North Sea News


A Dutch decommissioning opportunity - seeking renewables and CCS alternatives

Dec 27, 2017

While decommissioning is often seen as a challenge, to the Dutch it is also an opportunity. Elaine Maslin reports (First published in the December 2017 OE, access the full issue here). The Dutch don’t have the largest patch of the North Sea by a long shot…

First oil flows at Premier's Catcher

Dec 23, 2017

Christmas came early for Premier Oil and its Catcher development partners. First oil was achieved from the field's FPSO today (23 December), according to FPSO owner and operator BW Offshore. BW Catcher FPSO…

HMC inks second Tyra Redevelopment contract

Dec 22, 2017

Dutch transport and installation firm Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) has won an additional contract on Maersk Oil's US$3.6 billion Tyra Redevelopment Project offshore Denmark. Following the award of the transportation and installation…

Aker BP completes Hess, Pandion deals

Dec 22, 2017

Operator Aker BP has completed an acquisition of Hess Norge, which owns 10% stakes in the Norwegian North Sea Valhall and Hod fields, from Hess Corp for US$2 billion.  At the same time, a deal by Aker BP to sell 10% interest in the…

McDermott wins Tyra EPC work off Denmark

Dec 22, 2017

US engineering group McDermott International, soon to merge with CB&I, has inked a major lump sum contract with Maersk Oil for work on the largest ever oil and gas project offshore Denmark.  McDermott is to provide engineering, procurement…

Technology trials point toward shorter shut-downs

Dec 22, 2017

A series of trials in the North Sea to test non-intrusive inspection (NII) techniques have shown that they can offer similar results to traditional intrusive methods. Non-intrusive inspection technologies could mean operators do not have to shut-in equipment…

Forties pipeline repairs to complete by Christmas

Dec 22, 2017

Work to fix a pipeline which is costing the UK North Sea industry millions in lost production a day is due to complete by Christmas, the operator has said.  INEOS, which operates the Forties Pipeline System (FPS), a major export pipelines from some 80 assets in the UK North Sea…

Transocean picks up 22-well Statoil gig

Dec 21, 2017

Statoil awarded Transocean a 22-well contract in the Norwegian North Sea for the harsh environment semisubmersible Transocean Spitsbergen with an estimated duration of 33 months; plus two one-well options. The estimated firm backlog associated…

Statoil moves on $2.27 billion Snorre Expansion Project

Dec 21, 2017

Norway's Statoil is planning to start production from a US$2.27 (NOK19 billion) expansion project on its Snorre field in the Norwegian North Sea by 2021, tapping an additional 200 MMbo from the field and extending its life out to at least 2040…

North Sea's first FPSO heads to Brazil

Dec 20, 2017

Teekay's Petrojarl I floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel has sailed away from Aibel's shipyard in Norway. The TenTech 685-design vessel, which was the North Sea's first FPSO when it was delivered in 1986 by NKK in Japan…

Repsol files revised Yme field plan

Dec 20, 2017

A revised plan for development and operation (PDO) for the Yme field in the Norwegian North Sea has been submitted to Norway's Ministry of Petroleum and Energy by operator Repsol. Repsol says it's going to invest about US$960 million (NOK8 billion) in the Yme New Development project…

Hurricane contracts Crondall for Lancaster support

Dec 19, 2017

UK fractured basement explorer Hurricane Energy has contracted floating production and subsea engineering firm Crondall Energy to provide engineering support during the early production system (EPS) project on the Lancaster field, West of Shetland…

Kvaerner lands Valhall Flank West wellhead platform

Dec 18, 2017

Norwegian engineering and fabrication firm Kvaerner has been awarded a US$120 million (NOK1 billion) contract for delivery of the topside and steel jacket substructure for Valhall Flank West by operator Aker BP.  Kvaerner's scope includes procurement…

Alternative inspection techniques could be worth US$310 million

Dec 18, 2017

Using non-intrusive inspection (NII) survey technologies could be worth US$310 million (£242 million) a year to UK North Sea operators through increased production and lower maintenance costs, according to a survey by the Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) and ABB…

Wintershall's Maria online, ahead of schedule

Dec 18, 2017

Germany's Wintershall has started production from the Maria subsea tieback offshore Norway a year ahead of schedule and 20% under budget.  The Maria field development cost about US$1.43 billion (NOK12 billion), $358.9 million below the original budget…

Current News

Jumbo Scoops Two Offshore Wind Contracts

Wood Nets Long-Term Maintenance Contract for Rio Grande LNG Facility

TechnipFMC to Supply Subsea Systems for Chevron’s Gas Project off Australia

Shell Picks Valaris Drillship for Work Offshore Brazil

Subscribe for OE Digital E‑News