Shell has awarded multiple integrated deepwater service agreements to Hornbeck Offshore Services in the Gulf of Mexico.
The announcement was made alongside the release of the company’s third quarter 2026 financial results, which highlighted the first major commercial validation of Hornbeck’s merger with Helix Energy Solutions.
These agreements are locked in for a five-year term, slated to commence in 2027, and serve as a direct proof of the revenue synergies unlocked by combining Hornbeck’s marine platform with Helix’s subsea and well intervention capabilities.
The scope of the five-year campaign spans both subsea well intervention and well intervention stimulation support services, and serves as a major focal point for regional production enhancement strategies ahead of The Wells Conference.
Todd M. Hornbeck, President and CEO of Hornbeck, said, “The recently announced integrated services agreements with Shell demonstrate the revenue synergy opportunities by bringing together Hornbeck’s marine platform with Helix’s subsea and well intervention capabilities.
“Our priorities remain to operate safely, maintain asset reliability, capture revenue and cost synergies from the combination and maintain disciplined capital allocation.
“With a broader geographic footprint, differentiated capabilities and meaningful financial flexibility, we believe Hornbeck is well positioned to generate attractive returns across offshore cycles.”
The countdown is on with just six days to go until the inaugural Offshore Network D&A 2026 Awards, in partnership with CODA, which is set to bring together the leaders, projects and organisations driving innovation and excellence across the decommissioning industry.
Taking place on 12 November, 2026, at Crown Perth, the awards will celebrate the outstanding achievements, pioneering technologies and industry leaders playing a key role in shaping the future of decommissioning in the region and further afield.
From digital innovation and subsea advancements to project delivery, sustainability and collaboration, the15 award categories recognise the individuals and companies pushing boundaries and delivering top value across the offshore asset lifecycle.
Guests can look forward to an evening of valuable networking, entertainment, a three-course dinner and the opportunity to celebrate alongside some of the industry's leading names.
Good luck everyone!
Zupt has signed an agreement with Mitang Brasil - Soluções Submarinas LTDA to support subsea survey, inertial metrology, remote metrology, and 3D modeling services in Brazil.
The agreement brings together Zupt's subsea technology and survey expertise with Mitang's offshore survey experience and local commercial and operational support. The companies will work closely to pursue opportunities and support operators and contractors working offshore Brazil.
Based in Rio de Janeiro, Mitang provides offshore survey and positioning services, with experience in LBL positioning, USBL calibration, hydrographic survey, dimensional control, and data processing.
As part of this agreement, C-PINS for offshore and remote metrology, along with 3D Recon for subsea imaging and 3D modeling, will be available in Brazil.
C-PINS inertial metrology provides the measurements required for jumper and spool fabrication between subsea assets. Operations can be carried out with survey personnel offshore or remotely, with an onshore survey team managing data acquisition while the equipment operates offshore.
3D Recon produces detailed 3D models of subsea structures for contactless measurement, inspection, and engineering assessment. Applications include dimensional control, anode depletion and corrosion monitoring, and integrity management.
Having equipment available in Brazil is intended to reduce repeated international shipping and provide more flexibility when preparing for project scopes and schedule changes.
Mitang will provide local commercial coordination and operational support, including management of local logistics providers and customs arrangements. Zupt will retain technical oversight of its procedures, reports, and deliverables.
Zupt brings more than 20 years of experience in offshore surveying, positioning, and sensor integration, with projects completed in more than 20 countries. Working with Mitang supports Zupt's continued work in Brazil through a local partner with offshore survey experience.
For subsea projects in Brazil, contact Zupt or Mitang to discuss your scope, schedule, and equipment requirements.
The Middle East's energy sector is experiencing a strategic shift.
As regional operators increasingly focus on extending the productive life of mature oil and gas assets, the demand for advanced well intervention and integrity services has surged. Meeting this demand requires highly specialised engineering solutions designed to maintain well integrity while simultaneously reducing operational risks. In a significant response to this growing regional requirement, well integrity and decommissioning specialist Unity has formally expanded its presence in the United Arab Emirates through a strategic partnership agreement with Consolidated Suppliers, a prominent UAE-based firm. Signed at ADIPEC, this collaboration bridges international expertise and local market necessities to address the complex challenges operators face today.
Well intervention involves operations carried out on an oil or gas well to extend producing life, improve performance, or provide access to stranded reserves. As hydrocarbon basins mature across the UAE, the necessity for these specialised oilfield services becomes distinctly more acute. Operators are consistently tasked with a dual mandate: maximising production from existing infrastructure while rigorously managing the increasingly complex physical environments of ageing wells.
Unity’s bespoke capabilities are specifically designed to help operators navigate these exact operational hurdles. Drawing upon experience from the world’s most demanding environments, the organisation provides methodologies that safely delay costly decommissioning phases. Effective well intervention ensures operators extract maximum commercial value from mature assets without compromising safety standards.
Under the newly signed agreement, Consolidated Suppliers will act as the exclusive in-country partner for Unity. This arrangement provides a robust local platform intended to strengthen customer relationships and significantly expand Unity’s operational reach across the UAE. The partnership represents a highly focused alignment of global engineering prowess and entrenched local supply chain logistics.
The collaboration is structured to deliver several strategic advantages to the local energy sector:
Improved regional access to specialist technologies and engineering solutions meticulously tailored for well integrity, active intervention, and eventual decommissioning.
Enhanced In-Country Value (ICV) credentials, which remains an increasingly important consideration for any organisation supplying services to the UAE’s energy sector.
The seamless integration of Consolidated Suppliers’ extensive regional presence, established local facilities, and deep, actionable market knowledge.
A combined operational track record that leverages over 40 years of local oilfield supply and specialist service experience provided by Consolidated Suppliers across the wider Middle East.
The successful deployment of well intervention technologies relies heavily on understanding the specific geological and operational nuances of the target market. A collaborative approach ensures that bespoke engineering solutions are fit for purpose.
Gary Smart, Chief Executive of Unity, highlighted this operational dynamic, stating: "As operators seek to extend asset life, maintain well integrity and reduce operational risk, demand is growing for the specialist expertise and integrated solutions that Unity delivers globally across mature basins."
Emphasising the strategic value of the newly formed alliance, Smart added: "Our agreement with Consolidated Suppliers gives operators in the region direct access to Unity's technologies and expertise, supported by a trusted local partner with a strong understanding of the market. Together we are well placed to help operators address these challenges."
The commitment to delivering reliable, locally supported solutions is the fundamental cornerstone of this new partnership. Consolidated Suppliers brings a wealth of historical context and infrastructural support to the table, ensuring that complex international technologies are effectively adapted for local field application. This synergy is particularly vital for well intervention programmes, where rapid response and local equipment availability often dictate project success.
Mohamed Deaibes, General Manager of Consolidated Suppliers, underscored the importance of this alignment: "For more than four decades, our work has been about bringing proven international technologies to the UAE and supporting them on the ground. Unity's expertise in well integrity, intervention and decommissioning comes at the right time, as operators focus on extending asset life and reducing risk across mature fields. By combining Unity's technology with our local presence, facilities and commitment to In-Country Value, we can offer clients a reliable, locally supported solution. We look forward to building this partnership and growing it into a long-term success."
Expro has introduced Maestro, a modular well-testing platform designed to automate operational processes, improve remote monitoring and reduce personnel exposure to hazardous working environments while retaining human oversight of critical decisions.
The system can reduce red-zone exposure by up to 67% when fully deployed, limiting the need for personnel to work close to live well-test equipment during complex operations.
Designed for onshore and offshore applications, Maestro combines automation, real-time operational visibility and decision-support capabilities to simplify well-testing activities. Its launch comes as energy companies increasingly explore automation to manage high-risk operations without compromising human control over critical decisions.
The platform operates through Expro's Verified Decision Control (VDC) approach, which ensures that experienced personnel retain authority over operational decisions. By monitoring well-test conditions and generating proposed responses, the system provides real-time information and automated alerts to help teams identify potential issues, assess operating conditions and determine appropriate actions.
Andrei Ion, vice-president of Well Flow Management at Expro, said: “The energy industry is moving quickly towards more automated operations, but automation should not mean removing human judgement from critical decisions.
“Maestro has been designed to help operators embrace automation while maintaining visibility and control. Our aim with it is simple: reduce people out of hazardous environments, not out of decisions.”
“Customers trust the skills and experience of our people. Maestro® builds on that expertise, using automation in an effort to improve safety and operational performance while keeping experienced well-test personnel in control of what happens next.”
Maestro® features a modular configuration that can be adapted to different projects, assets and operating conditions. It also integrates Expro's existing EDGE and Data to Desk technologies to provide real-time well-test data, operational monitoring and remote access.
Santos continues to tackle Australia’s decommissioning challenge, providing an update on both spending and activity during the third quarter period of 2026.
Total capital expenditure in the third quarter comprised $437mn of sustaining capital —including $78mn for decommissioning costs — and $74mn for major development projects, the company noted in the Q3 statement.
In Western Australia, the Mutineer Exeter Fletcher Finucane (MEFF) subsea asset removal campaign also continued, it added in the report.
It demonstrates both deep financial commitment to decommissioning, while the MEFF campaign provides a tangible example of work being undertaken on the ground.
The latest update adds fresh context to previous comments from the company, in which it has stated that its Australian domestic oil and gas business is being repositioned to focus on meeting domestic gas and decommissioning commitments.
This was outlined in a May 2026 Investor Briefing Day, where Kevin Gallagher, managing director and CEO, cited “unprecedented market volatility and a changing policy landscape” in Australia.
“Our Australian domestic oil and gas business will be repurposed into a lower capital-intensity and higher-margin business focused on meeting our domestic gas and decommissioning commitments,” he said at the time.
In the face of rising market challenges and decommissioning responsibilities, output continues to climb.
During the Q3 period, Santos reported record quarterly production of 26.3 mmboe, up almost 14% on the prior quarter, while year-to-date output of 71.9 mmboe is almost 10% higher than the prior corresponding period.
Gallagher said the quarter delivered the step-change in production and cash flow that Santos had been working towards, and promised more to come in Q4 as Barossa continues its journey to high reliability and Pikka, a project in Alaska, gets a full quarter online.
Space42, the UAE-based AI-powered SpaceTech company, and IEC Telecom Group are introducing a new approach to offshore operational resilience at ADIPEC 2026, combining the capabilities of the next-generation mobile communications satellite Thuraya-4 NGS, with intelligent network orchestration powered by IEC Telecom's OptiView ecosystem.
The joint Orion NEO EDGE solution demonstrates how a satellite connection delivering over 1 Mbps can become a strategic business continuity asset when supported by intelligent traffic management and automated bandwidth optimisation.
The announcement comes as the energy sector accelerates its transition towards increasingly digital and AI-powered operations. According to industry research, the digital oilfield market in the UAE is projected to grow to US$1.21bn by 2030. Yet digital transformation brings a fundamental operational reality: once digital, always digital. As offshore installations become increasingly dependent on connected systems, uninterrupted access to digital applications is no longer optional. Maintaining a dependable always available operational channel is essential to preserving the continuity of critical processes, from core business applications, video conferencing to real-time remote troubleshooting, even when primary networks are disrupted.
Addressing this challenge, Space42 and IEC Telecom have joined forces to deliver Orion NEO EDGE, an integrated solution combining satellite connectivity powered by Thuraya-4 with IEC Telecom's intelligent network management ecosystem.
Designed as a dependable connectivity companion for offshore operations, Orion NEO EDGE combines an emergency voice line and tracking capabilities through the Thuraya MarineStar product, with data connectivity delivering over 1 Mbps via Orion NEO, enhanced by an intelligent orchestration layer powered by IEC Telecom's OptiView ecosystem. By dynamically prioritising critical applications and optimising bandwidth allocation, the solution maximises the operational value of available network capacity, enabling offshore operators to maintain essential business communications, asset visibility and continuity of critical digital processes when primary networks are disrupted.
Elmuiz Saad, senior vice president of Commercial at Space42 said, “As offshore operations become digitally dependent, L-band connectivity continues to prove its value as a critical layer supporting business continuity. Anchored in our strategy to be a leader in Non-Terrestrial Networks, we are scaling Thuraya-4 services through an ecosystem of trusted partners. By combining Thuraya-4 connectivity with IEC Telecom’s intelligent orchestration, Orion NEO EDGE enables operators to maximize their available bandwidth and advance operational resilience.”
The intelligence layer is what transforms connectivity into operational resilience. Rather than distributing limited bandwidth equally across all applications, OptiView dynamically directs traffic according to operational priorities, ensuring that mission-critical processes receive the resources they need. Through application-aware routing, automated policy enforcement and intelligent consumption management, the platform enables operators to maintain control over network performance, even with constrained bandwidth, delivering up to 30% improvement in overall network capacity utilisation.
“Our long-standing partnership with Space42 has always been driven by a shared commitment to delivering reliable connectivity for mission-critical operations. Today, by combining the capabilities of Thuraya-4 with OptiView's intelligent network orchestration, we are taking this collaboration to the next level. Together, we are bringing to market a resilient, dependable solution designed to meet the compliance requirements of offshore operations while maximising the performance of available network resources. We are moving beyond traditional backup connectivity towards intelligent business continuity, ensuring that digital operations remain supported even under constrained network conditions,” said Alaa Alsadi, Group VP – Energy and COO Middle East at IEC Telecom.
Australia is currently standing on the precipice of a monumental industrial transformation.
As the nation faces an unprecedented wave of ageing offshore oil and gas infrastructure reaching the end of its operational lifespan, a significant challenge has emerged. The sector is now staring down an estimated US$40.5 billion decommissioning liability. Consequently, the industry is racing against time to solve a critical operational bottleneck: securing a highly specialised domestic workforce capable of dismantling these massive offshore structures safely, sustainably, and in accordance with strict governmental guidelines.
In a direct and timely response to this surging demand for local expertise, the Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CODA) recently concluded a major educational initiative. The fully booked "Introduction to Decommissioning" intensive took place in Perth, Western Australia, on October 27 and 28, 2026. This pivotal event placed a sharp focus on capacity building, providing industry professionals with the foundational knowledge required to tackle one of the most complex engineering undertakings in the modern energy sector.
The urgency underpinning CODA’s recent training programme is heavily driven by a unique set of legislative and environmental pressures currently reshaping the Australian market. Operators are facing an era of strict regulatory enforcement that mandates the complete and total removal of retired offshore infrastructure. There are no shortcuts available for companies seeking to offload their responsibilities.
This is largely due to the implementation of tightened trailing liability laws across the nation. These stringent regulations are specifically designed to prevent energy companies from simply selling off their end-of-life assets to smaller entities in an attempt to avoid the astronomical costs associated with environmental cleanup. Because operators remain perpetually responsible for their historical assets, the demand for precise, compliant, and cost-effective decommissioning strategies has skyrocketed.
To address the vast scope of these upcoming projects, the CODA intensive at the Parmelia Hilton was meticulously designed to rapidly upskill professionals across the entire sector. Over the course of two days, attendees engaged in a dense, comprehensive programme featuring 14 hours of visual and verbal learning. This material was carefully distributed across nine distinct modules and 15 highly detailed lectures.
The syllabus covered the complete lifecycle of asset retirement, ensuring participants gained a high-level understanding of execution activities from the initial planning stages through to formal relinquishment. Key focus areas of the intensive included:
Regulatory frameworks: Navigating Australia's stringent environmental regulations, understanding the nuances of trailing liability laws, and comparing local requirements against international decommissioning legislation.
Technical execution: Mastering both facility and subsea decommissioning processes, alongside highly specialised well decommissioning practices benchmarked against rigorous global standards.
Lifecycle management: Overseeing total asset management, conducting comprehensive pre- and post-cessation of production (COP) planning, and executing intricate cost estimation exercises.
End-of-life processing: Managing the safe disposal and recycling of materials, handling hazardous materials (HAZMAT) appropriately, and integrating the principles of the circular economy directly into the supply chain.
Decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure is not merely about tearing down platforms; it is a highly orchestrated logistical and environmental operation. To successfully handle this massive undertaking, the Australian industry requires a workforce that is deeply familiar with safe toxic waste management and the facilitation of onshore recycling.
The scale of materials involved is staggering. The sector must safely process and recycle millions of tonnes of scrap steel retrieved from the ocean floor. By focusing heavily on the circular economy and local capacity building, initiatives like the CODA intensive help ensure that the economic benefits of this USD $40.5 billion liability remain onshore.
As the decommissioning sector in Australia steadily matures into a multi-billion dollar domestic industry, the need for continuous professional development will only grow. Educational events and intensives will remain the absolute cornerstone of this transition, guaranteeing that the nation possesses the elite local expertise required to dismantle its offshore legacy with maximum safety and efficiency.
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Cyan Renewables and Pentarch Offshore Solutions are exploring plans to expand Port of Edrom in New South Wales, with offshore decommissioning identified as one of the potential activities the facility could support.
The two companies have progressed a strategic investment memorandum of understanding (MOU) to look at the staged development of the port into a multi-user marine, energy and logistics hub serving south-eastern Australia.
Located at Twofold Bay, the proposed expansion would build on existing port infrastructure and provide additional capacity for a range of sectors, including offshore energy, maritime services, critical minerals logistics and fuel storage, a Cyan Renewables statement noted.
Of particular interest to Australia's offshore decommissioning sector is the potential to accommodate marine services and industrial activities associated with offshore energy projects, including decommissioning operations.
The development could provide additional port capacity and logistical support for the growing requirements of offshore energy infrastructure, although no specific decommissioning projects or facilities have yet been confirmed.
Cyan Renewables and Pentarch Offshore Solutions said they next intend to engage with government and industry stakeholders to assess the opportunity, including the infrastructure requirements, commercial feasibility and potential investment pathway.
Any expansion would be delivered in stages and remain subject to feasibility studies, regulatory approvals, demonstrated market demand and commercial commitments.
The companies say the proposed development could also generate long-term regional employment and strengthen Australia's domestic marine, energy and industrial supply chains.
PDO (Petroleum Development Oman) has awarded SLB a five-year contract to provide integrated fracturing services onshore Block-6, covering both oil and gas fields.
This comes as SLB announced its third quarter 2026 results.
The scope of work includes the deployment of advanced stimulation, well intervention, and fracturing automation.
It will also include digital solution capabilities, set to enhance productivity, improve reservoir contract, and also maximise asset performance.
This was one amongst eight notable contracts signed on SLB’s third quarterly results, where it reported on a revenue of $9.45 billion which increased 5% sequentially and 6% year-on-year.
Seatrium has entered into a MoU with global floating power solutions company, Karpowership, in a joint venture to develop floating power and infrastructure solutions in Singapore, with the potential to expand further into Southeast Asia.
The two companies will create an integrated platform combining infrastructure development, financing, engineering, construction and operations The venture unites Seatrium’s global offshore engineering, procurement and construction capabilities with Karpowership’s expertise in developing, financing, and owning floating power and digital infrastructure.
The MoU will establish a framework to develop deployable power and infrastructure solutions in Singapore, which may include Powerships, floating data centres, turbine-based or hybrid vessels and floating nuclear solutions.
Chris Ong, Chief Executive Officer of Seatrium, said, “Energy resilience is fundamental to Singapore’s long-term competitiveness and Southeast Asia’s continued growth. As demand for power and digital infrastructure accelerates, our industry has an opportunity to develop new solutions that combine speed of deployment, flexibility and scale. Building on our longstanding strategic relationship with Karpowership, we aim to strengthen Singapore’s status as a hub for next-generation floating energy and digital infrastructure, using the best available technologies, including hydrogen-ready power generation.
“Seatrium’s offshore engineering heritage, systems integration capabilities and advanced facilities in Singapore provide a strong foundation for this ambition, supporting domestic needs and opportunities across Southeast Asia. For Seatrium, this represents a strategic opportunity to extend our role across the energy infrastructure value chain, creating new avenues for growth where we can apply our proven capabilities to shape critical infrastructure that underpin the region’s future competitiveness.”
Orhan Remzi Karadeniz, Chief Executive Officer of Karpowership, commented, “Access to reliable power increasingly determines where industries invest, how economies grow and how quickly digital ambitions become reality. Karpowership has pioneered floating power infrastructure worldwide, expanding its capabilities to deliver gigawatt-scale, behind-the-meter power solutions for the most developed markets, floating digital infrastructure and turnkey data centre solutions spanning the entire value chain. Karpowership's decades-long relationships with OEMs and technology partners, including Seatrium, now extend to a global network of commercial partnerships, including with hyperscalers.
“These relationships position Karpowership as a go-to provider of integrated infrastructure solutions at pace and scale. This Page 1 of 5 partnership marks a strategic next chapter in that journey. Together with Seatrium, our ambition is to build an integrated platform in Singapore that brings development, financing, engineering and operations together to deliver power where and when it is needed, strengthening energy security and enabling growth across Southeast Asia.”
KBR has been tasked with supporting the upgrade of facilities across the Marjan offshore field in the Gulf on behalf of Saudi Aramco, work that will include embedding new digital technology, automation and power system solutions.
Under its contract, KBR will provide engineering and project execution services to support key offshore processing, gas compression and power infrastructure facilities within the Marjan field.
The project is expected to maintain production capacity following recent field developments.
It is also expected to help advance associated gas processing capabilities and strengthen long-term performance of critical offshore assets through the integration of digital technologies, automation, and power system enhancements.
“For KBR, this award reflects our long project execution relationship with Aramco,” said Jay Ibrahim, President, Sustainable Technology Solutions, KBR.
“By combining our deep offshore engineering expertise with advanced automation and digital integration, we aim to help achieve Aramco’s expectations.”
KBR has supported major energy projects across the Middle East for decades, delivering engineering, technology and programme management solutions to help optimise the performance and reliability of onshore and offshore assets.
The company said in a statement that the Marjan engineering work is expected to be executed primarily from its Houston and Al-Khobar offices.
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