Europe

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: Mar, 2025

Energy market research and consultancy firm, Westwood Global Energy Group, has found that decommissioning in the North Sea involves considerable financial and logistical challenges.

Domestic production is declining owing to shaken investor confidence in the UK as a result of political and fiscal uncertainty. This suggests around US$26bn might be spent on decommissioning in the next decade, with well plug and abandonment (P&A) alone accounting for ~50% of the cost.

While decommissioning tasks keep piling up, contract awards, especially for rigs, have remained low due to the uncertainties driving financial and operational risks for operators. Execution of delayed decommissioning work will pose pressure on the already-strained supply chain. This can P&A costs could climb by up to US$5.5 billion, due to higher offshore rig dayrates, increasing financial liabilities for both operators and the UK Government, which provides tax relief on decommissioning costs.

“As the UK North Sea enters a new phase where decommissioning becomes the dominant industry driver, the supply chain faces significant demand and major financial risk,” said Yvonne Telford, Research Director at Westwood. “Based on current investment plans, up to 40% of UK fields could cease production before 2030. With the impact of decommissioning tax liabilities on abandonment expenditure, cost-effective P&A must be paramount."

Dominic Ferry, CEO at Westwood, said, “Westwood’s new Atlas Decommissioning module provides the clarity the market needs by linking infrastructure data with economic forecasts, offering stakeholders a clear view of the timing, cost, and risks associated. By delivering granular insights into decommissioning activity, the module helps operators, service providers, and investors make informed decisions, mitigate financial exposure, and seize emerging opportunities in this evolving landscape.”

Westwood has launched the new Atlas Decommissioning module which gives detailed insights into decommissioning timelines, infrastructure removal and market dynamics in real-time. It leverages key economic drivers, such as commodity prices and operating costs  to dynamically model decommissioning schedules, allowing them to predict shifts in activity and optimise planning.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: Mar, 2025

A company specialising in rigless well intervention services, TSMarine (Contracting) Ltd, has bagged contracts of approximately £2mn for a multi-client well abandonment programme. 

The contracts will be delivered for two significant operators in the North Sea, where TSMarine's recently chartered vessel, the Rem Poseidon, will be deployed to plug and abandon three Category 2 suspended subsea wells in the Southern North Sea.

The campaign will involve perforation, followed by cementing the wells before the wellheads have been severed and recovered. TSMarine will also recover and dispose residual oil-based muds as required in the process.

Speaking on the project's focus on spreading the mobilisation and transit costs that come with decommissioning, Tim Martin, TSMarine's Regional Director for Europe and Africa, said, "We have developed this innovative approach to deliver significant cost benefits to operators - the first of several innovative approaches which we are developing to drive down the cost of subsea decommissioning.

Cost-effective offering

"The trend for multi-client well abandonment projects is increasing, primarily because operators are sharing fixed costs with each other and realising the cost savings that can be achieved from a single mobilisation."

The project is similar to the one that the Aberdeen-based subsea services contractor took up in 2008 for bp, Perenco and Tullow Oil. "We are well positioned to support operators effectively manage decommissioning activity and this project underlines our ability to offer operators cost effective, bespoke well abandonment and decommissioning programmes," said Martin. 

As the lead contractor for the programme, TSMarine will project manage the campaign, develop the work scope, including but not limited to, developing the required tooling, selecting and managing sub-contractors, planning and executing the offshore operations. In addition, the project team will carry out well reviews, HIRA and emergency response planning. 

A key player in the niche subsea rigless intervention and decommissioning market, TSMarine operates worldwide, with offices in Aberdeen, Bergen, Norway, Perth Australia, Singapore and Nigeria. 

To know more about Europe's well intervention scene, click here. 

• Region: All
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: 10 March, 2025

Elemental Energies has expanded its senior management team with the appointment of Ross Provan as Head of Decommissioning Solutions.

Ross will bring 18 years of projects and operational experience to the role, with expertise spanning drilling, facilities engineering, subsea, project assurance, construction and decommissioning.

In his new role, Ross will lead Elemental Energies’ focus on EPRD (engineering, preparation, removal and disposal) and the integration of services including the existing wells decommissioning capabilities across all areas of the work breakdown structure.

Mike Adams, Chief Executive Officer at Elemental Energies, said, “With global offshore decommissioning spend projected to double over the next two decades, the need for integrated, cost-effective and innovative solutions is crucial […] With Ross leading this key area, we are confident that his experience and expertise will help us to continue to drive innovation and efficiency in the decommissioning sector.”

Elemental Energies has built a global reputation in engineering and project management, and has an extensive track record managing large-scale platform P&A, major subsea well decommissioning and integrated wells and facilities projects. Last year the company continue to expand its service offering with the joint venture announcement with Archer for global P&A services.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: 05 March, 2025

Expro, a global energy services provider, has secured a contract to supply Tubular Running Services (TRS) for a significant Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in the Netherlands.

This initiative involves converting legacy offshore gas wells into CO₂ injection wells, decommissioning shallow wells, and drilling platform slot recovery wells. As the first offshore CCS storage system in the Netherlands, the project aligns with Expro’s sustainability goals.

The company will utilise its proprietary non-marking TRS technology, designed for corrosion-resistant alloy (CRA) tubulars, ensuring long-term well integrity in highly corrosive CO₂ environments.

Iain Farley, Expro’s Regional Vice President for Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasised the significance of the contract: “Securing this contract for this major CCS project highlights Expro’s advanced technical expertise in deploying CRA tubulars. The specific technologies being used throughout the project are proven in the oil and gas sector and it is fantastic to see these capabilities helping to unlock the potential of the CCS sector. Expro TRS services are designed for safety, efficiency and precision, and so we look to be playing a vital role in supporting the success of this project. Expro has a well-earned reputation for delivering high-performance solutions for complex well construction challenges and we are committed to pioneering solutions for energy transition challenges. This contract cements the company’s role in advancing sustainable practices in the offshore energy sector.”

With a legacy dating back to 1938, Expro has established itself as a leader in tubular running services worldwide. The company also provides additional well integrity solutions, including performance drilling tools, wellbore clean-out, and cementing technologies.

Expro’s comprehensive portfolio includes tubular handling products for all sizes of large OD tubulars, surface and intermediate casing, production casing, and tubing. Additionally, the company offers drill pipe handling tools designed for demanding drilling conditions and heavy landing string applications.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: 24 Feb, 2025

A prominent provider of energy data and intelligence called TGS has announced the award of a 4D streamer contract acquisition project in the Barents Sea covering the Goliat 4D field operated by Var Energi.

The Goliat 4D project is scheduled to start in July with a total duration of approximately 20 days. The Goliat field was the first one to come into production in the northernmost area of the Norwegian continental shelf. It boasts one of the largest and advanced production units, including floating production storage and offloading (FSO) installations with permanent mooring.  

Infrastructure development and drilling projects initiated in the region contributes to production boost, enhanced recovery and asset lifetime extension. Since the first discovery of oil in 2023, several exploration wells have been drilled to connect the resources as tie back to Goliat. 

Solid acquisition campaign

Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS, commented, "We are very pleased to secure more 4D work on the Norwegian continental shelf for the 2025 summer season. We already have secured one contract in the Barents Sea with a duration of approximately 45 days, and this award is scheduled to be acquired back-to-back. Adding on the recently announced multi-client project, we have built a solid Barents Sea acquisition campaign." 

To know more about the well intervention scene in and around EU, click here. 

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: 24 Feb, 2025

Repsol Norge has awarded Odfjell Technology a contract to deliver drilling services on the Yme Inspirer, a jack-up rig producing oil from the Yme Field in the eastern Norwegian North Sea

The agreement covers drilling, completion, re-completion, well intervention, maintenance, engineering, and plug and abandonment (P&A) services. The firm contract spans five years, commencing this spring, with options for two additional three-year extensions. The estimated value of the firm period is NOK 400 million ($38 million), while the full contract, including options, could reach NOK 1 billion (US$95mn).

In a separate deal, Odfjell Technology has secured a contract from OSM Thome to perform upgrades and modifications on the Heidrun B Floating Storage Unit (FSU) in the Norwegian Sea. This facility is owned by Equinor and its partners, with OSM Thome responsible for daily operations and maintenance.

The scope of work includes engineering, construction, and installation, such as implementing a new volatile organic compounds (VOC) recovery system and replacing an existing crane to enhance the FSU’s safety and technical integrity. While the upgrade efforts commenced in May 2022, they have now been formalized under this contract, with completion expected by early 2027.

Additionally, OSM Thome has subcontracted Odfjell Engineering to carry out specific modifications under this agreement.

These contracts reinforce Odfjell Technology’s strong position in the North Sea energy sector, providing critical drilling, intervention, and engineering solutions to optimize offshore assets and support long-term energy production.

• Region: All
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: 19 Feb, 2025

Amplus Energy Services has acquired the Petrojarl I vessel, marking a significant milestone in the company’s market position.

The purpose-built FPSO unit is renowned as one of the most versatile and widely deported FPSOs in history. Amplus has acquired the Petrojarl I from UK-based Altera Infrastructure. Fully classes, the vessel has recently completed a successful deployment in Brazil.

Notably, this acquisition marks Amplus’ initial vessel ownership, positioning the company to expand its strategy and meet growing market demands. To date, Amplus has focused on delivering innovative field development solutions, offering vessel design and leasing options over direct ownership.

Steve Gardyne, Managing Director at Amplus, said, “This vessel is unquestionably the most flexible and most deployed FPSO in history – and Amplus now has the opportunity to apply our experience and approach to steward it safely and successfully for years to come. The addition of this vessel strengthens our ability to meet growing market demands and ensure we are well-positioned to address client needs.”

Petrojarl I is available for deployment in early production system applications, extended well tests and standalone marginal field developments. Additionally, the vessel is ideal for cost-effective, lower-prediction operations and can support both early-phase and tail-phase production.

Ian Herd, Executive Director, commented, “There is a market opportunity for a trusted, entrepreneurial FPSO contractor operating at the flexible, niche end of the spectrum offering fit-for-purpose vessels at a very competitive price, backed up by a leadership team with extensive operator experience supported by a scalable and aligned set of subcontractors.

“The acquisition marks a significant advancement for Amplus Energy and we look forward to meeting the evolving needs of the industry.”

• Region: North Sea
• Topics: Decommissioning, Well Intervention
• Date: 13 Feb, 2025

Earlier this month Aker BP took over the ownership of the Oda field, located in the Ula area in the southern Norwegian North Sea, from Sval Energi.

Talar Arif, Director of the Ula area, stated, “This is a good example of the excellent cooperation between the license partners in the Ula area. We have a common goal of finding solutions that maximise value creation both in operational and decommissioning phases.

“By transferring the operatorship to Akep BP, Oda will become an integrated part of the optimisation of late-phase operations, as well as the planning and execution of the decommissioning and removal of infrastructure in the Ula area. This will provide both technical and economic synergies in the operational and decommissioning phases.”

Oda is located 14km east of Ula. The field contains two production wells and one injection well tied to Ula.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: Feb, 2025

Expro has announced the continuation of its partnership with Perenco-CCS in the UK, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the gas company’s Southern North Sea (SNS) operations.

The agreement extends a relationship spanning almost two decades and solidifies Expro’s role as a key supplier of well intervention services to Perenco since 2012 when the company started acquiring gas assets in the SNS. Over the years, Expro’s services range has expanded to include well testing and tubular running services.

Both parties state they are “excited to work together on the UK energy transition to enable a bright future for the SNS via low emissions domestic gas supplies and by moving carbon capture from concept to reality.”

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: Feb, 2025

Well-Safe Solutions has received a further contract extension from Eni Energy Netherlands BV to decommission selected subsea and platform wells across the Italian energy giant’s portfolio in the North Sea.

Eni have exercised another 90-day option for the Well-Safe Protector jack-up asset under the new contract. The work will be executed in direct continuation with the previously declared option which commenced in November 2024.

Upon the completion of the latest option for Eni, the Well-Safe Protector will move onto the Spirit Energy contract which was announced in November. By completing the work for multiple operators, Well-Safe Protector will be committed until at least August 2025, with further long-term options agreed with Eni.

The new amendment offers increased flexibility for Eni which has the option to green light an additional 120 days of work to decommission platform wells immediately after the completion of work for Spirit Energy, along with two further options at 180 days each. If these options are exercised, Well-Safe Protector has the potential to remain outside the UKCS until Q4 2026.

Well-Safe Protector has been operational in the North Sea since August 2023, having already decommissioned 25 wells across the Dutch and UK waters for Eni, Ithaca Energy and Neptune Energy.

Phil Milton, Chief Executive Officer at Well-Safe Solutions, said, “Well decommissioning continues to account for a considerable amount of the North Sea’s overall decommissioning activity – with a 50% increase in well decommissioning forecast by OEUK last year.

“Since the Well-Safe Protector first mobilised in August 2023, it has delivered top-quartile operational uptime – ensuring the learnings from continual well decommissioning activity are reinvested into future work scopes. Effective well decommissioning cannot exist without cooperation, and we are looking forward to deepening the partnership we currently enjoy with Eni as we build the foundations of a long-term well decommissioning campaign at this key moment in the North Sea’s development towards a low-carbon future.”

This latest contract continues a period of growth for the business. In November 2024, the company announced two new contracts totalling US$25mn for approximately 170 days of firm work in the North Sea, using Well-Safe Protector and the Well-Safe Defender semi-submersible, for Spirit Energy and an additional global operator.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: Feb, 2025

Identifying the urgency of adequate support for North Sea operators, Houston-based offshore innovator, Trendsetter Vulcan Offshore, has appointed Finlay Johnston to lead business development efforts for the company in the United Kingdom.

“There is a long-term need for expert subsea support services in the UK, and by engaging a local representative, we are strengthening our commitment to the region, providing an avenue for North Sea operators to access our proven solutions, and ensuring the supply of quality service and equipment locally,” said TVO President Jim Maher. 

Onboarded via 4C Global Consultancy, where he is a Senior Executive, Johnston will be spearheading TVOs services in the UK region, equipped with a vast range of experiences from commercialising assets to supporting the growth of drilling contractors, well intervention, well abandonment, marine and multi-service companies.

TVO is banking on the reputation of 4C Global Consultancy and Johnston's extensive experience to serve its clients in the UK. "The consultancy has a history of successes that demonstrate their capability, and Finlay’s personal achievements strengthen the value of this partnership,” said TVO Vice President Kevin Chell.

As a local representative, Johnston will supervise TVO's activities in line with Norwegian Shelf Competitive Position (NORSOK) standards and the regulatory requirements of the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) to implement the company's expert services such as wellhead cyclic stress reduction, among other offerings. The wellhead is exposed to extreme pressure conditions when massive structures initiate the process of oil & gas extraction. Addressing stress reduction through structural integrity and reliability thus holds immense significance to make the exploration and production process a success.

TVOs other services are aligned with the ambitious targets of conducting the plugging and abandonment (P&A) of more than 200 wells in a year, designed to address the challenges involved. 

Relief for local operators

The North Sea oil & gas scene has witnessed an especially turbulent period since the announcement of the energy profits levy (EPL) in 2022 as a temporary arrangement, but it never went away, with the tax margin seeing a consistent rise with time. To top that, the energy generator levy was announced as well. Under such volatile economic circumstances, TVO's local presence will bring certain relief to regional operators by making its critical technology easily available.

“We ... are continuing to add to our global team,” said Maher on the onboarding of Johnston, which follows the recent appointment of a Country Manager in Australia.

As a commercial leader with more than 25 years of international experience in business development, contracting, and customer relationship management in the energy sector and finance, Johnston has worked with corporate leaders and the C-suite of S&P 500 companies.

“By enhancing the company’s commitment to the region with boots on the ground and aligning with well teams, decommissioning and well management companies, TVO will be able to improve project efficiency with proven solutions that reduce cost and risk for operators in an environmentally sensitive area," he said. 

To know more about the well intervention scene in and around the European Union regions, click here. 

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: Feb, 2025

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has highlighted the crucial nature of new technologies in improving and speeding up P&A operations in cementing the UK’s position as a world-leader in cost-effective decommissioning.

Over the last few years, smart technologies have been piloted in the UK Continental Shelf to help the sector build upon its reputation for innovation and cost-efficiency. Despite strong process, many more are still awaiting field trials.

Last month NSTA, along with the Net Zero Technology Centre, hosted a showcase event where more than 20 technology providers displayed their new technology to an audience of around 20 international operators. The event aimed to raise awareness of the technologies and encourage operators to facilitate more field trials every year.

Some of the showcased technologies included alternative materials with the potential to create barriers in the well, such as resigns, polymers and bismuth, and logging and perforating tools designed to make the P&A process more efficient.

In the UKCS, around 1,500 wells will be due for decommissioning between 2026 and 2030, presenting the industry a golden opportunity to test innovative P&A technologies to demonstrate how they can save operators time and money.

Not only do innovative technologies play an integral role in ensuring operators comply with their regulatory obligations in terms of decommissioning assets, but those technologies which prove successful will likely be in demand globally in areas such as Australia, Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico as the demand for decommissioning processes in those basins continues to rise.

Carlo Procaccini, Chief Technical Officer at the NSTA, said, “In the UK, we’re fortunate to have a supply chain which consistently produces ground-breaking technologies for offshore operations, including well decommissioning. However, the full potential of this innovation can only be unleashed if suppliers are given a chance to show what they can do in the field. With the current high volumes of well P&A activity, I encourage operators to offer field trials to progress innovation and make the most of the savings on offer.”