Companies in the news

Oceaneering International has secured a contract to perform the first-ever deepwater Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) survey in Mexican waters. The geophysical survey will be performed for BHP at its Trion development, in the Gulf of Mexico’s Perdido belt. The company will use the DP-2 Ocean Investigator, which is equipped with OS-VI AUV and light geotechnical capabilities. Additionally, the company will provide light geotechnical service by acquiring 6-m piston core soil samples. Work reportedly is already underway and will continue for approximately 45 days. Image: Oceaneering.

Fugro says it has contributed more than 110,000 km² of high-resolution bathymetry data in the North Atlantic Ocean to help improve the quality and coverage of seabed mapping in the region. The dataset, which reportedly covers an area the size of Iceland, was delivered to two complementary programs—the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA) and The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project (Seabed 2030). AORA is an Atlantic Ocean Cooperation, between the European Union, Canada and the U.S., which aims to improve knowledge about the Atlantic Ocean to support a prosperous and sustainable blue economy. Likewise, Seabed 2030 is a global initiative between Japan’s Nippon Foundation and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO), which aims to produce a high-resolution bathymetric map of the entire world’s ocean floor by 2030.

TGS and Schlumberger have entered a strategic collaboration for multi-client ocean-bottom node projects in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. This includes the previously announced 2,350-km² Amendment Phase 1 project in the Mississippi Canyon and Atwater Valley protraction areas. Under terms of the new collaboration agreement, TGS and WesternGeco, the geophysical services product line of Schlumberger, will work together to develop opportunities to co-invest in additional multi-client ocean-bottom node projects in the GOM.

Danos has entered into a contract with a Dallas-based independent, under which the company will transition 50 to 60 crew members in a variety of positions. The crew will help support water transfer and water treatment facilities in Midland and Orla, Texas. In addition, Danos has secured a contract to construct two saltwater disposal facilities near Carlsbad, N.M., for a Texas-based drilling and production company. The facilities project will employ approximately 25 employees from Danos’ fabrication, construction, project management, instrumentation and electrical, and coatings service lines. These reportedly are the first contracts of this nature for Danos. Image: Danos.

Exxon Mobil will proceed with a long-term oil development in Argentina’s Bajo del Choique-La Invernada Block. The 99,000-acre block is situated 58 mi northwest of Añelo and 114 mi northwest of Neuquén city. According to the company, the project is expected to produce up to 55,000 boed within five years and will include 90 wells, a central production facility and export infrastructure connected to the Oldeval pipeline. If successful, Exxon may decide to invest in a second phase, which would produce up to 75,000 boed. The company says that timing of the second phase depends on initial project performance, as well as business and market conditions.

Aquaterra Energy has opened its first engineering office and warehouse facility in Perth, Western Australia. The new office is expected to support regional oil and gas projects to increase efficiencies and reduce cost through specialist riser analysis and systems, well initiation engineering and full-field development solutions. The grand opening follows several recent contract wins in the region, and is expected to help the company expand its presence in Australasia. Initially, however, the premises will focus solely on riser analysis and system engineering.

Boskalis Subsea Services has secured several contracts, totaling in excess of £100 million, in the North Sea over the last few months. Contract awards include Total’s Tyra redevelopment project; an inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) campaign for Repsol Sinopec; a decommissioning contract from Spirit Energy; and a scale squeeze scope for Premier Oil’s Huntington field. Boskalis Subsea said that, as a result of these contract awards, it has created approximately 30 new jobs since February, bringing its total workforce in Aberdeen up to more than 80. Additionally, the firm has taken more space at its new purpose-built offices in Westhill, Aberdeenshire. The 10-year lease reportedly is now for 8,565 ft² over two floors, with capacity to accommodate future growth.

Wellpro Group has acquired the Dubai-based thru-tubing service and rental business of Hunting Energy Services for an undisclosed amount. As its first dedicated operation in the region, the acquisition continues the company’s growth momentum in the Middle East. The firm says it expects to create more jobs in the region and has committed to making further investment to the existing premises in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone over the coming months.

C-Innovation has been awarded a significant contract to perform riser-less light-well intervention (RLWI) activities for BP in the Gulf of Mexico. The initial contract covers both mechanical, as well as hydraulic acid stimulations, which will be executed from the company’s flagship GOM assets, the offshore construction and light well intervention vessels Island Venture and Island Performer. The work, anticipated to begin as early as July, will be performed in water depths down to 6,500 ft on various assets in the GOM.

Well-Safe Solutions has been awarded a major contract to decommission up to 21 wells on Schooner and Ketch fields, in the UKCS. The fields, operated by DNO North Sea Limited, ceased production in August 2018, with 20 platform wells and a single subsea well. According to the company, the project will start immediately, with a plan to commence offshore operations by year-end. Well-Safe Solutions will deliver key aspects of the project, including engineering, contractor management and logistics, with DNO retaining well operatorship. The campaign is expected to last for up to two years.

CCS JV—a joint venture between McDermott International, Saipem and Chiyoda—has reached an agreement for a contract for the Mozambique Area 1 LNG development. The project scope includes the onshore engineering, procurement and construction for all components of the onshore LNG development. The development consists of two LNG trains with a total nameplate capacity of 12.88 MMtpa, plus associated utilities and infrastructure. The JV previously provided FEED services for the development, as well.