Well decommissioning specialists Well-Safe Solutions have signed an agreement to plug and abandon (P&A) 14 wells on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS).
The deal is the first scope agreed for the Well-Safe Defender semi-submersible rig, which the company purchased in June 2022. The project, for an undisclosed value, will see the rig mobilising in March 2023 for approximately 250 days of work.
Neil Ferguson, Operations Director at Well-Safe Solutions, said, “This is a very exciting time for our teams, with a little over a month between Well-Safe taking ownership of the Well-Safe Defender and the signing of this contract with our latest client.”
According to the company, the Well-Safe Defender is currently undergoing a host of efficiency enhancements as part of its integration into the business as well as the completion of its recertification ahead of mobilisation in March 2023.
Gavin Robinson, Commercial Manager at Well-Safe Solutions, said, “We are delighted to assist our client, a leading European operator, with meeting their decommissioning obligations on these historic fields. Like the Well-Safe Guardian and Well-Safe Protector, the Well-Safe Defender is a dedicated decommissioning asset converted from a drilling rig. Clients benefit from a greatly reduced carbon footprint and quicker mobilisation times as a result, as no virgin steel is required for a new-build rig.”
“In addition to the clear economic benefits of this approach, we expect this work to generate approximately 60 new positions offshore, with several supporting roles also required onshore. This will take the total estimated headcount in Well-Safe to 330 people in early 2023,” Gavin added.
The contract announcement is the latest in a summer of growth for Well-Safe Solutions, which previously announced a well decommissioning contract with Ithaca Energy as well as a capital funding boost of more than US$59mn (£50 million) by new and existing investors.
