil’s Gullfaks A. Photo credit: Øyvind Hagen – Statoil
Henrik Johnson, Proserv’s regional president for Scandinavia, said: “This is a significant win for the company that highlights the strength of our technical and engineering expertise as well as our market-leading status for the provision of surface production systems and services.
“We are also extremely pleased that Statoil have so clearly shown their trust in us to deliver robust technology and services on time and to the highest standards, and we look forward to working with them in the successful delivery of this project.”
The agreement comes just months after Proserv was awarded a contract to provide topside control equipment at one of the largest field discoveries on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Proserv is supplying Aibel, on behalf of Statoil, with a HPU and three chemical injection panels for the prestigious Johan Sverdrup development’s drilling platform.
Proserv is a global-leading market specialist in life-of-field services for the energy industry with its proven technologies and engineering expertise underpinning the company’s success.
The company, which operates worldwide through 25 operating centers based in 11 countries, has a 40-year track record in delivering world-class solutions particularly in the subsea, production and drilling market sectors.
Hydrographic survey single beam echo sounder manufacturer CEE HydroSystems, with offices in Sydney Australia and San Diego, USA has entered into a new 2016 distributor agreement with Truro, UK based Swathe Services, established hydrographic survey instrumentation sales and support specialists. This appointment is the latest in a series of new agency agreements with the goal of further promoting the new CEE echo sounder systems for marine and freshwater survey environments.
James Williams, Managing Director of Swathe Services said “We are looking forward to our partnership with CEE HydroSystems. The company has a strong quality focus, high integrity, with an emphasis on driving their technology forward and continuing to add value with new features and capabilities. This is a unique attitude and approach that we believe makes CEE Hydrosystems stand out in a crowded single beam echo sounder market.”
CEE HydroSystems manufactures compact portable echo sounders and “all in one” echo sounder and GNSS systems for shallow water surveying, including the CEESCOPE™ RTK GNSS hydrographic survey system.
Songa Offshore has taken delivery of Songa Enabler from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in Korea.
Songa Enabler will shortly depart South Korea en route to Norway for commencement of an eight-year drilling contract with Statoil, with the first assignment on the Snøhvit field. The transit will take place with tow-assist and the rig will arrive in Norway with all third party equipment installed and ready for the client's final acceptance testing. Commencement of drilling operations is expected to take place in third quarter 2016.
Songa Enabler is a sixth generation, high specification, harsh environment, fully winterized, midwater rig designed for efficient year around drilling, completion, testing and intervention operations in water depths up to 500 meters. The rig is certified DP3 and is equipped with a "state-of-the-art" drill-floor and an efficient layout with improved safety and working environment features. Songa Enabler is the last rig in a series of four Category D rigs specifically built for and contracted to Statoil.
Johan Sverdrup is by far the largest ongoing project on the Norwegian Continental Shelf for the next few years.
Statoil has awarded contracts to DNV GL for verification of all 4 topsides, the 3 bridges, 3 of 4 jackets, topside installation by use of the Allseas single lift vessel ‘Pioneering Spirit and extended site assessment for the jack-up.
Johan Sverdrup is by far the largest ongoing project on the Norwegian Continental Shelf for the next few years. Credit: Statoil ASA
Third party verification gives the operator and the authorities confidence that the project development has the required safety and quality level.
“The contract demonstrates that our investment in technology, service development and efficient operations is making us competitive also in this cost challenged market. We sincerely look forward to supporting Statoil and the Johan Sverdrup partners on this important project,” says Regional Manager for DNV GL- Oil & Gas Norway, Kjell Eriksson.
The value of the contracts is approximately 60 MNOK.
Third party verification builds trust
Through third party verification, operators, public authorities and society at large can rest assured that operations, structures and systems meet the requirements set by legislation, the industry, authorities - and in some cases - voluntary commitments made by commercial operators. For the structures at Johan Sverdrup, a risk based verification approach is chosen to assess compliance with NORSOK standards, VMO standards (developed by DNV GL) and Statoil’s own technical requirements.
As a result of a new initiative by PETRONAS to stimulate offshore E&P investment activity, PETRONAS through Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM), has taken the decision to open an area of Malaysian offshore waters to the multi-client model for the first time.
A consortium comprising of PGS, TGS and Schlumberger WesternGeco, the industry’s three largest multi-client companies, has successfully won the tender for the rights to undertake a multiclient seismic program offshore Sabah.
Offshore Sabah sits in an active fold-and-thrust province that hosts a number of proven hydrocarbon accumulations. An extension of the Brunei Baram Delta play, the primary exploration target has been Miocene deltaics with some younger Pliocene. With exploration and drilling progressing into deeper frontier waters, there is potential for new plays in the carbonate and syn-rift section. This large basin will benefit from modern, high resolution broadband 3D seismic necessary to understand both the existing play concepts and new potential plays.
The consortium is planning to apply a combination of the industry’s most advanced technology solutions including multi-sensor acquisition using PGS GeoStreamer® and WesternGeco IsoMetrix* marine isometric seismic technology, PGS Towed Streamer EM technology and advanced broadband 2D acquisition and processing techniques.
*mark of Schlumberger
Apprentice Jens Erik Eriksen in Kværner and Norway’s minister of petroleum and energy Tord Lien marked the construction start on the Johan Sverdrup utility and living quarters platform on the island of Stord, north of Stavanger on Thursday, March 31, 2016.
“Johan Sverdrup is the biggest industrial project in modern times in Norway, and will create considerable value for society for generations to come. Today we are kicking off the construction of the utility and living quarters platform, which is the second of four platform currently under construction in the first project phase,” says Kjetel Digre, Statoil’s project director for Johan Sverdrup.
Johan Sverdrup platform. Credit: Statoil
Statoil awarded a joint venture between Kværner and KBR the contract for engineering and construction of the topside for the utility and living quarters platform for the Johan Sverdrup field in June 2015.
Stord is central in a comprehensive Johan Sverdrup project. Kværner Stord will fabricate parts of the topside steel frame, and will also assemble all parts for the utility and living quarters platform before the platform is installed on the field in 2019. At peak around 2000 Kværner employees will be involved in Johan Sverdrup deliveries.
Kværner’s sub-supplier Apply Leirvik on Stord will construct the accommodation module for the living quarters platform, which will be the biggest on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS).
The other modules for the utility and living quarters platform will be constructed at the Energomontaz Polnoc Gdynia (EPG), Mostostal Pomorze Gdansk (MPG), Mostostal Chojnice and Crist Offshore in Poland, as well as in Gothenburg, Sweden. Detailed engineering is performed at KBR’s office in Leatherhead, London, and at Apply Leirvik on Stord. The fabrication work was also kicked off today at two of the yards in Poland and at Apply Leirvik’s yard.
“The Johan Sverdrup project is growing every day. It is a complex puzzle with activities spread all over the world. We are 14,000 people working on the project every day in 2016, and together we will perform 100 million working hours. We depend on everyone delivering as required, and all pieces of the puzzle falling into place at the right time and with the right quality. Our top priority is a safe working environment. We do not want any injuries among personnel working for the Johan Sverdrup project,” says Digre.
The utility and living quarters platform will accommodate the crew working on the Johan Sverdrup field during the field life of 50 years. The platform will have the largest living quarters on the NCS with a capacity of 560 people. The platform will also accommodate the field’s control and emergency center, and some utility systems covering the whole field center.
The platform will be completed in the first quarter of 2019, before it is installed on the Johan Sverdrup field by use of the world’s largest heavy-lift vessel, the Pioneering Spirit.
Statoil has, on behalf of relevant licensees, exercised options for previously awarded drilling service contracts for fixed installations. Options have been exercised for 17 installations on the Norwegian continental shelf.
The company now extends the contracts with the suppliers, exercising the first option. The option period will last from 1 October 2016 to 1 October 2018, with some changes to the scope awarded.
The Njord field. Credit: Statoil
The total contract value for the next two-year period is estimated by Statoil at up to NOK five billion. The work includes drilling and well services, the maintenance of drilling facilities, in addition to modifications and any optional work.
“The suppliers have demonstrated innovation and submitted good proposals for continued development of these services, and Statoil is positive to continuing the work with all of the three companies. The current contracts will help maintain activity on competitive terms in a market challenged by profitability,” says Geir Tungesvik, Statoil’s senior vice president for drilling and well.
Seagull Oil & Gas has launched the most cost efficient and comprehensive e-learning training package in the industry for offshore personnel working in explosive atmospheres.
Building on International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards, the new series covers basic understanding, installation in Ex-areas, Exi installation, cable entry, IP degree, and inspection and maintenance.
“We believe today’s market requires more cost efficient and better Ex and El safety training” says Morten Aasen, Managing Director, Seagull Oil & Gas. “Together with leading subject experts we have developed a series of new courses covering these safety-critical subjects. The e-learning will work as individual self-study courses but also offered as part of blended learning."
The content of the courses includes e-learning modules that normally require two days of classroom study covering theory. ExTek, the only certified CompEx centre in Norway, will offer the self-study course components so that an entire five-day 01-04 CompEx course can be completed with only three days spent in the classroom.
“Blended learning and self-study will be a greater part of future training, both to increase quality and reduce the cost of training,” says Mr. Aasen. “Ex and El safety are important subjects for our clients and we will continue to develop innovative and cost efficient solutions to meet their demands.”
Aqueos Corporation, a ‘World Class Subsea Service Provider℠' for the offshore oil and gas sectors of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific West Coast, received the Award of Honor from the National Safety Council – South Louisiana Chapter.
This award recognizes Aqueos Corporation for Occupational Safety Performance for 2015, identifying Aqueos as working 500,000 – 1,000,000 hours without a recordable incident. “This award from the National Safety Council – South Louisiana Chapter is a high visibility acknowledgement of the commitment of all Aqueos personnel, including demonstrated passion and commitment from senior management. We attribute a large part of our success to a safety positive culture, which supports continuous improvement, open communication, and a sustained focus on our core value of safety,” comments Jerry Zebor, HSEQ Director.
Zebor further commented, “This recognition is something all Aqueos personnel can be proud of, and it is something to build on as we truly believe all accidents are preventable.”
Aqueos Corporation, with offices in Broussard, LA and Ventura, CA, provides marine construction and specialty subsea services, including a complete range of commercial diving, remotely operated vehicles (ROV’s) and vessel-related services primarily to the offshore oil and gas markets.
Bibby Offshore (BOUK), a leading subsea services provider to the oil and gas industry, has secured a multimillion pound contract with a North Sea Operator, to deliver decommissioning operations in the Northern North Sea East Shetland Basin.
The agreement, due to commence in Q2 of 2016 and be completed by the end of 2016, will utilise one of Bibby Offshore’s construction support vessels with adequate deck space and crane capabilities to execute operations approximately 550km North-East of Aberdeen.
Fraser Moonie, chief operating officer of Bibby Offshore
Bibby Offshore has been appointed to carry out remedial rock placement over the existing 16” oil export pipeline, recovery of 12” pipeline bundles, subsea structure removal with pile severance and debris removal within the platform’s 500m zone and along bundle routes. Waste disposal services will also be provided by BOUK, recovering items that can be decontaminated, disposed or recycled, followed by an over-trawl of the cleared field.
Fraser Moonie, chief operating officer of Bibby Offshore, said: “We are looking forward to building on our existing relationship with this particular client and continuing our partnership to provide subsea services for its offshore assets.
“Decommissioning work is of a specialist nature and, with more oil and gas infrastructures reaching the end of their design life, multi-industry experience is key to ensure each project is complete in a safe and responsible manner. With ten years of experience in decommissioning projects globally, often in highly challenging conditions, we have built up a strong track record and are ideally positioned to support companies operations.”
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have announced a five-year agreement allowing BSEE to capitalize on the best risk management approaches from the aeronautics industry to inform stakeholders and further strengthen worker and environmental safety protections on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Photo credit: BSEE
“Both BSEE and NASA work in harsh and uncompromising environments, relying on cutting edge technology to go deeper and further than previously thought possible,” said BSEE Director Brian Salerno. “This partnership brings together technical experts from BSEE and NASA to focus on the specific risks associated with offshore operations so that we can continue to find ways to improve safety for offshore workers and protect the environment.”
Used by NASA, probabilistic risk assessment is a technique to quantitatively model risk. It was used in the modeling of the Space Shuttle Program and is presently being used for the International Space Station and Orion deep space capsule programs.
“Whether the task takes one to deep space, or into the deep ocean, the analysis of the environment, training of personnel and risk mitigation factors are similar,” said Jack James, technology transfer strategist at the Johnson Space Center. “NASA is pleased to work with BSEE, and we endeavor to learn best practices from each other.”
Damen Anchor & Chain Factory (AKF) has shown it remains expert in welding following the renewal of its ISO certification. The certificates; ISO 9001 and ISO 3834 welding procedure show AKF follows stringent quality management systems and has strict procedures in place for its welders and welding procedures.
“The ISO 3834 welding procedure is a foundation for Damen Anchor & Chain Factory for its future strategy in meeting the market demands in custom made towing chains and the repair of towing and hoisting equipment,” explained Laurens van Gelder, General Manager of AKF. “Offshore companies and steel mills require us to have certain procedures in place and of course want to be assured they are receiving quality standards in welding jobs. Receiving our renewal shows we remain experts in the field of welding.”
The certification addresses all aspects of design and fabrication of welded components, including welding procedure specifications, quality control and quality assurance during welding.
In order to receive the qualification, AKF had to demonstrate its welding and procedures are of the highest quality and use quality components. Welders have extensive training and experience, their skills are verified and comply with all applicable codes and standards.
Mr. Van Gelder added: “Most of the well-known offshore companies in the field of oil and gas and steel mills requiring heavy duty hoisting equipment already know where to find us. Being an anchor and chain producer from origin, Damen Anchor & Chain Factory is among the world’s most experienced companies to handle such requests.”
The welding certification, which is part of ISO 9001, was first obtained in 2012 and covers hoisting and towing equipment, anchors and chains. ISO 9001 was first obtained in 1998.
Bibby Offshore Holdings Limited (“Bibby Offshore” or the “Company”), a leading provider of subsea installation, inspection, repair and maintenance (“IRM”) services to the offshore oil and gas industry, announces the appointment of Archie Kennedy to the Board of Bibby Offshore as a Non-Executive Director. Archie previously served on the Company’s Board between 2011 and 2012.
Archie Kennedy, Non-Executive Director, Bibby Offshore
Archie is a Chartered Engineer with over 35 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry. He has previously held roles as Managing Director of Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd. (2012-2015) and Managing Director of ConocoPhillips UK Ltd. (2004 – 2009). Archie also brings extensive international experience including postings in the USA and Canada.
Howard Woodcock, Chief Executive of Bibby Offshore commented: "We are delighted to welcome Archie to the team and look forward to the benefit that his contribution will bring. His extensive experience of our industry, in a career spanning 35 years, both strengthens and broadens the expertise on the Bibby Offshore Board.”
BOARD COMPOSITION
The Board of Bibby Offshore is comprised of:
Aker Solutions' maintenance, modifications and operations (MMO) business in Norway secured a contract from Statoil for preliminary engineering work to enable a tie-in of the Utgard gas and condensate field to the Sleipner facilities in the North Sea.
Photo: Harald Pettersen / Statoil.
The work involves preliminary engineering for platform modifications at Sleipner to tie in the Utgard subsea field. Statoil may also exercise an option in the contract for engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) services for the platform modifications, which will be decided on later this year by the development's license partners.
"This builds on the strengths of our operations in Norway and our expertise in complex modifications," said Per Harald Kongelf, head of Aker Solutions' Norwegian operations. "We are pleased to be working further with Statoil on this important field development to secure crucial resources."
The work will be managed and executed by Aker Solutions' MMO unit in Stavanger. It builds on a series of modification projects that Aker Solutions has carried out for Statoil at Sleipner over the past five years.
"We are continually working on delivering the most cost-effective and efficient solutions for our customers," said Knut Sandvik, head of Aker Solutions' MMO operations. "This award confirms that we are on the right track."
ASCO announces the renewal of a significant contract in Norway. The award with BP Norge emphasises the established geographic scope of ASCO’s Norwegian operations as well as the value placed on its integrated approach to logistics management.
The supply services contract will be delivered across Norway, providing support in Tananger and Farsund, as well as further services in the northerly base of Sandnessjøen.
ASCO will continue to provide BP with support relating to quayside handling, local transport, cargo carrying units (CCU) and waste management, inventory and materials management, customs compliance and storage. They will also manage services within aviation, logistics/marine, and material management.
The contract has 3 x 3 year options and this marks the start of the first option period which will run until Q1 2019.
Runar Hatletvedt, Managing Director, Northern Europe at ASCO said: ‘We look forward to continuing and strengthening our valued relationship with BP. This renewal demonstrates ASCO’s capability to provide comprehensive oilfield support services packages that deliver vital efficiency gains.
‘ASCO’s capabilities in Norway are far reaching, and this extension provides recognition of the value this brings to our clients.’
The proprietary Delmar Quick Release (DQR) was successfully installed and activated on a traditionally moored semi-submersible MODU in the US Gulf of Mexico. Eight DQRs were installed in an offshore mooring systems and deployed for over 160 days in approximately 7800' of water.
The DQR was used to save critical path rig time during transit from an offshore drilling site. Through detailed planning and efficient offshore execution, using the DQR resulted in approximately 3.5 days of saved rig time during disconnection operations. In addition, the DQR was used during weather that prohibited the use of the anchor handling vessel's ROV, which would have further delayed the rig move schedule.
“The first use of the Delmar DQR has provided the experience and assurance that our manual mooring release will provide both operational efficiency and mooring diversification for drilling operations in the future”, said Matt Smith, Delmar’s Vice President of Operations. “Our thanks to the drilling contractor and operator for providing us the opportunity to prove this technology in a real work situation.”
The patent pending DQR is an in-line mooring component developed by Delmar Systems, Inc. with a simple mechanical release feature that allows a vessel to separate from its mooring system while the lines are under tension. The system allows the rig to safely and efficiently offset or depart from a moored location, with or without the use of support vessels, alleviating the need for waiting on vessels to mobilize and arrive. The DQR can be used with any anchor foundation and allows for safe mooring of DP rigs as well as traditional moored rigs.
Delmar Systems received classification society approval from ABS and DNV for the design and manufacturing of the DQR, ensuring compliance with the strict industry standards for offshore mooring.
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