Ocean services provider DeepOcean has collaborated with well management and reservoir specialist EXCEED to supply vessel-based well plug and abandonment (P&A) services to the global decommissioning market.
The partnership will offer operators turnkey P&A service for decommissioning projects under a single contract, with services including equipment, planning, execution and close-out, leaving a full audit trail to ensure optimum repurpose and re-use of retrieved assets.
“Compared to rig-based P&A, we believe this partnership can deliver significant time and cost benefits to operators’ decommissioning projects. Our complementary service offering has already proven that it can provide a comprehensive, best in class solution to well decommissioning. We are excited about further developing our relationship with EXCEED,” said Olaf A Hansen, Managing Director, DeepOcean Europe.
The partnership has recently-completed a multi-well, vessel-based P&A campaign on behalf of Serica Energy, saving significant time and costs as well as reduced CO2 emissions compared with rig-based P&A activity.
“By pairing DeepOcean’s subsea engineering competence and diverse global fleet of vessel with EXCEED’S specialist range of well decommissioning expertise, we can offer the international decommissioning sector a world-class vessel-based well P&A service. Forged in the North Sea, we look forward to continuing this relationship by commencing another multi-client, multi-well campaign later this year,” commented John Anderson, Commercial Director at EXCEED.
EXCEED’s dedicated vessel-based decommissioning team provides a fully compliant subsea wellhead removal service. Removing post-decommissioning liability, clients also benefit from cost efficiencies via a campaign approach.
“Our joint competence, technology and assets allow this partnership to deliver safe and efficient offshore operations to clients both here in the North Sea and further afield. We look forward to cooperating with our clients to develop multi-well campaigns that will deliver significant cost and time savings,” remarked Robin Mawhinney, Managing Director of DeepOcean’s UK operation.
Interoil Exploration and Production ASA, a Norwegian-based exploration and production company with a focus on Latin America, has announced that its Colombian subsidiary has carried out a downhole intervention to the Vikingo well.
Interoil Colombia Exploration and Production (ICEP) successfully completed the project which included the installation of a jet pump with a modified operational configuration. In doing so, it raised production levels from 105 barrels of oil per day (bopd) up to an impressive 400 (bopd). Production is expected to stabilise at around 200 bopd and the intervention has also improved operational efficiency by reducing lifting costs with the new jet pump configuration.
“This intervention reaffirms Interoil’s confidence in the potential of our assets,” remarked Leandro Carbone, CEO of Interoil. “We are committed to maximising the value of our fields while creating lasting benefits for the local communities, our employees, and shareholders.”
The success of the project has been described by the company as a commitment to optimising production efficiency, extending the economic life of its assets, achieving social and environmental objectives, and exploring opportunities to expand its asset portfolio.
Halliburton, a leading provider of products and services to the energy industry, has announced that it will open new facilities in Namibia to support the country’s in-country operations.
The facilities are located across the country, representing a combined footprint of approximately 20,000 sq m. The Windhoek office will handle support services; a Walvis Bay site will focus on cementing and drilling fluids services and warehousing; Swakopmund will house sperry drilling, well completions, testing & subsea, and wirelines & perforating services; while Lüderitz will support cementing and wirelines operations.
Up to 200 Namibians are expected to be employed at the facilities, helping to foster local expertise in relevant technologies and contribute to the country’s economy.
“These new facilities allow us to operate close to our customers, collaborate in real time, and deliver the advanced technologies and services that maximise asset value,” remarked Antoine Berel, Vice President, Halliburton Sub-Saharan Africa (South). “We are proud to support Namibia’s oil and gas industry, contribute to the economic success of the country, and create opportunities for local people.”
Halliburton has indicated that the announcement is a demonstration of the importance of the country’s growing oil and gas sector, with the new facilities dedicated to supporting this growth while strengthening the company’s regional presence.
Mermaid Subsea Services, a leading international subsea services company, has concluded a 21 well plug and abandonment campaign on behalf of a North Sea operator.
The multi-well campaign was executed using the Island Valiant vessel and was carried out on wells across the Northern and Central North Sea. As the largest contract Mermaid has completed to date, the project spanned two years and created six new jobs in the process.
“This has been a landmark project, not just for Mermaid but also for the wider North Sea decommissioning sector,” remarked Scott Cormack, Regional Director for Mermaid Subsea Services (UK).
“For a company that only entered the UK in 2020 to have carried out, what we understand to be, the largest vessel-based decommissioning campaign in the region ever is a huge achievement, testament to the Mermaid team and further proof that there is space in the market for a new player delivering innovative solutions.
“I would like to thank the whole Mermaid team for playing their part in the successful delivery of this project and to the client for putting their faith in our safe, efficient and cost-effective vessel-based well P&A offering.”
Mermaid is building its reputation in the decommissioning market at an incredibly opportune time given the wave of activity that will be required in the North Sea in the near future. According to the latest OEUK report, operators need to plug 200 abandoned North Sea wells a year in order to stay on top of targets.
Clean energy technology provider Exergy International has signed an agreement with Maren Maras Elektrik Uretim AS for the supply of two new geothermal power plants in Turkey.
Located in the Aydın region, the 33 MWe Emir GPP and the 13 MWe Nezihe Beren 2 GPP are expected to be commissioned by November 2025.
These two binary geothermal power plants will utilise Exergy's advanced ORC technology based on the Radial Outflow Turbine. The Emir GPP will feature a configuration with three turbines and two generators, while the Nezihe Beren 2 GPP will have one turbine and one generator. Both power plants will use air cooled condensers. The turbines, generators and other related equipment will be manufactured locally at Exergy’s subsidiary in İzmir. Exergy’s technology will harness Maren’s geothermal resources at maximum efficiency and deliver clean baseload power to the local grid.
Once in operation, the two power plants will enable saving approximately 134,000 tons of CO2 emission per year, avoiding an equivalent fossil fuel power generation.
Luca Pozzoni, General Manager of Exergy International, said, “This agreement marks another significant achievement for Exergy in Turkey, a region where we have 23 geothermal power plants operational in our portfolio, with several more nearing completion. We are thrilled to expand our collaboration with Maren and further contribute to Turkey's sustainable energy goals.”
Erdogan Arpaci, General Manager of Exergy Turkey, who played a major role in securing a contract, said, “I am highly satisfied with the signing of this new contract with one of our long-standing clients, which demonstrates the trust and reliability Exergy has established in Turkey. We have worked closely with Maren to achieve this outcome, and at Exergy we are very eager to begin the execution phase for these significant projects, which will bring an additional 46 MWe of capacity to the Turkish geothermal market.”
E2E Energy Solutions has signed of a Letter of Intent with Novus Earth to jointly develop the Latitude 53 Hinton Inc project over two phases
Situated just outside of Hinton, Alberta, the groundbreaking initiative represents a major step forward in geothermal energy development. With construction set to begin in early 2025, the project will drive both sustainable energy solutions and agricultural growth.
The first phase of the project will focus on utilising geothermal energy to support year-round strawberry cultivation across a 20-acre greenhouse. This facility will receive up to 50 gigajoules of sustainable, consistent heat per hour, provided by E2E's geothermal technology. The second phase will incorporate E2E’s patented Enhanced Geothermal Reservoir Recovery System (EGRRS) to generate 10 MW of zero-emission power, proving the feasibility of geothermal technology as a reliable energy source.
"We are looking forward to introducing this innovative approach to thermal and electrical generation to Alberta," said Jeff Mesner, President of Novus Earth. "Our partnership with E2E Energy Solutions perfectly aligns with our mission to leverage advanced geothermal technology for sustainable, community-centered projects."
“We’re very pleased to see our EGRRS technology integrated into a project that will bring stable, affordable energy to Alberta,” said Nick Daprocida, CEO of E2E Energy Solutions. “This project demonstrates how geothermal energy can contribute to creating sustainable jobs and delivering reliable baseload power to the agricultural sector.”
Tenaris, a global manufacturer and supplier of steel pipes and relates services for the energy industry, has used its presence at ADIPEC 2024 to introduce WISer, a suite of digital solutions designed to enhance well integrity, safety, efficiency and reliability.
As one of the world’s leading energy events, there could hardly be a better stage to reveal new solutions that can help the sector deal with its most pressing challenges. As such, WISer becomes the latest addition to the Rig Direct service package and builds on the company’s renowned on-site field assistance.
The pipe-by-pipe traceability enabled by PipeTracer technology and the 24/7 support provided from its remote monitoring centre, WISer includes two digital solutions that maximise the lifecycle of pipe strings.
This includes the iRun Casing cloud-based tool that provides real-time monitoring of casing installation to minimise the risk of lost lateral length and production. It also helps to prevent costly accessibility issues caused by fatigues damage, buckling, over-torque or stuck pipes.
There is also the Torque turn monitoring system. Tenaris field service experts collect and analyse real-time torque data at the well using advanced equipment to improve connection make-up reliability, reduce errors, and enhance the overall integrity of the assembly.
“With WISer, we support our customers' drilling projects during pipe running operations, improving decision-making and enhancing the consistency and reliability of well construction by combining our extensive field service experience with real-time data analytics and remote monitoring,” commented Lucas Pigliacampo, Tenaris Vice President Oil & Gas Technologies. “A key addition to our Rig Direct mill-to-well service model, WISer reflects our ability to continually adapt and innovate.”
Aside from providing a platform for the industry to discover the latest solutions entering the market, ADIPEC was also a forum for debate and progressing ideas that will change the face of the sector for years to come.
Unsurprisingly, decarbonisation was a key topic of discussion of the conference in Abu Dhabi as oil and gas leaders strive to strike the balance between meeting barrel demands and lower emissions output.
Tenaris strode into the discourse, with Gabriel Podskubka, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, participating in the ‘Optimising Operations to Advance Decarbonisation: A Digital and Cultural Shift’ panel session. Here, the panellists agreed that while advanced technologies, data-driven insights and process improvements can contribute to reducing emissions across the value chain, to achieve meaningful decarbonisation, deeper cultural shifts and cross-industry collaboration is required.
“At Tenaris, we are true believers that sustainability and decarbonization support our business strategy” Podskubka contributed. “These are key priorities for our leadership, our employees, our communities, and our customers. Today, our carbon emissions intensity is the lowest in our sector, and we are investing to ensure it remains so in the future. At Tenaris, we see decarbonisation not only as the right thing to do, but as a sound business decision. It’s an opportunity for us to continue leading in another dimension of our business.
“You need a vision, measurable targets and a strong leadership that is willing to convert this vision into reality. After communicating our decarbonisation commitment, we focused on defining KPIs for measuring emissions of our processes at every site. We now communicate both internally and externally on our progress and initiatives to reduce our CO2 emissions intensity per ton of steel by 30% by 2030.”
Akastor ASA has signed an agreement to acquire all of the interests Mitsui & Co. Ltd holds in AKOFS Offshore, a provider of vessel-based subsea well installation and intervention services to the oil and gas industry.
“We sincerely thank Mitsui for their valuable and good collaboration since 2018,” remarked Karl Erik Kjelstad, CEO of Akastor. “We believe the timing for increasing our investment in AKOFS Offshore is right, as market dynamics within the subsea well intervention and installation sector are increasingly compelling.”
A purchase price of US$22.5mn will see Akastor now hold 75% of the shares in AKOFS Offshore with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines holding the remaining 25%. As part of this development, the two shareholders will negotiate and enter into a new shareholders agreement on similar terms but reflecting the changed ownership.
“We are excited to deepen our commitment as well as to continue the journey together with MOL as partner,” continued Kjelstad. “Together, we remain confident that AKOFS Offshore is well-positioned for continued growth in the years to come and are well-aligned regarding our ownership strategy.”
International, a protective coating brand of AkzoNobel, has introduced the next evolution in epoxy passive fire protection (PFP)
Chartek ONE has been introduced as a single-coat, mesh-free solution that simplifies PFP application for assets in the energy sector by maximising efficiency, streamlining installation processes and enhancing health and safety.
As a 100% solids, boron-free two-pack material, Chartek ONE provides enhanced durability and combined corrosion, cryogenic and hydrocarbon protection. It provides three hours of jet and pool fire protection across a wide operating temperature range, effectively shielding assets from all fire types.
Chartek ONE can accelerate installation of PFP systems both in the workshop and onsite, lowering installed weight, reducing labour and material costs whilst achieving the same fire protection, which is particularly important for industries with strict weight requirements, such as offshore oil and gas. In doing so, Chartek ONE can reduce workshop hours by up to 59%, saving users both time and money throughout projects and over the lifetime of the asset.
Introduced for customers in the Middle East, Chartek ONE availability in other regions is planned for 2025.
“Chartek stands at the forefront of the industry, offering a comprehensive range of solutions that reflect our heritage and track record of success,” remarked Robin Wade, Global Fire Protection Manager at AkzoNobel. “Our investment in research, development and PFP capabilities enable us to provide our customers with the best possible outcomes.
“Chartek ONE was developed in our Felling facility which is one of the world’s largest UKAS-accredited PFP testing centers for intumescent PFP. Patented polysiloxane modified thio-ether and epoxy technology resolves many of the pain points found in the provision and longevity of epoxy PFP in one simple solution. International is a dedicated partner and through the celebrated history of Chartek, we are committed to excellence in technical support, product specific engineering solutions, and delivering class-leading products.”
Chartek benefits from a presence in the industry spanning more than half a century. As passive fire protection, it excels in the most demanding conditions and the range is one of the world's most complete portfolio of epoxy intumescent PFP coatings available, according to the company.
Formulated and tested against critical industry standards for energy assets including NORSOK M-501:2022 Edition 7 and ISO 22899 (standard and high heat flux jet fires), Chartek ONE is free from boron and has a 100% solids formula to reduce occupational risks and improve HSE performance and footprint.
“We are thrilled to be introducing Chartek ONE for our Middle East customers at ADIPEC 2024,” added Andy Holt, Business Development Manager - Middle East at International. “Crafted to offer our customers superior safety, reliability, and peace of mind, Chartek ONE showcases our continued dedication to sustainability and innovation.
“This single-coat, mesh-free solution will drastically simplify PFP projects for our customers, minimizing downtime and reducing overall project costs. Our commitment to considering the environmental impact of our work is an integral part of the development process. Chartek ONE’s 100% solids, boron-free formula, stands as a testament to this commitment.”
According to Mammoet, which helps clients with smarter, safer and stronger solutions for heavy lifting and transport challenges, Brent Charlie has been successfully skidded onto the quayside for decommissioning.
Brent Charlie is the last and heaviest topside from the Brent oil and gas field, located 186 km northeast of the Shetland Islands. It is now to follow its siblings – jacket-based Alpha, and gravity-based Bravo, Charlie and Delta – into a decommissioned retirement having been the last one in operation since 2014.
Mammoet has now provided an update on the project, reporting that it has successfully performed the skidding of the 31,000t topside onto the quayside, overcoming complex engineering and safety challenges in the process.
Brent Charlie was required to be removed and transported from the Brent field to the Able Seaton Port near Hartlepool, UK. In order to do so, the company followed a similar process from the previous three Brent topsides.
Allseas used its motion-compensated heavy lift vessel Pioneering Spirit to remove the structure at sea in a single lift and transport it to shallow waters, where the topside was transferred onto Iron Lady, Allseas’ purpose-built cargo barge.
Mammoet had already fitted Iron Lady with skidding equipment (some 45 truckloads of materials), which would be needed to offload Brent Charlie at the port. Mammoet also provided mooring winches for Iron Lady within specific guidelines provided by Allseas on lengths and drum load capacities.
Once the barge had moored at Able Seaton Port and settled into the seabed, the team could determine the starting height of the skid tracks on the quayside and begin laying them down. The topside was skidded over twelve skid tracks, which needed to be perfectly aligned with the skid tracks installed on the barge.
The skidding operation was performed in two stages. First, the topside was skidded five meters to the aft of the barge. Then, after 12 hours to allow for further settling, it was skidded the remaining 130 meters onto the quay, to its final position.
A configuration of 76 skid shoes - divided between the four legs of the platform - and 40 push-pull units were used to skid the topside 15 meters per hour. The combined pushing capacity was 3,320t; the total lift capacity was 51,000t.
Suspended netting was used to collect any falling debris and marine growth that might come away from the structure. All movements were remotely controlled from a control room to minimise the presence of people underneath the platform, and therefore maximise safety.
One of the primary challenges was managing the structures four legs, which cause it to be less stable during skidding. As Richard Verhoeff, Mammoet Sales Director, explained, “When you look at stability, three legs are always stable; four legs are not. You try to keep a three-point suspension when performing a load-in, and still need to achieve that even with four legs. That’s where hydraulic grouping comes in very handy.”
But there can also be some level of deflection between the legs, so the force needs to be able to communicate between the different hydraulic groups.
This is why there were hydraulic cylinders under each leg, and why the cylinders between both pairs of two legs had to be connected – to ensure the pressure on each remained the same.
Despite the various challenges, Mammoet drew from its extensive experience of performing similar operations to successfully complete the task. “We have a pragmatic approach, which is required on jobs like this,” remarked Leo de Vette, Project Manager at Mammoet. “It’s really a team operation, you must do it together. Time is of the essence, so equipment can be moved to the next job. Once the topside is on the barge, there is only one priority – get it off as safely and efficiently as possible.”
SLB, a global technology company, has announced that its SLB OneSubsea joint venture has been awarded a contract by bp to implement a boosting system in the greenfield development of the Kaskida project in the Gulf of Mexico.
“We’re delighted to expand our relationship with bp into the subsea processing domain, especially with such a critical delivery to bp’s first Paleogene field development” remarked Mads Hjelmeland, CEO of SLB OneSubsea. “Our subsea boosting system will accelerate and maximise the immense potential for this development.”
The contract represents the first engineering, procurement and construction contract for a subsea boosting system between bp and SLB OneSubsea. It includes a supplier-led, high-pressure subsea pump solution complete with an integrated power and controls umbilical, in addition to topside equipment.
The boosting system has been regarded as a key technology within bp’s first Paleogene field development. It will supply the required artificial lift needed to maximise production through the accelerated recovery of reserves with minimal energy consumption. The new award has also been celebrated as a continuation of the long-standing relationship between bp and SLB OneSubsea.
CBRE Investment Management, on behalf of a fund managed by its Private Infrastructure division, has acquired a majority stake in Finnish geothermal company, Geonova Oy
Specialising in decentralised heating and cooling services using ground source heat pump (GSHP) technology, Geonova has around 20 years experience in providing full turn-key heating solutions, covering system design, installation and management. The demand for these systems is set for continued growth as it aligns with Finland's 2035 net zero goals. Also, Finland has the highest per capita consumption of heat in the EU.
CBRE IM has acquired an 80% stake in the company from current shareholders, including Helsinki-based Helen Oy and LampoYkkonen Oy. LampoYkkonen will retain a 20% stake in Geonova. CBRE IM has also made a further capital commitment to fund the future expansion of the business. The investment will form a core part of the strategy of CBRE IM’s Private Infrastructure division to invest in infrastructure assets and technologies that support the decarbonisation of the built environment.
Andreas Köttering, Head of Private Infrastructure Europe at CBRE IM said, “Investing in businesses like Geonova demonstrates our strategy of decarbonising the built environment. We can support that strategy by bringing to bear the capabilities of our entire CBRE platform.”
“Geonova has already established itself as a leading player in the GSHP sector in Finland,” said Kerron Lezama, Senior Director, Infrastructure Investments of CBRE IM. “We are excited to be able to work with Geonova’s excellent management team and Vesa to support its future growth as low carbon heating systems play a greater role in making buildings more energy efficient.”
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