Companies in the news

Fugro has completed several high-resolution geophysical surveys in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico for Shell E&P. The project included data collection over multiple deepwater lease blocks, in the greater Perdido and Mars development areas, to support clearance of potential environmental, engineering, geological and archaeological hazards ahead of scheduled drilling operations. Fugro deployed a Hugin AUV from its purpose-built survey vessel, the Fugro Brasilis (pictured). The company reportedly was able to acquire critical seabed information, despite challenges related to water depths. Image: Fugro.

Veolia Water Technologies, through subsidiary VWS Westgarth Ltd., has been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract by SBM Offshore for the supply of a seawater treatment package for the Liza Unity FPSO. The FPSO is situated in the Stabroek Block, offshore Guyana. The contract award will see the design and procurement of equipment, with construction technical assistance, for a seawater treatment plant sized for 263,244 bpd of low sulphate water and 31,700 bpd of reverse osmosis process water for the Liza FPSO unit.

ADES International Holding has entered into a second deepwater drilling campaign with a major international oil company in the Egyptian Mediterranean region. The contract, estimated to last approximately 73 days, includes one firm well, Nigma 1, using Vantage’s Tungsten Explorer drillship (pictured). The services are to be subcontracted to ADVantage, a JV between ADES and Vantage Drilling International. 

Rockwell Automation and Schlumberger have closed on the Sensia JV. Sensia is the oil and gas industry’s first digitally enabled, integrated automation solutions provider. The JV reportedly leverages Schlumberger’s deep oil and gas domain knowledge alongside Rockwell’s rich automation and information expertise. Sensia will operate as an independent entity and be headquartered in Houston and is expected to generate initial annual revenue of about $400 million.

Benthic, an Acteon company, has secured an offshore geotechnical and geophysical contract from TechnipFMC for the Golfinho development. Golfinho is a deepwater discovery off the coast of Mozambique, which is to be developed as a subsea system tied back to an onshore LNG facility. For the first time, Benthic will employ two portable, remotely operated drilling (PROD) units. The units will collect numerous geotechnical borehole samples and conduct in-situ piezocone penetration tests at various locations across the development. The company also will manage the shallow
and deepwater geophysical surveys. The work reportedly is scheduled to begin during third-quarter 2019.

BHGE and Ocean Installer AS have secured a subsea contract from Vår Energi AS for the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of subsea systems and associated services for the Balder X project in the NCS. Under terms of the contract, the companies will engineer, procure, construct and install 16 new subsea production systems, umbilicals, risers and flowlines to the Jotun A FPSO unit. They also will carry out decommissioning work in the field. The award reportedly is the largest in history for Ocean Installer.

CGG Subsurface Imaging has delivered first-rate broadband 4D seismic results from BP Angola’s latest monitor survey offshore Angola. The enhanced imaging volumes from the greater Plutonio development, in the Lower Congo basin, were delivered in eight weeks—four weeks ahead of schedule. According to BP, the early delivery of results will accelerate its active reservoir management program for the field.

EnerMech Australia has secured a five-year contract to provide specialist nitrogen and flange management services to an LNG facility in Central Queensland, Australia. The work includes project engineering and management, which will be conducted from the company’s Gladstone facility and Brisbane office. The company will deploy liquid nitrogen converters, nitrogen membrane generation units, flange management torque/tensioning equipment and its bespoke SIM software in the provision of specialist services.

Sinomine Specialty Fluids, formerly Cabot Specialty Fluids, and Equinor have signed a significant framework agreement for provision of cesium drilling and completion fluids to operations on the NCS. The contract—valued in excess of $40 million through 2022—includes total fluid management, which involves engineering, laboratory and reclamation services, as well as runs until May 31, 2022, with options for five two-year extensions. Equinor reportedly is considering cesium formate for Martin Linge, Snorre, Visund and Gullfaks satellite fields, with other projects in the works.

was welcomed by the U.S. Ambassador to Argentina, Edward Prado, in Buenos Aires in September. In attendance were PESA President Leslie Beyer, V.P. of Government Affairs Tim Tarpley and V.P. of Latin America & Country Manager, Exterran and Argentina Chapter Chair Federico Medrano, as well as leaders from major oil and gas operators in the regions. At the Bosch Palace, attendees discussed production prospects in the region and opportunities for PESA to leverage its significant resources to support member companies with operations in the country, as well as assist new company entry to the market. Potential leaders for the Chapter also were identified during the meeting, and a Steering Committee reportedly will be formed soon.

Kongsberg Digital and Shell have signed a digitalization partnership agreement that includes a Kognifai Dynamic Digital Twin of the Nyhamna
gas facility, a gas processing and export hub for Orman Lange and other fields connected to the Polarled pipeline in Norway. The contract, which includes a fully realized dynamic digital twin, is valued at approximately NOK 100 million. Deliverables are expected to begin during fourth-quarter 2019.

Interra Resources Limited has begun drilling its first onshore well in Kuala Pambuang (KP-1), in Indonesia’s Central Kalimantan. The Kuala Pambuang Block, where Interra holds a 67.5% interest, contains three prospective oil reservoirs—the Warukin formation and the Upper and Lower Berai formations. The KP-1 well will be drilled vertically to a depth of nearly 3,609 ft, according to the company.