Well-Safe Solutions (Well-Safe) has entered into a strategic partnership with Islay Subsurface & Engineering (Islay), combining their respective technical and operational capabilities to support current projects and future collaboration.
The agreement includes support for Well-Safe’s recently awarded decommissioning contracts for the Apache Beryl and Forties assets, with Islay providing specialist subsurface expertise across geology, petrophysics, geophysics, reservoir engineering and integrated subsurface studies.
The partnership complements Well-Safe’s full well lifecycle management capabilities, allowing clients to access a broader range of services through a single integrated offering. The companies said that combining Islay’s subsurface expertise with Well-Safe’s engineering and operational capabilities has demonstrated efficiency improvements of up to 30%, creating opportunities to reduce project costs.
The integrated approach is also intended to improve plug and abandonment (P&A) performance and reduce operational risk. By applying ALARP management principles, the partners can develop well solutions that take into account individual well conditions, construction characteristics and operational context.
The companies said the collaboration is particularly relevant as the industry moves towards larger multi-well decommissioning programmes and late-life asset activities. By bringing together subsurface, engineering and operational expertise, the partnership is designed to reduce the number of interfaces for operators while providing greater certainty during planning, strategy development and execution.
The combined offering will support late-life well management through to eventual plug and abandonment, while strengthening the supply chain’s ability to deliver technically robust, safe and cost-effective projects at scale.
Phil Milton, CEO – Well-Safe Solutions, says: “Well-Safe Solutions takes pride in offering efficient, integrated services for the energy industry. Our collaborations with Islay Subsurface & Engineering on projects for clients including Trident Energy have been extremely successful, and Islay continues to be Well-Safe’s first choice for subsurface support on recent contract awards such as Apache where we are delivering late life well management and large-scale decommissioning activities. This strategic partnership recognises Islay’s excellent offering and technical capabilities and allows us to further enhance our integrated offering for current and future clients.”
Iain Whyte, Managing Director – Islay Subsurface & Engineering, adds: “Our partnership with Well-Safe Solutions brings together two complementary areas of expertise. Well-Safe Solutions provides industry-leading well engineering and operational capabilities, while Islay contributes specialist subsurface expertise spanning geology, geophysics, petrophysics, reservoir engineering, and integrated subsurface studies. Together, we offer operators a fully integrated technical solution for late life well management and decommissioning and late-life asset projects, ensuring engineering decisions are informed by robust subsurface understanding. By combining these complementary strengths, we help clients reduce uncertainty, optimise project planning, and deliver safe, efficient, and cost-effective outcomes.”
Decom Engineering has secured contracts worth an estimated £4.5mn during H1 2026, surpassing its original full-year target and placing the company in a strong position to mark a record annual revenue of £6mn.
The performance reflects the growing international demand for Decom’s specialist cold cutting technologies and engineering expertise, offshore and onshore, across decommissioning scopes as well as installation and commissioning projects.
Projects have been secured across North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and the North Sea, ranging from chain cutting projects to large-scale subsea structural removal.
In Australia, Decom has completed a subsea flexible flowline removal campaign with Cyan Renewables over a five-month campaign, while in Canada, a summer-long East Coast installation campaign is underway using the C1-16 UL Chopsaw with follow-on campaigns scheduled for 2027 and 2028.
The ultra-light C1-16 Chopsaw is being utilised on a variety of projects – two are permanently deployed on mooring chain cutting scopes offshore Brazil, while in the UKCS another is engaged on a 60-day campaign cutting chains and risers on an FPSO.
Another chain cutting project for an FLNG operator offshore West Africa in underway, while in the Middle East, Decom has developed a custom-built TRACS-32 unit that will be ready to start work in Q4 2026.
Decom Engineering Managing Director, Nick McNally, said, “Decommissioning remains a core strength of the business, but installation work – supporting clients during the deployment of new subsea assets rather than only at the end of asset life – has become a significant part of our project pipeline. Changing market conditions and better market alignment is one factor behind this year’s growth but this sits alongside a major overhaul of our product design, and a change in engineering culture with a focus on innovation, which allows us to be more responsive to customer’s requirements.”
Chairman Keith McDermott added, “We set a target of £4.3mn for 2026 and we have already exceeded at the halfway stage, so expect to double our year-on-year revenue, and have a raft of work already secured for 2027. What is encouraging is that while our decommissioning legacy is a core element of our business, clients are increasingly recognising the value of engaging our technology and expertise much earlier in the lifecycle of an asset.”
Stressing on the urgency to incentivise energy production instead of relying on imported oil and gas, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) has expressed the need for early implementation of the government’s proposed Oil and Gas Price Mechanism as it can potentially unlock an additional £50 billion in oil and gas investment.
The body has urged a priority visit by Prime Minister Andy Burnham so that the North Sea's offshore industry stakeholders from operators to supply chain players can expect a positive shift in government attitudes towards the sector.
“The UK will still need oil and gas for decades to come. The question is whether we produce as much of that energy as possible here — supporting our own jobs, communities and economy — or rely increasingly on imports while exporting investment and economic value overseas. Government policy should back North Sea production as part of a secure and managed energy transition.
“Energy policy cannot be made in Westminster alone without listening to the people and communities who have powered this country for the last 50 years. For too long, offshore workers, engineers, technicians and those across the energy supply chain have been talked about rather than listened to. A visit to meet the North Sea workforce would demonstrate that the new Government intends to build a different relationship with the people and communities at the heart of Britain’s energy system.
"The new Prime Minister must now turn listening into action. Words of support for projects such as Jackdaw and Rosebank cannot be a substitute for the policy reset our country needs. The new Government must back North Sea oil and gas over increased reliance on imports — delivering the fiscal and regulatory reforms required to unlock investment, protect domestic jobs, strengthen energy security and support the energy transition,” said David Whitehouse, Chief Executive of OEUK.
North Sea's decades-long legacy of offshore exploration needs digital innovations to continue thriving in the current era of sustainability. The recently concluded OWI EU 2026 in Stavanger, Norway, celebrated the rich legacy of the North Sea, by fostering crossborder collaboration, digital innovation, and exchanging ideas on sustainable interventions.
Keeping up with production goals from the largely declining North Sea assets will inevitably require rapid digitalisation of the sector. As operators are now having to work under dynamic conditions, requiring fast yet accurate decisionmaking, they need the support of integrated digital platforms that combine real-time data, historical well information and advanced analytics to improve visibility across their assets. Tools, such as digital well barrier schematics, are helping reduce manual effort and enabling more consistent, standardised approaches to integrity management.
Offshore Netwrok has recently released a report reflecting North Sea's stronghold in the global well intervention industry. The region's well intervention scene is way past the stage of new innovations and is just a few steps away from becoming an established norm. Click here to download the report.
Expro, a global energy services provider, has showcased through a recent case study how advanced subsea technology enabled safe, efficient well abandonment
Operating in some of the world's most challenging offshore environments demands technologies that can maintain safety, reliability and operational efficiency even when weather conditions deteriorate. A recent case study from Expro demonstrates how the company successfully supported a complex subsea well abandonment campaign in the harsh waters north-east of Shetland, delivering consistent performance despite repeated weather-related disruptions.
The project involved the safe re-entry into five subsea wells as part of a well abandonment programme. Conducted from a floating Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), the campaign faced demanding operating conditions characterised by frequent storms, heavy swells and rapidly changing sea states. These conditions increased the risk of non-productive time (NPT), making dependable well integrity systems and robust disconnect capability critical to maintaining safe operations.
Expro was selected for the campaign based on its established expertise in subsea well integrity, proven control barrier technologies and reliable disconnect systems. Building on an ongoing relationship with the operator, the company was chosen for its technical capabilities, field-proven equipment and operational performance in extreme offshore environments.
Throughout the campaign, Expro's Subsea Safety Tree (SSTT) system played a central role in maintaining operational continuity. Adverse weather conditions required the primary SSTT system to be unlatched on five separate occasions to allow safe disconnection from the well. Despite these interruptions, every unlatch and subsequent relatch operation was completed successfully on the first attempt without incident.
The extended campaign also demonstrated the durability of the equipment. During operations, the SSTT system completed 1,114 valve functions and accumulated 2,490 operating hours while maintaining full operational integrity. Even after extensive use, the system continued to perform reliably, highlighting its resilience in one of the industry's most demanding offshore environments.
A key factor behind the project's success was the combination of reliable technology and experienced offshore personnel. The SSTT's dependable unlatching capability enabled safe disconnection during severe weather, while its high-performance latch mechanism ensured repeatable, reliable reconnection each time conditions improved. Careful planning and close coordination by Expro's offshore team further supported the seamless execution of the campaign.
According to the case study, the solution enabled the operator to complete all required completion intervention activities for the well abandonment programme without experiencing non-productive time. The combination of proven equipment reliability, first-time operational success and effective collaboration between offshore personnel and technology helped deliver safe and efficient operations throughout the project.
The campaign also demonstrated the importance of robust subsea intervention systems as offshore operators continue to prioritise safe and cost-effective well decommissioning. By maintaining continuous performance under challenging conditions, the project illustrates how advanced well integrity technologies can reduce operational risk while supporting efficient abandonment programmes in increasingly demanding offshore environments.
DeepOcean has completed the recovery of the remaining subsea wellhead protection structure at the Spirit Energy-operated Seven Seas field and disconnected subsea infrastructure at the nearby Grove West field in the southern North Sea, using proprietary decommissioning tooling developed in-house.
The project included onshore engineering, project management and offshore execution by DeepOcean, with the company's high-specification construction vessel Edda Freya deployed to recover the wellhead protection structure, which weighed more than 100 tonnes, along with associated subsea infrastructure. All recovered materials have been transported for reuse, recycling or responsible disposal. The work was managed and carried out by DeepOcean's Aberdeen-based operations in the UK.
The activities form part of Spirit Energy's broader decommissioning programme for the Seven Seas and Grove West fields, with both scopes completed in preparation for an upcoming rig campaign.
"The wellhead protection structure at Seven Seas has served the field since 2011 and remains in very good shape. The piles were cut three metres below the seabed and the subsequent retrieval of the structure was conducted. We were delighted to support Spirit Energy on this project and look forward to working with Spirit Energy on future scopes of work," said Robin Mawhinney, Executive Vice President for DeepOcean's EMEA region.
The project also involved disconnecting a spool from a subsea Christmas tree at Grove West. The operation was carried out using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) together with specialised tooling, eliminating the need for diver intervention that would traditionally be required for this type of work.
Spirit Energy's Decommissioning Manager, Ceri Wheaton, said: "We are committed to maximising material recovery and minimising waste throughout our decommissioning activities. By working closely with specialist contractors such as DeepOcean and leveraging the UK supply chain, we have safely recycled more than 95% of materials from decommissioned assets and infrastructure. This approach not only reduces environmental impact but also improves efficiency through streamlined logistics and the responsible reuse of valuable resources."
"At Grove West, we disconnected two subsea flanges using methodologies and proprietary tooling developed during the Gryphon Alpha FPSO removal project last year. This project adds to DeepOcean's growing track record of meeting project objectives across subsea decommissioning campaigns," said Øyvind Mikaelsen, Chief Executive Officer at DeepOcean.
The Seven Seas wellhead protection structure was located approximately 80 km offshore the East Yorkshire coast in water depths of around 33 metres, while the Grove West infrastructure is situated about 130 km east of the UK coastline in water depths of approximately 40 metres.
SLB has delivered the first reverse circulation cleanout using the powered downhole measurements system within its ACTive real-time downhole coiled tubing services, in an operation carried out on the Clair Ridge well in the UK North Sea.
The intervention was required by bp to support hydraulic fracturing operations at the field. The well presented a complex set of challenges, including pressure management, multiple zonal isolation requirements and internal diameter restrictions in the lower completion. Conventional reverse circulation cleanouts had offered limited real-time downhole visibility, raising the risk of pressure excursions, inefficient debris removal and nonproductive time.
To address this, SLB deployed a coiled tubing intervention incorporating the ACTive powered downhole measurements system, representing the first application of the technology during a reverse circulation cleanout. Continuous downhole pressure, temperature and casing collar locator measurements allowed for improved pressure management and earlier detection of screenout conditions.
Accurate casing collar correlation supported precise sleeve shifting and pressure testing, reducing the number of confirmation runs required and minimising time spent in the well. Controlled run-in-hole speeds and optimised operating procedures further reduced the risk of tool damage and debris accumulation.
As detailed in SLB’s case study, reverse circulation parameters were adjusted in real time based on downhole measurements, improving sand and proppant recovery while reducing total fluid volumes pumped. Enhanced debris removal at lower return rates supported efficient wellbore cleaning and subsequent post-fracture intervention activities.
Real-time collaboration was enabled through SLB’s InterACT secure wellsite data-delivery solution, improving alignment between offshore and onshore teams and supporting faster decision-making. The integrated approach established a repeatable workflow and benchmark for future offshore well interventions.
Angus Energy plc, a UK AIM-listed independent oil and gas company, has reported significant operational progress in its interim results for the six months ended 31 March 2026, with its well intervention programme at the Saltfleetby Gas Field delivering a substantial increase in production
During the period, the company successfully completed workovers on two producing wells at Saltfleetby, its flagship gas asset. The intervention programme was carried out safely and efficiently, resulting in production rates increasing by approximately 30% compared with pre-workover levels. The improved output has been maintained beyond the reporting period.
Angus Energy said the production uplift is expected to support stronger revenues and cash flow generation, while the company continues to evaluate further opportunities to optimise field performance and maximise the value of its reserves.
The company is also progressing reservoir modelling activities and assessing future development opportunities aimed at extending the operational life of the Saltfleetby field.
Alongside its gas operations, Angus Energy reported continued improvements at the Brockham Oil Field. Following a series of operational optimisation measures, average production rates have nearly doubled compared with levels recorded in early 2025. The company also highlighted improved operational efficiency and a continued reduction in water cut, which has supported enhanced field performance.
Preparations are also underway for the planned return of the BRX4z well at Brockham to production from the Portland reservoir, which Angus Energy believes could further improve production and cash flow from the field.
The company has continued efforts to strengthen its financial position through the restructuring of its financial obligations. Discussions with creditors and stakeholders have progressed, with Angus Energy expecting the process to provide a stronger balance sheet, improved liquidity and a simplified capital structure.
The company has also expanded its gas hedging arrangements through to June 2027. The combined hedge portfolio now covers approximately 12.3 million therms at an average weighted price of around 100 pence per therm, providing greater revenue visibility while maintaining exposure to potential future gas price increases.
For the six-month period, Angus Energy generated revenue of £9.5 million (approx. US$12.8 million), EBITDA of £5.3 million (approx. US$7.1 million) and operating profit of £1.5 million (approx. US$2 million). The company also generated £4.4 million (approximately US$5.9 million) in net cash from operating activities.
Despite continued volatility in commodity markets, Angus Energy remains positioned as a significant UK onshore gas producer. The company noted that approximately 56% of forecast production remains unhedged, allowing it to benefit from favourable gas market conditions.
The company maintained safe operations throughout the period, reporting no health, safety or environmental incidents.
Looking ahead, Angus Energy’s priorities include completing the restructuring process, restoring trading in the company’s shares and building on operational improvements across its portfolio. The company plans to explore further organic and inorganic growth opportunities, including potential mergers and acquisitions.
Aker BP and DeepOcean have carried out an advanced subsea operation without sending key personnel offshore
A task that previously required up to two weeks of offshore activity was completed in around 12 hours, with operations controlled from a Remote Operations Center in Haugesund.
The milestone was achieved at the Idun Nord field in the Skarv area of the Norwegian Sea, where a subsea well was stabilised hundreds of metres below the surface without engineers travelling offshore.
Remote technology transforms subsea intervention
Together with strategic partner DeepOcean, Aker BP completed the well intervention operation using remote technology. The work involved stabilising the well by filling the borehole with gravel, an activity carried out as part of inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) operations.
The vessel Dina Star was initially mobilised to map the seabed around the Skarv area and was not originally planned for intervention work. To enable the operation, Aker BP transferred the complete operational management process to shore.
From the Remote Operations Center in Haugesund, the team coordinated activities onboard Dina Star in real time. The subsea work was performed by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), which was also controlled from shore.
Advanced technology and stable communication solutions enabled the onshore team to work closely with offshore personnel throughout the operation.
Improving efficiency through remote operations
The remote subsea intervention highlights how digital technologies can improve offshore efficiency while maintaining safety and operational control.
“We greatly value our collaboration with DeepOcean in developing remote operations. This is a strong example of our ambition to increase efficiency by optimizing the use of vessels and personnel, while maintaining a strong focus on safety and operational control,” commented Jarle Marius Solland, Operations Manager Subsea Execution & Survey at Aker BP.
Solland highlighted several benefits of the approach, including fewer personnel being sent offshore, improved access to specialised expertise across multiple projects, more flexible planning and reduced time and costs.
Although this is the first operation of its kind, Aker BP expects remote working methods to become increasingly important in future offshore activities. Greater control from shore could enable more specialists to contribute to advanced operations without travelling offshore.
A step towards the future of offshore operations
For Aker BP, the remote subsea operation supports its strategy of integrating drones, robotics and remote technologies into offshore activities.
“Aker BP’s operating strategy involves drones and robots on platforms and subsea (ROVs) being an integrated part of observation, inspection, and task execution offshore. These technologies will operate autonomously or via remote control, either locally or from shore,” says Thomas Øvretveit, SVP Operations at Aker BP.
“The successful advanced remote ROV operation in the Skarv area in the Norwegian Sea confirms that we are well on our way to delivering on our strategy as the oil and gas company of the future,” Øvretveit adds.
Odfjell Technology (UK) Ltd has confirmed that a major North Sea operator has signed a Letter of Intent to exercise the remaining two-year option under its existing contract for comprehensive drilling services on a North Sea platform.
The operator has also extended the agreement by adding a further two-year option.
The contract covers a broad range of services, including the management of operations, maintenance and repairs for both the platform’s main rig drilling facility and an intervention completion unit.
Odfjell Technology has been supporting the asset through this contract since 2019, making it one of the company’s largest integrated operations. Following the exercised option, the firm contract period will now run until November 2028, with an additional two-year extension option available beyond that period.
Commenting on the contract extension, Kurt Meinert Fjell, EVP Operations at Odfjell Technology, said: “We are very pleased to continue this contract and build on the excellent work delivered over the past seven years. We look forward to continuing to deliver safe, efficient, and high-performing operations together with our client.”
As offshore energy infrastructure expands into increasingly demanding environments, safeguarding the integrity of underwater assets has become a priority for the energy sector.
Rising to this challenge, the underwater technology specialist Sonardyne has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AMOG, an international advanced engineering company. Together, they are set to provide a complete subsea asset monitoring service tailored directly to the needs of offshore energy infrastructure operators.
This strategic alliance integrates Sonardyne’s trusted underwater positioning, communication, and monitoring technologies with the industry-leading engineering assessment expertise of AMOG. By harnessing their combined capabilities, the partnership aims to unlock vital insights into asset health, substantially reduce costly operational downtime, and enable the safe life extension of critical underwater architecture. It will support a wide spectrum of subsea installations, encompassing floating offshore wind platforms and traditional oil and gas moorings, alongside essential pipelines and risers.
Dr Hayden Marcollo, director at AMOG said, “Combining high quality subsea data, processed at source on Observer, with advanced engineering assessments, will provide asset owners with more actionable, near-real-time insight into the condition and behaviour of critical subsea infrastructure.
“For operators, this could support earlier detection of anomalies, improved understanding of loads and motions, and more informed decisions around inspection, maintenance and integrity management, as well as asset longevity, in one end-to-end solution.”
Frank Rose, business development manager at Sonardyne, added, “By integrating on-demand and long term monitoring data from subsea environments with engineering models and analytics, there’s an opportunity to provide a more complete picture of asset performance—whether supporting day to day operations, integrity assurance or life extension strategies.”
“By working alongside AMOG, we’re exploring how data and engineering assessments can come together to give operators greater confidence in the way their subsea assets are performing, today and over the long term.”
Last week, Geoactive announced the launch of DecomX, a new P&A decision support system designed to reduce time and overhead around well decommissioning.
The technology addresses the increasing effort required when selecting the de-risked option, in the shape of validating compliance, drafting submissions, planning campaigns and keeping designs aligned as conditions change.
DecomX supports well abandonment designs across environmental, risk, cost, compliance, and execution. The P&A design has been built directly into the platform, with the system generating feasible alternative options for ALARP comparison. Compliance checks run independently on every design change, checking regulatory standards and internal company rules.
Submissions export a single PDF that includes schematics, barrier definitions, demonstrable evidence, compliance findings, and cost risk justification.
DecomX also allows for wells to be grouped into campaigns, allowing for planning, offshore unit scheduling and equipment allocation to be supported within the same environment.
Gary McWilliam, DecomX Product Champion, said, “P&A engineering itself is demanding, but most teams are spending more time proving and demonstrating decisions than doing the engineering. DecomX was built to deal with that overhead; not by replacing engineers, but by supporting their decisions with consistent, traceable evidence.”
Downhole Tools International (DTI), a supplier of coil tubing, wireline, slickline and cable-deployed tools, has adopted the name Pragma as it redirects its strategic focus toward the development and commercialisation of advanced well barrier technologies
Backed by recent investment from FrontRow Energy Technology Group and BGF (Business Growth Fund), the company is reshaping its business around a three-tier well barrier portfolio. At the centre of this strategy is its flagship M-Bubble metal expandable barrier technology, while the company continues to provide customers with its broader range of downhole tools.
The rebranding represents a return to the company’s original name and reflects a renewed commitment to its innovation-driven heritage. Pragma will continue developing technologies designed to address complex well integrity, water management, and plug and abandonment challenges across the global energy industry.
To support this direction, the company has made significant investments in its workforce, technology development pipeline and international presence, strengthening its position for sustained future growth.
The appointment of David Stephenson as CEO in late 2025 was followed by the establishment of an enhanced management and international business development team. The team brings extensive experience in global well intervention and well barrier development, covering design, operations and commercialisation.
Alongside the redesign and relaunch of its PKB and IX plug technologies under the Pragma brand, the company will maintain M-Bubble as a key component of its growth plans. Efforts will continue to focus on commercial deployment and wider international adoption, particularly in the Middle East and Asia Pacific markets.
David Stephenson comments: “Rebranding as Pragma is about more than a change of name - it’s about reaffirming our focus on well barrier technology and the innovative approach upon which the business was founded.
“With the support of FrontRow and BGF, we’re in a strong position to grow M-Bubble whilst developing well technologies from concept through to commercial deployment, as we help operators tackle increasingly complex well integrity and water management issues.”
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