Companies in the news
Intermoor has completed final tensioning and chain cutting operations on the Turitella FPSO, for Shell’s Stones project, in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The FPSO will connect to subsea infrastructure approximately 9,500 ft underwater, which breaks the existing water-depth record for a production facility. The ultra-deepwater project is the first FPSO for Shell in the GOM, and the second FPSO in the GOM, overall. Intermoor’s scope of work consisted of final chain adjustments through the ILMC system, subsequent cut and removal of excess chain, and riser pull-in rope-stretching and transfer to the FPSO.
Bibby Offshore has secured a contract with BP, which will see the diving support vessel Bibby Topaz work on four operations across some of BP’s North Sea assets. These properties include Bruce field, east of Shetland-based Magnus, and Mirren field. The 15-day project will involve the supply of air and saturation diving support to perform such items as spool and flowline disconnection, evaluation and installation of conductor clamp guides, alignment clamp installation, and modifications to a gas lift system.
Proserv has won two significant contracts in the Gulf of Mexico. The agreements, with Talos Energy and Hess Corp., will see Proserv carry out work at the operators’ respective Phoenix and Conger field expansion developments. The company will provide subsea communications and control solutions to support the brownfield upgrade of Talos Energy’s Phoenix field. Under the contract agreement with Hess, Proserv will provide a subsea control module, as well as associated tree-mounted equipment for the expansion of Conger field. Work scopes for both projects are scheduled for delivery later this year.
Construction has begun on Statoil’s Johan Sverdrup riser platform at the Samsung Heavy Industries yard in South Korea. Samsung Heavy Industries will ensure that the riser platform is built without any HSE incidents, and that it is delivered according to plan and cost. The platform will play a key role, as it will be the receiver of land-based power that will maintain operation in Johan Sverdrup field for more than 50 years. Additionally, it will be the largest of the four platforms constituting the Johan Sverdrup field center. It will be 124 m long, 28 m wide, 42 m tall, and have a total weight of 23,000 t.
Noble Energy has agreed to divest a 3% working interest in Tamar field, offshore Israel, to the Harel Group—in partnership with Israel Infrastructure Fund (IIF), Israel’s largest private-equity infrastructure fund. The transaction, valued at $369 million, is expected to close in third-quarter 2016. Under terms of the agreement, Harel and IIF have the option to elect, before closing, to purchase an additional 1% working interest from Noble Energy at the same valuation. There are plans to drill an additional development well at Tamar field, which is anticipated for fourth-quarter 2016.
ABB, in collaboration with Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF), is launching an industry project that will develop offshore safety case guidance and technology solutions to reduce OPEX during late life and decommissioning phases. The project will bring together operators, legislators, industry entities and consultants to address cost efficient management of major accident hazards, as well as critical safety and environmental elements. ABB will provide structure, funding, project management and technical safety guidance, and facilitate efficiency improvements for asset owners.
McDermott International has been awarded a multi-year, offshore installation contract by Brunei Shell Petroleum Company. The work includes transportation and installation (T&I) of pipelines and umbilicals in Fairley and Ampa fields, offshore Brunei. The full scope of work for the 2017 campaign is expected to include T&I for 20 mi of pipelines, with the associated beach and pipeline crossings, tie-ins, riser installation and pre-commissioning of the completed system. It is part of a three-year work installation contract that was signed in 2014.
Memorial Production Partners have sold assets in the Permian basin for $37.4 million. In addition, the company has agreed to sell some of its non-core Rockies assets in Colorado and Wyoming for $19.1 million. The Permian properties consist of 285 gross producing wells, and contain estimated proved reserves of 3.1 MMboe. The Rockies properties consist of 606 gross producing wells, and contain estimated proved reserves of 25.5 Bcfe.
Danos’ fabrication facility in Amelia, La., has expanded its offerings by adding onsite instrumentation and electrical (I&E) services, including automation, safety and control systems. The facility features 120,000 ft2 of fabrication area that can accommodate large-scale, custom fabrication projects of more than 1,000 t. With the addition of I&E services, customers now can receive onsite integration of automation systems, control panels, and installation and maintenance for a wide range of control and electrical systems.
CORTEC has expanded its CORTEC Manifold Systems (CMS) Lafayette manufacturing facility, and relocated to a new premises in Port Allen, La. The facility now supports a full range of the company’s service operations, including sales, engineering, quality assurance, machining, product assembly, testing, inventory and coating. The 55,000-ft2 facility is equipped with specialized machinery that can manufacture HP, metal-seated ball valves and testing equipment. Presently, it has capacity for 35 employees, but plans for additional acreage and further expansion are in place.
NEL has completed an upgrade of its wet gas test facility in the UK. The newly upgraded facility is capable of more accurately simulating the increased flowrates experienced during production and processing, as well as reducing uncertainty and minimizing operator’s financial exposure. The company can now test meters at a wider operating range, eliminating the need for operators to use services overseas. Additionally, the facility can now achieve dry gas flowrates exceeding 2,000 m3/hr, with simultaneous water and oil injection rates each of 90 m3/hr. With these flowrates in pressures up to 63 bar, the facility can better simulate field conditions.
