Oil & Gas News

Following successful delivery of recent cable-lay and trenching projects for the renewables sector, Fugro has secured three contracts for its trenching services for oil and gas clients. The contracts will see its high performance Q1400 trenching systems deployed in the North Sea over the next 12 months.

4Trencher 21 June 2016 comprPhoto courtesy: Fugro

At the Wintershall-owned Maria development in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, Fugro will deploy the Q1400 trenching system under a contract with Subsea 7. At Det norske’s Ivar Aasen development, the system will be deployed for EMAS CHIYODA Subsea in June. For both projects the trencher will operate in jetting mode for burial of pipelines, power cables and umbilicals. In the UK sector, a contract with Bibby Offshore will see Fugro’s Q1400 trencher operating in both jetting and cutting modes to bury a new umbilical at the BP ETAP redevelopment.

“Since launching the Q1400 system in 2012, Fugro has successfully completed numerous trenching projects at oil and gas developments and more recently at offshore wind developments. We are looking forward to continuing to demonstrate how our trenching capabilities can bring benefits to clients in both sectors,” said Mike Daniel, Construction and Installation Manager at Fugro Subsea Services.

Marsol International, a UAE-based global marine solutions provider focused on the offshore oil terminal market and related infrastructure, has successfully supported Oman Oil Company Exploration & Production LLC’s (OOCEP) first shipment of crude oil from the Musandam gas plant (MGP).

10MarsolPhoto courtesy: Marsol International

Marsol’s involvement included the provision and management of all marine and offshore activities related to the tanker loading, via the single point mooring (SPM) offshore marine terminal including marine works, vessels, equipment and manpower. OOCEP, a subsidiary of Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C safely exported 300,000 barrels of crude oil as part of the operation, which were fully processed at the MGP on 4 May in Oman.

Mike Young, Director of Marsol International, said: “The successful exportation of the first crude oil from the newly constructed Musandam gas plant is a fantastic achievement for OOCEP and we are delighted to have been selected to support this operation. Our tanker operations and our product transfer services ensure safe and efficient mooring and unmooring at the SPM and are a crucial element of our asset integrity management service.”

The Musandam gas plant, located on the west coast of the Musandam peninsula, has a processing capacity of up to 20,000 barrels of crude; 45 million cubic feet of gas and 75 tonnes of LPG per day.

19IMCAThe International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has published ‘Guidance on drug & alcohol policies and testing’ (SEL 040). It is downloadable free of charge to members and non-members alike.

Within its 28 pages there are sections on ‘Who should be tested? - Reasons for testing’; ‘Tests for drug and alcohol abuse’; ‘Urine testing’; ‘Breath testing’; ‘Record keeping’; ‘Problems with testing’; and ‘Cut-off levels’ as well as a useful glossary of terms and guidance on further information.

The document addresses the importance of a broad multi-disciplinary approach, with the involvement of different departments, including Occupational Health, Human Resources, and Legal as well as operations departments.

“Naturally, the focus of a drug and alcohol policy should be on prevention,” says Richard Benzie, IMCA’s Technical Director. “Education of the workforce will help them ‘buy into’ the process, making it easier to implement policies and procedures relating to drug and alcohol testing.”

With the continuous search for new gas supplies, companies like Gazflot often find themselves in harsh geographical conditions trying to unlock the next reserve of natural gas. Such explorations require robust and reliable equipment to work under some of the most difficult conditions imaginable. As such, there is a need for genuine partnerships with companies that understand what it takes and are well-positioned to deliver technologies that support more efficient exploration activities.

GE’s Marine Solutions (NYSE: GE) was recently awarded a service contract by CIMC Raffles to provide the first dry-dock services on two of Gazflot’s semi sub drilling vessels—Northern Lights and Polar Star. During the dry-docking, GE’s Marine Solutions will thoroughly test its scope of supply and will replace and upgrade parts where necessary.

10GE GazflotPolarstarSemi subsea drilling vessel Polar Star: Photo courtesy: Gazflot

With years of experience in carrying out similar activities, historical data from these vessels and an understanding of how systems interact with each other, GE’s Marine Solutions is ideally placed as a one-stop solution to carry out the dry-docking of these vessels. This dry-docking will enable Gazflot to continue operating its vessels at optimum levels.

“GE will not only carry out the required maintenance activities on the two vessels, but will also be assisting with the supervision of the activities throughout dry-docking. We are impressed by GE’s technical and operational finesse and look forward to working with them in the long-term,” said Mr. Yongqiang Shao, deputy general manager, CIMC Raffles.

Commenting on the contract, Andrey Nikireev, deputy head of power supply department, Gazflot, said, “We have been very happy with GE, and its technology is running flawlessly on board our vessels. GE’s deep understanding of these technologies makes them an ideal partner for this dry-docking, and with GE’s engineers carrying out the maintenance activities, we are confident that our vessels are in a safe pair of hands.”

The two vessels were equipped with GE technologies including dynamic positioning, automation, drilling drives, MV 7000 propulsion drives, Power Management System, Vessel Management System and Thruster Assisted Mooring System. These technologies have been reliably at work on Gazflot’s ice class vessels, which are capable of drilling up to 10,000 feet in the adverse conditions in Northern Russia. Through the current contract, GE’s team of on-site engineers will ensure the longevity of installed systems while working with the yard to supervise the dry-docking activities.

“We have had a long-standing relationship with Gazflot and are happy to further our partnership through this deal. With our reliable technologies on board their vessels, GE is at the heart of Gazflot’s exploration activities. Our thorough maintenance services and assurance of providing technical support for these vessels will ensure uninterrupted operations for Gazflot in the years to come,” said Tim Schweikert, president & CEO, GE’s Marine Solutions.

After the dry-docking, GE will continue to provide remote technical support for the Northern Lights and Polar Star semi sub drilling vessels.

An Aberdeen-based specialist hydrocarbon accounting consultancy has launched new bespoke software which will save oil and gas operators money by replacing more complex generic process simulation packages used industry-wide.

Developed in partnership with Robert Gordon University, Accord Energy Solutions has created CHARM (Compact Hydrocarbon Allocation Reference Model) – a cost-effective process simulation software package which models how hydrocarbons behave specifically for hydrocarbon allocation purposes.

The employee-owned company has designed the new software which focuses on easy integration with any hydrocarbon allocation system.

5Accord Phil StocktonPhil Stockton, Director, Accord Energy Solutions. Photo courtesy: Accord Energy Solutions

Phil Stockton, director at Accord, said: “Our innovative tool will save time and money and replace existing industry-wide process simulation software. CHARM delivers faster, more robust calculations than the established approach. Its simplicity and transparency improves verification and auditability.

“We were delighted to work with RGU via the Knowledge Transfer Partnership program to develop this software. Cost-effective and efficient hydrocarbon behavior modeling is crucial to the oil and gas industry, especially in today’s cost-reduction climate. CHARM delivers both. “Use of general purpose process simulation packages often presents a number of issues, such as their level of complexity, lack of software integration, and requirement for software updates which can result in slightly altered results.

“CHARM offers greater integration, speed and ease of use compared to traditional approaches. The system essentially bridges a gap: it provides the same accuracy as comprehensive process simulation, but can be more readily integrated into existing allocation software systems and vendor products. We hope it will replace conventional systems and usher in a new chapter for hydrocarbon accounting.”

Professor John McCall, from RGU, said: “We are delighted to have been able to contribute our expertise in smart data analytics components to developing this exciting product with Accord. Our research is at its most valuable when it has direct impact in real-world applications.”

By Chris Brand

11McDermottlogoMcDermott International, Inc. (NYSE:MDR) announces it has been awarded further pipeline work for 2017 under a multi-year offshore installation contract with Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn. Bhd. (BSP). The work includes transportation and installation (T&I) of pipelines and umbilicals in the Fairley and Ampa Fields offshore Brunei.

The full scope of work for the 2017 campaign is expected to include T&I for 20 miles of pipelines, with the associated beach and pipeline crossings, tie-ins, riser installation and pre-commissioning of the completed system. The 2017 campaign is part of a three-year work installation contract signed in 2014 and will be included in McDermott’s second quarter 2016 backlog as a Sizeable project.

“Brunei has significant long-term plans to increase investment and production in its energy sector and the successful installation of these new pipelines in the Ampa and Fairley fields is expected to help ensure production continuity of the mature reserves,” said Hugh Cuthbertson, Vice President, Asia. “McDermott’s demonstrated performance during the 2015 campaign built customer confidence critical to winning this award. Our contribution in developing these facilities plays a vital role in helping Brunei Shell Petroleum meet its production targets and Brunei meet its energy goals.”

The 2017 campaign will see McDermott’s Derrick Barge 30 (DB 30) continue to be deployed for the execution of pipeline work in Brunei. Both the DB 30 and Emerald Sea diving support vessel were deployed for the successful 2015 campaign, which was one of the largest shallow water pipeline campaigns undertaken by McDermott Asia in recent years.

Statoil, along with its partners, has finalized a 19-month exploration drilling program offshore Newfoundland. The purpose of the drilling program was to increase the robustness of the Bay du Nord project and to test new areas of the Flemish Pass Basin.

Nine wells were drilled safely and efficiently by the Seadrill West Hercules in the Flemish Pass Basin, located approximately 500 kilometers east of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The results have improved Statoil’s understanding of the frontier Flemish Pass Basin.

3Statoil newfoundland

The West Hercules drilling rig. (Photos: Ole Jørgen Bratland)

The drilling program included four exploration wells in close vicinity of the 2013 Bay du Nord discovery, as well as three appraisal wells on the discovery. In addition, two exploration wells were drilled in areas outside the Bay du Nord discovery. The program was conducted in a harsh offshore environment; however, with strong operational and HSE performance, setting several records on drilling speed during the campaign.

The drilling program has resulted in two discoveries of oil at the Bay de Verde and Baccalieu prospects in the Bay du Nord area, both of which add to the resource base for a potential development at the Bay du Nord discovery.

The appraisal and near-field exploration of the Bay du Nord discovery has reduced key reservoir uncertainties and confirmed that the volumes are within the original volume range of the 300 to 600 million barrels of recoverable oil initially estimated by Statoil in 2013, but potentially towards the lower end of the range.

“We are encouraged by the discoveries in the Bay de Verde and Baccalieu wells and the results of the appraisal wells,” said Erling Vågnes, senior vice president, Statoil Exploration, Northern Hemisphere. “Based on the improved understanding of the Flemish Pass Basin petroleum system, we are maturing further prospects that may add volumes to Bay du Nord.”

“The Flemish Pass Basin offshore Newfoundland is a frontier area, where only 17 wells have been drilled in the entire basin – in an area that is 30,000 km2,”said Vågnes. “This drilling campaign has been critical both to maturing the Bay du Nord discovery as well as evolving our knowledge of the greater basin and Newfoundland offshore – which remains a core exploration area for Statoil.”

The drilling program began in November 2014 and was extended by one month to incorporate the drilling of Baccalieu, a well on a license awarded by the C-NLOPB in the 2015 land sale, which Statoil was able to progress from access to well-completion in four months.

Statoil’s assessment of the commercial potential of the Bay du Nord discovery is ongoing. “The recent drilling program has been critical to Statoil’s continued assessment of Bay du Nord, and work is underway to evaluate the results related to proceeding with a potential Statoil-operated development in the Flemish Pass Basin,” said Paul Fulton, president, Statoil Canada.

16Deloitte Shaun ReynoldsThe North Sea will see a rise in infrastructure deals this year, with private equity funds playing an increasing role in midstream assets, according to business advisory firm Deloitte.

Shaun Reynolds, Director, Transaction Services, Deloitte

Against the backdrop of a low oil price, more oil and gas companies are looking to rationalise their portfolios and divest non-core assets in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), the firm said – with private equity and specialist infrastructure funds likely purchasers.

Deloitte’s latest European Infrastructure Investors survey found that pipelines, in particular, have provided a solid and steady return over the last five years. The asset class was highlighted by investors as performing well compared with other infrastructure, including fuel storage, ports and renewables; the internal rate of return on pipelines reached 14% in the period 2013-2016.

Deloitte’s report also found that pipelines will remain a strong focus for infrastructure investors in the future, along with gas and fuel storage.

Shaun Reynolds, Director, Transaction Services, at Deloitte, said: “Historically, big oil and gas operators developed and owned what they needed, transporting their major discoveries through proprietary pipelines and refining it in their own processing plants. That’s largely remained the case, until the last two or three years.

“The ownership model has evolved, driven by the maturity of the basin and the low oil price. Established players are divesting to shore up their balance sheets, and infrastructure is comparatively less complex to value and sell, with a ready market at the right price.

“Private equity firms and specialist energy infrastructure funds are likely buyers – specifically those with a solid grasp of the UKCS. They’ll look to take a number of assets under management, create a portfolio, maximise their potential and then look to divest; most likely to a pension fund aiming for steady returns from a stable asset.”

In 2015, BP sold its stake in the Central Area Transmission System (CATS) to Antin Infrastructure Partners in a £324 million deal. Antin had bought BG Group out of its stake the previous year, giving it near-complete ownership of the asset.

The third party ownership model has been employed successfully in the US shale gas market for years, while oil and gas infrastructure in The Netherlands and Norway is commonly owned by private equity or pension funds.

Shaun added that the changing asset stewardship of North Sea infrastructure could be a positive development for the industry, with 20 billion barrels still recoverable in the basin.

Shaun commented: “It’s a positive step for the UKCS. Private equity will provide focussed management of the assets and ensure they are being used to their utmost potential. That can only be a good thing, particularly from a longevity perspective as we seek to make the most of the North Sea.

“Whatever the case, there’s a strong appetite from investors for North Sea infrastructure – but only at the right price. As the oil price continues to take its toll and pressure mounts on balance sheets, more operators will have to look at rationalisation and infrastructure tends to be a logical sale. Deals are brewing in the UKCS – and we’ll see more on the infrastructure front in the short- to medium-term.”

InterMoor, an Acteon company and part of its foundations and moorings business, recently completed its involvement in the Shell Malikai Tension Leg Platform (TLP) float-off operations.

The TLP was loaded onto the Dockwise Heavy Lift Vessel White Marlin at Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering (MMHE) shipyard in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia, and transported to a float-off location in the Singapore Straits.

6Intermoor Malikai TLP float off photo courtesy of Dockwise1Photo courtesy: Dockwise

Contracted by TMJV, a joint venture between Technip and MMHE Shipyard, InterMoor Pte was responsible for the marine aspects of the float-off and tow of Shell’s Malikai TLP through the Johor Straits into the Singapore Straits and to a float-off location for various nearshore commissioning tasks to be performed, prior to return to the shipyard.

The work scope also included engineering analysis and procedures, project management for the nearshore operations, management of chartered vessels, provision of offshore personnel and various ancillary services. InterMoor also subcontracted Acteon sister company UTEC to provide survey and positioning for the TLP and marine spread. The offshore operation was completed safely and without incident in April this year.

Martin Kobiela, managing director, InterMoor Pte in Singapore, said, “From start to finish, InterMoor Pte’s contribution lasted six months. Although a lot of the work is standard for us, particularly the towing and marine activities, many of the work scopes were novel, particularly the provision of catering and sanitation services. Our team was diligent in its care of the project both from Singapore and on location in the MMHE shipyard, Malaysia, and is proud to have been associated with this important development for the region.”

The TLP will be installed at the Malikai field in a water depth of approximately 600 m.

As a leading global manufacturer of syntactic foam-based solutions, Trelleborg’s offshore operation has been awarded a purchase order from a major European Drilling Contractor for Drill Riser Buoyancy Modules (DRBMs). As a trusted partner, this is the 6th order from this contractor for their new build rig series.

17Trelleborg Black DRBM1Photo courtesy: Trelleborg

Alan McBride, Vice President of Trelleborg’s offshore operation based in Houston, says: “We are thrilled that our long standing relationship with this contractor has grown into a wonderful partnership. This additional order strengthens the relationship between our two companies and we are confident in our ability to deliver the buoyancy solution required to meet their needs.

“As the trusted supplier of choice for this opportunity, Trelleborg has been able to provide the entire stock of buoyancy needed for this exciting new build program and we look forward to delivering the buoyancy by the end of 2016.”

Trelleborg has a long-standing commitment to developing sophisticated syntactic based materials designed specifically to exceed market requirements and meet the demands of increasing service depths for the offshore drilling segment.

In order to reduce a drilling riser’s net weight in water, and ensure that the structure and drilling vessel are supported, Trelleborg offers a range of DRBMs, fitted around the length of the riser pipe, improving the riser’s buoyancy and protecting it from service damage.

6 1BP Logo copyBP Egypt announced on June 9, another important gas discovery in the Baltim South Development Lease in the East Nile Delta.

The Baltim SW-1 exploration well, drilled in water depth of 25 meters by operator IEOC (Eni), reached a total depth of 3750 meters depth and penetrated approximately 62 meters of net gas pay in high quality Messinian sandstones. The discovery, which is located 12 kilometers from shoreline, is a new accumulation along the same trend of the Nooros field discovered in July 2015 and currently producing 65,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Further appraisal activities will be required to underpin the full resource potential of the discovery.

Hesham Mekawi, Regional President of BP North Africa, commented: “We are pleased with the results of the Baltim SW-1 well as it is the third discovery along the Nooros trend and confirms the great potential of the Messinian play and its significant upside in the area. Our plan is to utilize existing infrastructure which will accelerate the development of the discovery, and expedite early production start-up. This announcement is another example of BP’s commitment to unlock resources in order to bring critical gas production to Egypt.”

6 2enilogoBP holds a 50% stake in the Baltim South Development lease, and Eni, through its subsidiary IEOC, holds 50%. The well was drilled by Petrobel, a joint venture between IEOC and the state partner Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC).

• BP has a long and successful track record in Egypt stretching back over 50 years with investments of approximately $30 billion, making BP one of the largest foreign investors in the country. In Egypt, BP’s business is primarily in oil and gas exploration and production. BP is working to meet Egypt’s domestic market growth by actively exploring in the Nile Delta and investing to add production from existing discoveries.

• To date, BP Egypt, in collaboration with the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO), BP’s joint venture (JV) Company with the Egyptian General Petroleum Company (EGPC), has produced almost 40% of Egypt’s entire oil production, and currently produces almost 10% of Egypt’s annual oil and condensate.

• In addition, through joint ventures with EGPC/EGAS and IEOC (ENI) the Pharaonic Petroleum Company (PhPC) and Petrobel BP currently produces close to 30% of Egypt's total gas.

• The West Nile Delta (WND) Project is a strategic project for BP. BP is the operator of the project. The West Nile Delta project, involves the development of 5 trillion cubic feet of gas resources and 55 million barrels of condensates. Production from WND is expected to be around 1.2 billion cubic feet a day (bcf/d), equivalent to about 30% of Egypt’s current gas production. All the produced gas will be fed into the country’s national gas grid. Production is expected to start in 2017.

• BP has made a series of discoveries in Egypt in recent years including Taurt North, Seth South and Salmon and Rahamat, Satis, Hodoa, Notus, Salamat and Atoll.

• BP is a 33 per cent shareholder of a natural gas liquids (NGL) plant extracting LPG and propane, United Gas Derivatives Company (UGDC) in partnership with ENI/IEOC and GASCO (the Egyptian midstream gas distribution company).

• BP is also present in the downstream sector through Natural Gas Vehicles Company (NGVC, BP 40 per cent) which was established in September 1995 as the first company in Africa and the Middle East to commercialize natural gas as an alternative fuel for vehicles.

Engineers and analysts from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement's (BSEE) Gulf of Mexico and Alaska Regions recently evaluated Spill Response Operations Training and Equipment Verification exercises conducted by the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company and its oil spill removal contractor at the Port of Morgan City, La. These exercises are required periodically to test spill response team training and resource availability, as part of each operator’s Oil Spill Response Plan.

2oil spill response training exercise nb2 600pxPhoto courtesy: BSEE

The exercises were held in mid-May on board two responder vessels of Clean Gulf Associates, which was contracted by Tennessee Gas Pipeline. During the spill response exercise, BSEE staff evaluated Clean Gulf’s Spill Response team and their training of a group of responders seeking team member certification. Along with the spill response training evaluation, BSEE simultaneously conducted an equipment verification of Clean Gulf’s oil spill resources. Both vessels maneuvered offshore and deployed specialized equipment to simulate a spill response. The responders also tested the effectiveness of their oil boom apparatus, skimmers, motorized components and vessel performance. Staff from BSEE's Oil Spill Preparedness Division and Tennessee Gas Pipeline boarded each vessel and assessed response actions.

Spill Response Operations Training and Equipment Verification exercises are part BSEE's many efforts to make sure that offshore operators will be ready to effectively manage a real spill, should one occur.

Energy services company Proserv has won two significant contract wins in the Gulf of Mexico. The deals with Talos Energy and Hess Corporation will see Proserv carry out work at the operators’ respective Phoenix and Conger field expansion developments.

The delivery of these contracts will be a truly collaborative effort involving Proserv’s global team of subsea controls and communications experts in Great Yarmouth, UK; Trondheim, Norway and Houston, USA.

8ProservOne of Proserv's subsea technicians working on the development of a subsea controls solution. Photo credit: Proserv

Proserv will provide subsea communications and controls solutions to support the brownfield upgrade of the Phoenix field for Talos Energy. Specifically, the company will design, manufacture and supply an Open Communications Hub (OCH) and Electrical Distribution Units to interface with the existing subsea infrastructure previously supplied by Proserv. The design, manufacture and supply of the OCH will be delivered by Proserv’s dedicated controls team in Houston with support from the company’s engineering and project teams in Trondheim.

The award with Hess Corporation calls for Proserv to provide a Subsea Control Module (SCM) and associated tree mounted equipment for the expansion of the Conger field. The design and manufacture of the SCM will be carried out by Proserv’s team of subsea experts in Great Yarmouth. The tree mounted equipment and the final testing, servicing and the integration of equipment will be performed at Proserv’s controls facility in Houston.

Over the past three years, Proserv has provided Hess Corporation with controls solutions for Hess’ Tubular Bells, Stampede and now, Conger projects in the Gulf of Mexico.

The workscopes for both projects will be delivered later this year, in line with key project milestones.

David Lamont, Proserv CEO, said: “As one of the leading challenger brands in the oilfield services sector, we remain focused on providing our clients with ingeniously simple solutions through the delivery of appropriate, efficient and highly-reliable technology.

“Winning these awards is testament to the strength of our relationship with both operators and their trust in our ability to deliver robust technology solutions and services on time and to the very highest standards.

“We look forward to working with both Talos Energy and Hess Corporation in the successful delivery of these projects.”

Hess Denmark ApS has awarded a contract to DNV GL to provide asset integrity inspection management of its South Arne field including Risked Based Inspection (RBI) services and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) inspection services. The contract continues an 18 year partnership between Hess and the leading technical advisor to the oil & gas industry.

The asset integrity inspection assessments will address:


• The process systems using pressure-retaining equipment and piping

• The concrete gravity base and tower

• The steel structure, both topsides and subsea

• Oil export pipeline and offloading buoy

18DNVGL Kjell Einar ErikssonKjell Eriksson, Regional Manager – Norway, DNV GL Oil & Gas

“DNV GL has been contracted to provide integrity inspection on the South Arne field since 1998. The renewal of this partnership demonstrates the importance of high quality service delivery in a cost pressured market. Further, the contract shows Hess’s confidence in DNV GL’s ability to deliver efficient solutions which can help manage operation costs for the South Arne field,” says Kjell Eriksson, regional manager for Norway, DNV GL – Oil & Gas.

The contract has an estimated annual value of 10 MDKK and is based on both KPI, lump sum and rate based remuneration principles.

A cross-industry project led by DNV GL to halt the boom in subsea documentation shows that implementing a standardized approach can significantly reduce engineering hours. The two-year collaboration led by DNV GL has concluded in a publicly available Recommended Practice which can reduce the amount of subsea documentation and enable documentation reuse in a typical subsea field development project.

9DNVGL subsea

Image courtesy: DNV GL

DNVGL-RP-O101 ‘Technical documentation for subsea projects’ details a required minimum set of documentation transferred between E&P companies, operators and contractors for the construction, procurement and operation of a field. The outcome will reduce the volume and variety of documentation exchanged between the parties in a project, thereby making project execution more cost effective.

According to a contractor in the JIP, subsea documentation increased by a factor of four between 2012 and 2015. Previously, a contractor in a typical subsea project would deliver around 10,000 documents, with each one averaging three revisions, resulting in up to 30,000 transactions between two actors. Today, projects can deliver 40,000 documents, with three revisions resulting in 120,000 transactions. Handling time has also doubled per revision. A big project may require a contractor to have 25 people just on document control.

“We like solid documentation in DNV GL, but this massive explosion in paper hasn't tangibly improved performance, safety or environmental impact – it’s just escalated costs without adding value,” says Bente Helén Leinum, Project Manager, DNV GL – Oil & Gas.

“A benchmarking exercise by one JIP participant showed that adoption of the RP could deliver a 42% potential reduction in engineering hours. The savings come from reduced reviews by reusing documents, having more standardized documents and avoiding unnecessary reviews of non-critical documents. Another supplier estimates that the potential cut in documentation can be as high as 75-80% through increased use of standardized documents,” continues Leinum.

Jan Ragnvald Torsvik, lead engineer of Life Cycle Information at Statoil and co-chairman of the project, comments: “All JIP partners have invested considerable time and the outcome is a fantastic achievement that will dramatically cut waste in the handling of technical information in projects. We have already learned that this standard’s approach in utilizing package-specific requirements has a positive impact on standardization and efficiency. We are already seeing the benefits of implementing a draft version of the RP in Statoil’s Johan Sverdrup project last year,” he continues.

“The RP encourages more reuse of subsea documentation and will deliver more predictability throughout the value chain. It provides clear expectations for all parties involved, and duplications, misunderstandings and unnecessary work can be avoided,” says Tommy Lien, Senior LCI Process Coordinator, Aker Solutions.

JIP partners were Aker Solutions, Brightport, Centrica Energi, DEA Norge, Det norske oljeselskap, DNV GL, ENI Norge, GCE Subsea, FMC Technologies, GDF SUEZ E&P Norge, Kongsberg Oil & Gas Technologies, Lundin Norway, Oceaneering, OneSubsea, Statoil, Subsea 7, Subsea Valley and SUNCOR Energy Norge.

Observers: The Norwegian Oil and Gas Association and Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) Norway.

5SwiberlogoSwiber Holdings Limited (“Swiber” and together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”), a leading global offshore construction services provider to the oil and gas industry, has secured three new contracts for projects with a total value of US$215 million in the Middle East and Southeast Asia regions.

Said Mr. Darren Yeo, Deputy Group CEO of Swiber, “Despite the ongoing oil market volatility and challenging conditions in the offshore oil and gas industry, Swiber continues to demonstrate our ability to successfully secure new projects. In fact, one of these new projects represents an important breakthrough for Swiber into the lucrative Middle East market.”

Swiber was awarded an EPCI (“Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation”) contract from a European oil major to perform pipeline replacement work in Qatar, marking the Group’s first offshore construction project in the Middle East. The Group has commenced the engineering phase of this project which is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2017.

“This job is for a repeat customer with whom we have worked closely on numerous projects across the globe. It is a testament of our proven experience and execution capabilities that the customer is once again entrusting Swiber with this project in Qatar,” said Mr. Yeo.

Swiber recently also won new contracts for a further two projects in Myanmar and Vietnam, which solidifies its market position in Southeast As.

The Group is participating in a consortium that will carry out EPCI of two wellhead platforms, associated pipelines and tie-ins for a project off the coast of Myanmar for a major Southeast Asian oil and gas company. This project commences immediately and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2018. The customer has options to award an additional two wellhead platforms.

The third contract involves the provision of transport and installation services for a full field development project in the waters off Vietnam. The Group has recently started work on this job, which is targeted for completion in the third quarter of this year.

“While Southeast Asia has seen a slowdown in offshore oil and gas activities over the past couple of years, it remains an important market for Swiber as our projects in this region contributed US$117.1 million or 14.1% of the Group’s revenue in 2015. Our project wins in Myanmar and Vietnam will solidify the Group’s established market presence in the region,” said Mr Yeo.

These latest contracts have lifted Swiber’s order book to around US$1.2 billion. The contracts are expected to contribute to the Group’s financial performance in the current financial year ending December 31,2016. The US$100 million EPIC contract awarded to Swiber in February 2016 has been re-tendered by the customer due to changes in the project work scope and schedule. Swiber will soon be submitting its bid for this project.

“As an established provider of EPCI services for shallow water oil and gas field development, Swiber remains in a good position to weather the current industry downturn. We continue to see opportunities in our target markets and are actively working on new tenders to grow our pipeline of projects,” Mr. Yeo said.

The Group is presently bidding for projects with a combined value of US$3.4 billion, made up of US$1.65 billion for Africa/Europe, US$750 million for Latin America, US$550 million for Southeast Asia and South Asia and US$450 million for the Middle East.

On 6 June 2016, Swiber also fully redeemed its Series 16 S$130 million Fixed Rate Notes.

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