Latest News

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: July, 2023

THREE60 Energy, a leading independent energy service company offering complete asset life cycle expertise, has been awarded a multi-million dollar well decommissioning contract in Europe.

As announced on social media, the new contract will see THREE60 Energy plug and abandon 13 injection, production and observation wells in the UK and Europe.

The company will utilise its well decommissioning team to deliver the plug and abandonment designs, prepare operational planning and supervise the offshore execution, which includes the management of the jack-up rig and well abandonment subcontractors.

Nick Ford, Wells UK Managing Director at THREE60 Energy, commented, “With our strong track record of offshore delivery and well abandonment we bring almost 20 years of the technical skills, capabilities and experience needed to successfully deliver this significant well decommissioning project offshore Europe.

Walter Thain, CEO at THREE60 Energy, added, “This contract clearly demonstrates the opportunities available for supply chain companies globally, especially within decommissioning, and is a great example of transferring our competency and capability across multiple geographies.”

• Region: Gulf of Mexico
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: June, 2023

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Director, Kevin Sligh, has announced a US$3mn investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help reduce the risk of pollution from orphaned infrastructure on the federal Outer Continental Shelf.

The funding will specifically support BSEE decommissioning service contracts in the Matagorda Island lease area in the Gulf of Mexico. The funds are part of a nearly US$64mn commitment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to address orphaned oil and gas wells on public lands.

“The funding announced today under the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is critical for helping BSEE leverage available funds to tackle the backlog of decommissioning orphaned infrastructure offshore in the Gulf of Mexico,” commented Sligh. “If not properly decommissioned, offshore oil and gas infrastructure can become safety hazards, cause environmental harm, or interfere with navigation, fishing, or other uses of the Outer Continental Shelf.”

BSEE plans to award contracts to address nine orphan wells and associated pipelines and platforms in the Matagorda Island lease area, approximately 12 miles off the Texas coast. The initial contract will address the most immediate and urgent needs to reduce the risk of safety incidents and pollution in preparation for well-plugging operations.

An important part of BSEE’s responsibilities is to ensure that infrastructure used in exploration, development, and production activities undertaken according to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act is properly decommissioned to provide the long-term protection of the resource and the surrounding environment.

• Region: All
• Date: June, 2023

Oilenco Ltd has announced the appointment of David Nicoll who has joined the company as Business Development Manager for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in order to reinforce Oilenco’s focus on overseas well intervention markets.

David, known to his network as Davie, will bring 25 years’ worth of experience to the company, with more than 16 years working across a variety of downhole intervention roles. He commented, “I’ve spent the last nine years travelling all over SSA learning about this market. As a leader in well intervention and abandonment within the UK, Oilenco are uniquely positioned to deliver best-in-class solutions that are ideally suited to the SSA market.”

In his role, Davie will be responsible for bringing Oilenco products and solutions to this evolving market, developing the Oilenco brand in the sub-Saharan region and establishing the company as the provider of choice for downhole tool solutions.

Davis will make his debut as Business Development Manager next week at the Offshore Network Well Intervention West Africa Conference on 20 and 21 June.

“I am delighted to be joining such an innovative team, at an exciting time for the company. With a real focus on growth not only in Africa, but in other regions, I look forward to bringing Oilenco’s reputation as a first-class downhole tooling provider to the market,” Davie said.

• Region: Gulf of Mexico
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: June, 2023

Petrofac, a leading provider of services to the global energy industry, has added a third Gulf of Mexico field, and extended the scope of its existing contract to decommission two fields, in the Gulf of Mexico.

Following this contract expansion, the legacy offshore fields and assets now include 12 platforms, 211 wells and 32 pipeline segments, as well as operations and logistics services. The scope includes the safe, efficient, and assured decommissioning of the fields and operation of the fields during the execution of the decommissioning work.

Petrofac will use its proven decommissioning programme management systems, tools, and processes to deliver the project. Its integrated local team, wider global decommissioning organisation and supply chain partners, have collectively plugged and abandoned more than 2,300 wells and decommissioned over 250 facilities.

Nick Shorten, Chief Operating Officer for Petrofac’s Asset Solutions business, remarked, “This sizable contract expansion recognises our industry-leading decommissioning programme management experience and our differentiated in-house capability to manage all well and asset decommissioning phases.

“Through this and other decommissioning projects, Petrofac is actively and sustainably contributing to the energy transition globally.”

• Region: All
• Date: June, 2023

Odfjell Technology, an integrated supplier of offshore drilling, well and engineering services, has achieved an industry-first for cleaning blowout preventers (BOPs) by reaching a 50% time reduction during a successful trial.

Odfjell Technology, over a test period of six months, revised the procedure for cleaning the BOP on the Johan Sverdrup platform in Norway by increasing the pump rate to allow more water flow into the BOP cavities to aid debris removal.

The annular and variable rams were flushed with two passes at the new recommended flow rates to remove debris, then the BOP stack was flushed at the same rate using Odfjell Technology’s RizeRdillo Advanced Jetting Tool. The flow rates went from 1,500 litres per minute (LPM) to 5,500LPM while flushing the annular and from 3,000LPM to 5,500LPM while flushing the BOP.

Results from the successful test period proved that no damage occurred to the BOP and annular with the recommended pump rates, and between six and 12 hours of time could be saved using this new procedure.

The RizeRdillo Advanced Jetting Tool allows for higher pump flow rates, enabling a larger volume of fluid with less pump pressure. This maximises riser cleaning efficiency to reduce operating costs and non-productive time.

Ian Low, Global Product Line Manager, Well Intervention at Odfjell Technology, commented, “By focusing on delivering world class expertise and technology which enables more efficient operations without compromise on safety, Odfjell Technology proves it is the partner of choice for customers time and again.

“Our ethos has been demonstrated by our expert teams achieving this impressive industry-first result for cleaning BOPs. BOPs are essential for safe and efficient well operations, and we are proud to deliver leading solutions to our customers to ensure BOPs are operating at optimal levels.”

• Region: North Sea
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: Jun, 2023

The Norwegian oil and gas operator, DNO ASA, has reported that the wellhead platform production facilities have been removed from the Schooner field offshore the UK, signifying the last major offshore operation under DNO’s multi-year North Sea decommissioning campaign.

DNO’s Chief Operating Officer, Chris Spencer, said, “We have conducted these operations in a safe, cost-efficient and environmentally responsible manner, coordinating five tier-one contractors and displaying our capabilities as a full life-cycle offshore operator.”

The heavy lift was conducted using the Heerema Marine Contractors’ Thialf semi-submersible crane vessel. The 1,200 tonne platform deck was lifted aboard the vessel on 17 May, while the jacket was removed on 23 May after the piles had been cut three metres below the seabed. The deck and jacket have been transported to the Hoondert Yard in the Netherlands for dismantlement and recycling.

• Region: West Africa
• Date: Jun, 2023

Energy services provider, Expro, has announced a five-year well intervention and integrity contract with TotalEnergies EP Uganda for the multi-well Tilenga project.

Expro’s ability to provide an innovative environmental solution was a key component for securing the contract worth more than US$30mn for slickline services. The solution supported the client’s carbon reduction objectives, as well as coincided with Expro’s commitment to national recruitment in line with a local development plan set up in collaboration with TotalEnergies and the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU).

Work will begin in Q2 2023, with Expro initially supporting drilling activity followed by production optimisation, integrity and well workover support. The company has designed four well intervention units to deliver a single operational solution for slickline and braided line in a cased hole environment across the life of the well. The solution is designed to reduce equipment footprint and equivalent CO2 emissions, while delivering improved efficiency.

Iain Farley, Expro’s Regional Vice President for Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, said, “We are delighted to further develop our relationship with TotalEnergies through work on this key project, which reinforces Expro’s ability to partner in frontier field developments in support of energy security.

“Expro’s solution was designed and engineered with the specific needs of this project in mind, taking into account the environmental sensitivities of the location and the need to support the project’s overall environmental and social objectives. It builds on our current operations in East Africa and on many years of successful delivery on key projects in locations such as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Mozambique and Egypt.”

• Region: Gulf of Mexico
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: Jun, 2023

Helix Alliance, the Louisiana-based subsidiary of Helix Energy Solutions Group, has been awarded a 39-well decommissioning contract for the Gulf of Mexico shelf.

Owen Kratz, Helix’s President and Chief Executive Office, said, “This award demonstrates Helix’s position as the preeminent company for full-field decommissioning in the Gulf of Mexico shelf, along with our other services supporting the full life cycle of offshore fields, following the expansion of our industry-leading decommissioning services with our acquisition of Alliance last year.”

The scope of work includes the plug and abandonment of 39 wells, 15 pipelines and seven structures. Helix Alliance plans to utilise the EPIC Hedron heavy lift derrick barge for structure removals, lifeboats for P&A activities, the Triton Explorer dive support vessel for pipeline abandonments and multiple Helix Alliance OSVs throughout the campaign.

• Region: All
• Date: May, 2023

BiSN, a global provider of Wel-lok sealing solutions, has achieved a remarkable milestone by reaching 400 commercial deployments of its Wel-lok technology, a patented technology enabling bismuth-based seals that are more reliable, durable, and cost-effective than traditional sealing methods.

It was only 13 months ago that BiSN reached 300 commercial deployments of Wel-lok technology. According to the company, the rise in deployment since then has been part of a wider, exponential demand growth over the past three years among operators for both plug and abandonment and well intervention. As a result, 2022 represented the busiest commercial year for BiSN and Q1 of 2023 has already been record setting.

BiSN has now deployed into major areas such as North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Within these regions, the company has run commercial deployments in 17 countries, most recently in Mozambique. Building on this success, BiSN now harbours plans to continue its global reach while continuing to foster productive and collaborative relations with global operators.

Currently, Wel-lok technology has been commercially applied to 11 different applications, including water shut off, cement repair, packer repair, and plug and abandonment. The company has stated that it will continue to refine and develop Wel-lok technology for a variety of well intervention, completion, and plug and abandonment applications.

Paul Carragher, CEO and Founder of BiSN, remarked, “We are thrilled to have achieved this important milestone of 400 commercial deployments. It is a testament to the value and effectiveness of Wel-lok technology and could not be achieved without the commitment of the full BiSN team. As demand continues to rise across all active regions, BiSN is expanding to meet that demand by opening facilities now in Australia and Brazil.”

• Region: North Sea
• Date: May, 2023

Archer has announced the award of a five-year contract for the provision of coiled tubing and pumping services with Perenco UK Limited in the United Kingdom.

The contract, with an estimated value of up to US$50mn, contains two options of one year each and commenced 3 May 2023 in direct continuation of company's previous contract with Perenco.
Dag Skindlo, CEO of Archer, commented, “We are extremely proud to announce this long-term coiled tubing and pumping contract. This commitment reflects our client’s confidence in our ability to maintain safe operations and continue our strong service delivery performance.

“Archer announced the acquisition of the Baker Hughes UK Coiled Tubing business early in 2023 and assumed operations from 4 April. We have successfully transitioned the business and have a dedicated Archer Coiled Tubing team of 50 experienced and skilled employees performing safe and efficient services in the UK.

“We look forward to continuing growing the Archer service offering in the UK and bringing value to our clients’ P&A, workover, and intervention programmes.”

• Region: North Sea
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: May, 2023

Odfjell Technology, an integrated supplier of offshore drilling and well operations, and well service equipment including project and engineering services, has deployed its innovative rigless plug and abandonment (P&A) unit for a geothermal pilot project in Tromsø, Norway.

The downhole conditions for further testing and development of a underground heat storage concept were successfully established by using equipment and operational principles from the offshore oil and gas industry.

 In co-operation with Xrig and Halliburton, Odfjell Technology played a key role in the planning and execution of this project for Kvitebjørn Varme, the company operating the district heating facility in the city of Tromsø. The overall aim for the project was to progress an underground heat storage concept developed by Ruden AS, which won the innovation prize at ONS in 2022.

Creating a network of subsurface fractures between a centre injector well, along with surrounding production wells placed in a circle around the injector, was the purpose of the project. All wells had been pre-drilled down to 300 m depth and Odfjell Technology’s P&A unit was used to deploy a hydraulic stimulation assembly, sand jetting and fracturing the formation every 5-7 m from 270 to 70 m depth.

Following the establishment of fractures, significant flow communication was confirmed between the injector well and the various producers by performing an injection test, meaning ideal downhole conditions were achieved for further testing the Ruden AS heat storage concept.

With this fracture system in place, Kvitebjørn Varme can now use the excessive heat produced from its plant during summer to warm up water, continuously circulating hot water down the injector well, into the fracture network and up through the producer wells. Heat is then transferred from the hot water to the formation, heating up the rock over time. During winter, cold water will be circulated into the same heated fracture system, transferring the stored heat to the cold water. Hot water is then produced from the production wells, ready to be distributed directly into the district heating network.

Elisabeth Haram, Executive Vice President Well Services at Odfjell Technology, commented, “Odfjell Technology uses its heritage of 50 years in the oil and gas industry to play a leading role in the energy transition. This very exciting and strategically important pilot geothermal project clearly shows how our technology and experience can be applied across the energy mix, and what collaboration and competence sharing between the oil and gas industry leaders and new industry partners in the energy sector can achieve.

“Our full rigless P&A unit offering for offshore SR and P&A operations will launch in the next four to six months. We look forward to working with customers and partners to implement this at scale across the world.”

• Region: North Sea
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: May, 2023

Expro has secured a new contract with Harbour Energy for a well abandonment campaign as part of the decommissioning project for the Balmoral area, in the UK Continental Shelf.

The contract, valued at more than US$20mn, will utilise Expro’s Subsea Well Access technology with a combination of open-water and in-riser applications deployed from a semi-submersible rig.

Expro’s ability to supply a lightweight open-water system will help to mitigate loading issues during the subsea well access intervention part of the overall abandonment campaign. The company’s open-water and in-riser bore selector technology, which eliminates the use of a dual bore riser for the entire abandonment campaign, is designed to deliver significantly reduced system deployment and retrieval times with lower maintenance costs.

To overcome key technical requirements from the customer, Expro devised an innovative technological solution based on a new build lightweight intervention system, incorporating its unique subsea ball valve technologies. Expro’s existing API 17G standard high debris ball valve was recently qualified to provide a single ball cut and seal on coil tubing. This ball valve technology will be re-packaged into bespoke open water riser housings to provide the lightweight solution required.

The solution developed for this award expands Expro’s subsea well access portfolio and allows Expro to now supply the client with all the subsea well access tooling required for the abandonment campaign on the Balmoral area, for horizontal and vertical Xmas Trees.

Colin Mackenzie, Expro’s Vice President of Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, commented, “We are proud to have secured this award by offering an innovative approach to meet the needs of this important customer. We believe that our leading-edge technology continues to deliver safe, reliable and environmentally secure subsea well access in support of major projects around the world. We are delighted to further extend the scope of our partnership on this campaign which reinforces our position as a key enabler within the plug and abandonment market.”