Aquaterra Energy and James Fisher and Sons plc (James Fisher) have entered into a global strategic partnership aimed at improving the delivery of offshore decommissioning projects by providing operators with a more integrated approach to well abandonment and infrastructure removal
The collaboration brings together Aquaterra Energy's expertise in front-end engineering and well access with James Fisher Energy's capabilities in subsea operations and offshore execution. By combining these services under a single delivery framework, the partnership is designed to simplify project execution, reduce the number of contractor interfaces and provide greater certainty throughout the decommissioning lifecycle.
Rather than following traditional multi-contractor models, the alliance integrates engineering, project planning, well access and offshore execution from the earliest stages of project development. This approach is intended to minimise handovers, improve accountability and provide operators with greater flexibility to respond to changing project requirements while maintaining efficient execution.
The partnership will support projects worldwide, with an initial focus on the North Sea, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and the Middle East, where increasing numbers of offshore assets are approaching the end of their operational life. According to the North Sea Transition Authority, 153 wells in the UK Continental Shelf have exceeded decommissioning consent deadlines, while an estimated £44 billion remains to be invested in decommissioning activities. In Australia, government forecasts suggest offshore decommissioning liabilities could reach approximately £48 billion over the next 30 to 50 years, while globally more than 2,500 offshore structures are expected to require decommissioning by 2040. These trends are driving demand for delivery models that improve efficiency, coordination and execution.
Matt Marcantonio, Head of Engineering at Aquaterra Energy, said: "Decommissioning programmes are increasingly moving away from simple, isolated scopes. The next generation of projects will require tight engineering control, early integration and the ability to adapt quickly as conditions change. By aligning our expertise with James Fisher from the outset, we can shape more efficient scopes, prevent downstream redesign and ultimately reduce offshore duration. We see this as a way to give operators the confidence to take on decommissioning programmes that are becoming more technically demanding and commercially pressured, while keeping the agility needed to respond as projects evolve."
Mark Stephen, Product Line Director - Decommissioning & CFE at James Fisher Energy, commented: "What operators are looking for now is delivery confidence, predictable execution, fewer interfaces and teams who already understand how to work together. By combining our subsea operations capability with Aquaterra Energy's early engineering and well access expertise, we can remove many of the common friction points that slow projects down offshore. This model gives operators a scalable, field-proven approach that directly supports safer, more efficient execution as global decommissioning activity accelerates."
The companies will operate the partnership on a project-by-project basis, tailoring team structures according to individual project requirements. This will include the deployment of cross-trained personnel where appropriate to reduce the number of people required offshore and minimise operational risk. While both organisations will continue to operate independently, they will collaborate under an agreed framework designed to promote early engagement, coordinated planning and aligned project delivery.
The partners are already working with operators on a number of upcoming offshore decommissioning opportunities across multiple international markets.
