Companies in the news

Saudi Aramco and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) Group have signed a general memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on business development opportunities in Saudi Arabia. The MoU lays out a comprehensive, multi-faceted business cooperation framework in areas including engineering, procurement and construction, downstream, and the development of a casting and forging facility. It also covers the development of a maritime yard and the advancement of maritime diesel engine manufacturing in Saudi Arabia. The strategic alliance is expected to enable the two companies to meet growing demand in the Middle East. 

DNV GL, supported by leading professionals in the jackup industry, has established a JIP to provide guidelines for determining relevant wear criteria for self-elevating units. The JIP builds on a DNV GL Recommended Practice (RP), issued last year, to address maintenance and inspection challenges of a jackup system. It documents relevant design arguments, considerations and calculations, to enable the industry to define acceptance criteria and develop guidance on the correct assessment of jacking systems in a RP. There are 11 confirmed JIP partners thus far.

Polarcus has completed the Capreolus 3D multi-client project, the largest, single, 3D seismic survey ever acquired offshore Australia. The project was completed ahead of schedule, after a successful 11-month acquisition campaign. The basin-wide, broadband, 3D seismic survey covered two underexplored hydrocarbon provinces, with largely untested oil plays in the Beagle sub-basin and Bedout sub-basin, which includes the Phoenix South oil discovery. Subsequently, several leads and prospects have been identified for multi-phase drilling programs to be undertaken over the next two years.

McDermott International, Inc., has been awarded a large brownfield contract by RasGas Company Ltd. for the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of a flow assurance and looping project, which consists of 74 mi of 6- and 8-in. pipeline and topside modifications, offshore Qatar. Engineering, procurement and fabrication are expected to be performed by McDermott’s teams based in Dubai, UAE. Vessels from the McDermott global fleet are expected to undertake the installation work. Work is scheduled for completion by the end of third-quarter 2017.

Fugro has been awarded a contract by Ophir Equatorial Guinea Ltd. for the provision of survey services, for the development of large-scale assets and infrastructure, offshore Equatorial Guinea. Under the contract, Fugro will deploy three of its specialist vessels—Fugro Searcher, Fugro Scout and Fugro Frontier—to perform AUV surveys, as well as geotechnical, environmental and metocean surveys. The surveys are scheduled to take place at the Fortuna Project to the west of Bioko Island, where Ophir is planning a large FLNG installation and associated subsea structures.

Schlumberger and Ikon Science have entered into an agreement to further develop the existing quantitative seismic interpretation capability in the Petrel E&P software platform. The collaboration is expected to make valuable seismic workflows fully available to customers, and to allow easy access to advanced reservoir characterization tools. The software platform will enable geoscientists to derive enhanced geologic understanding from seismic data.

Wärtsilä Corporation will provide main power to the two new Aker Arctic-designed icebreakers, which are under construction at the PJSC Vyborg Shipyard in Russia. The contract between Wärtsilä and Ruselprom Group was signed in October 2015. The ships, which are being built for Gazprom Neft, will operate in Arctic conditions, with outside air temperatures as low as -50°C, and ice thickness up to 2 m. According to Ruselprom, the reliability and overall efficiency of the Wärtsilä machinery in these challenging conditions were prime considerations in the award of the contract. The full Wärtsilä scope of supply for each vessel includes two 16-cylinder and two 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 engines, and one 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 20 engine. Deliveries to the yard will begin in summer 2016.

GE Oil & Gas has signed a contractual service agreement with Asian energy company PT Donggi Senoro LNG. The deal will see GE provide full-package services, including planned and unplanned maintenance, and monitor non-GE equipment. GE will leverage its team of software engineers to build a bespoke platform to interpret data collected from machines manufactured by other OEMs. Additionally, an extended GE resident team will be based permanently at the site of the plant in Banggai Regency, in the province of Central Sulawesi in Indonesia, to guarantee constant coverage and outstanding performance results. The long-term deal, worth more than EUR 102 million, will be carried out alongside strong local partnership building, with a localization plan to be developed further during the entire life of the contract.

Expro will expand its Middle Eastern presence, as it enters Qatar for the first time with a five-year contract award. The contract will see the company provide its well intervention and slickline services, including high deviation and heavy-duty fishing offshore, as well as in drilling and workover locations within the country. The company’s presence in the MENA region has grown considerably, with significant positions in all of its main operating countries.

Claxton Engineering Services has formed a collaborative alliance with energy services firm LR Senergy to provide clients with a fully managed, technically proficient, end-to-end, offshore rig-based decommissioning service. The new alliance builds on an established relationship between the two companies, which have worked on a number of shared global projects, including platform installations, drilling operations and field workover programs.

Fritz Industries, Inc., opened the new Houston Technology Center (HTC) on Nov. 5. The 13,000-ft² site employs a staff of research scientists, including chemists and laboratory technicians. Additionally, the company has announced its license to offer a new product line, which was manufactured previously for Baker Hughes Inc. The products, FlowSure PI-400 and FlowSure SI-503, provide long-term paraffin and scale control. Fritz CEO Dan Montgomery said, “Our Houston Technology Center will move us closer to the pulse of the industry, reconfirming our commitment to partnering with our customers and bringing industry-leading technology to the market.”