Aberdeen-based Decom Engineering has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UAE-headquartered Unique Group to jointly deliver an integrated package of subsea decommissioning services in major oil and gas regions, including the Middle East and APAC countries.
Unique, a global subsea technology and engineering leader, has a global footprint spanning 18 locations and has 30 years experiences working across the oil and gas, renewables and subsea sectors, while Decom has a strong reputation for designing and deploying field-proven mechanical cutting and removal tools that reduce costs and improve safety performance during high-risk infrastructure removal operations.
Unique will provide subsea engineering expertise, project management and offshore operational support to align with Decom’s proprietary Chopsaw cutting, tooling and technical expertise in decommissioning. Decom will have equipment storage space at Unique’s global facilities, ensuring assets are strategically positioned for quicker deployment to client projects. In addition to supporting engineering design and operational planning, Decom will collaborate on training and knowledge transfer initiatives.
Commenting on the strategic alliance, Decom Engineering Managing Director, Nick McNally, said, “The MoU allows us to jointly provide a full decommissioning workstream across subsea cutting, recovery operations, engineering support, operational planning, personnel deployment, and equipment sharing.
“From a commercial standpoint, operators increasingly expect a turnkey model - a single point of accountability - and this partnership is designed to meet that demand without comprising our respective reputations for high-level delivery on complex projects.
“For operators facing tightening budgets, ageing subsea assets, and increasing regulatory attention - including tighter emissions-reduction commitments - an integrated solution like this could prove highly appealing.”
Ross Anderson, Regional Manager, Decommissioning, at Unique Group, added, “By combining Unique Group’s global subsea engineering and offshore execution expertise - now further enhanced by our recent major investment in subsea decommissioning tooling, controlled Mass Flow Excavation systems, and back deck equipment - with Decom Engineering’s specialist cutting and removal technologies, we are positioned to deliver integrated, high performance decommissioning solutions that are tailored to our clients’ exact requirements.”
Wood has secured a two-year contract extension with Woodside Energy for the continued deliverance of brownfield engineering, procurement and construction management services across its offshore assets at the North West Shelf Project.
Under the contract, which is worth up to US$65mn, Wood will deliver asset modifications to boost production, reliability and longevity across Woodside’s NWS offshore assets, including the North Rankin Complex and the Okha FPSO.
John Mtanios, President of Asia Pacific Operations at Wood, iterated, “This extension reflects the strength of our 35-year relationship with Woodside and the trust built through consistent performance and a shared drive for excellence. Since first securing this contract in 2013, our teams have developed deep knowledge of each assets and Woodside’s operational priorities. That insight enables us to go beyond safe, reliable operations – finding smarter ways to improve productivity, reduce costs and optimise performance.”
The NWS Project, located in Western Australia, is one of the largest LNG developments in the world and has supplied the region with affordable and reliable energy for decades.
Seadrill Limited has provided an update on its contracting activities in Europe and beyond, highlighting a new agreement for its West Elara rig on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
In Norway, the West Elara has secured an accommodation contract with Equinor AS, expected to commence in the third quarter of 2026 and continue into the fourth quarter of 2027. The firm contract value is US$78mn, with three priced options of three months each. Prior to this fixture, Seadrill reached a mutual agreement with the current contract holder to make the West Elara available. “This update to the rig’s schedule results in a net increase in total contract value of US$23mn,” the company noted.
Seadrill’s president and chief executive officer, Simon Johnson, said, “We are excited to confirm these important contracts with several of our long-standing customers. … In Norway, the West Elara’s contract with Equinor represents a harmonious solution to a potential gap in the rig’s operations, reaffirming that Seadrill’s collaborative approach with customers continues to create value for all stakeholders.”
Outside Europe, the ultra-deepwater drillship West Capella in Malaysia has secured a contract with an undisclosed operator. The well-based programme is expected to start in the second quarter of 2026, with an estimated duration of 440 days, plus priced options for three additional wells. The total firm-term contract value is approximately US$157mn, including a US$5mn mobilisation fee and excluding additional services.
Meanwhile, the West Carina in Brazil has had its current contract extended through April 2026.
Johnson added, “The reactivation of the West Capella materially enhances Seadrill’s earnings potential in a region with reinvigorated demand for offshore drilling.”
Seadrill’s latest contracts underscore its focus on strengthening European operations while maintaining a global presence across key offshore markets. In Norway, the West Elara deal highlights the company’s ability to optimise rig utilisation in collaboration with major operators, ensuring minimal downtime and maximising the value of its fleet.
The accommodation contract comes amid growing offshore activity in the Norwegian Continental Shelf, where operators are seeking flexible solutions to support extended field development and maintenance projects. Seadrill’s approach reflects a broader trend in the offshore drilling sector, combining operational adaptability with long-term strategic partnerships.
New legislation is on the cards which could serve to advance and streamline the USA’s Rigs to Reefs initiative.
The USA’s Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources has held a legislative hearing on a bill to codify the existing Rigs to Reef initiative which allows oil and gas operators to decommission offshore energy infrastructure which has reached the end of its life, and convert it to artificial reefs.
H.R. 5745, the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Mississippi), formalises and builds upon the Rigs to Reef initiative, which proponents of the bill have argued has been hampered by red tape. The bill establishes clear procedures and timelines to ensure a reliable permitting process and authorizes the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), in coordination with relevant state agencies, to designate Reef Planning Areas. Finally, the bill directs BSEE to provide a map of each idle structure that supports an established reef ecosystem and an annual report detailing reefing applications and outcomes to Congress, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Administrator of NOAA. BSEE Gulf of America Regional Director Bryan Domangue testified in support of the bill, saying the BSEE is keen to work with lawmakers to improve its provisions.
Subcommittee chairman Pete Stauber, R-Minnesota said, “The Rigs to Reefs program has been a great success story, thanks in no small part to partnerships between domestic energy producers and federal and state regulators and conservation agencies. I commend Representative Ezell for his leadership on the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act, which will strengthen this program, benefiting marine habitat and coastal communities for years to come. I look forward to working with Representative Ezell to advance this important legislation through the Natural Resources Committee.”
However, opponents of the bill expressed the fear it could reduce government oversight, removing key environmental safeguards and allowing oil companies to more easily swerve their clean-up obligations.
The Gulf of America is one of the leading regions for Rigs to Reefs projects, with 634 platforms in the Gulf of Mexico having been transformed into reefs as of June 2023, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. Many studies have been conducted by the US Government to examine the impact the reefs have both on the structures themselves and the surrounding marine ecosystem. One benefit is that of marine restoration and biodiversity enhancement – the deployment of artificial reefs in areas that have been affected by situations such as coral bleaching and destructive fishing practices allows new habitats to house a variety of marine life and play a significant contribution to ecosystem restoration.
Other benefits can include the enhancement of fisheries around the localised area; a rise in ecotourism, in particular destination diving; added coastal protection from erosion as the rigs act as submerged breakwaters; advancement in marine research; increased maintenance of nutrient cycling and water quality; contribution to environmentally responsible practices; and coral restoration and conservation.
On the other side of the coin, however, there has been some pushback due to a number of posed risks associated with the process. Concerns include habitat displacement as some reefs can alter local marine habitats; the risk of pollution from improperly prepared materials; physical damage to the seafloor if the design or placement of the rig is not appropriate; damage to the surrounding ecosystem if the construction has not been actioned properly; the negative impacts associated with long-term maintenance of the rigs; the economic costs of reef management; and design flaws which may create conflict with local environmental conditions.
According to the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, well decommissioning is a critical process for environmental protection.
After a well has been drilled and utilised for production, it must be safely plugged and sealed in the Outer Continental Shelf, with the production-supporting equipment removed for disposal. This is established right from the start when a company signs a lease for offshore exploration, Right-of-Way or Right-of-Use-and-Easement.
Decommissioning activity in a platform generally relates to two parts -- the topside that can be seen above the waterline, and the mudline substructure that remains between the surface and the seabed. The operational components that make up the topsides are removed to be taken to shore for repurposing. The substructure, on the other hand, is dismantled 15 ft below the mudline before they are transported to shore for commercial purposes or recycling/reinstallation.
In case a structure is kept as it is for conversion to an artificial reef in line with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Artificial Reef Plan, it requires approval from the Regional Supervisor.
A central part of BSEE's decommissioning rules is the 'Idle Iron' policy that is applicable for decommissioned and no longer 'economically viable' operations. This distinction bars inactive facilities from littering the Gulf of America by alarming operators on the urgency of dismantling and disposal responsibilities once non-productive wells have been plugged.
The Idle Iron policy helps safeguard environmental hazards that can result from unremoved topsides and the associated equipment, electronics, wiring, piping and tanks, among others. Also, severe weather conditions like hurricanes can cause idle facilities to leak, giving rise to unwanted risks.
Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO) has commenced production from the Al-Wasl-4 development well at the North Safa Field, marking a further boost t crude oil output from one of the Gulf of Suez region’s most important recent offshore discoveries.
The well, drilled from the field’s offshore production platform, has an initial production rate of around 2,250 barrels of crude oil per day, alongside approximately 1.3mn cubic feet of gas per day. As a result, GUPCO’s total crude oil production has risen to roughly 65,000 barrels per day, strengthening Egypt’s upstream output from mature offshore assets.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said the start-up reflects GUPCO’s ongoing strategy to maximise value from its asset base through an integrated development approach. This includes drilling new exploratory and development wells, re-evaluating geological structures and leveraging remaining potential within mature producing fields.
The Al-Wasl-4 well is among the flagship projects within GUPCO’s 2026 development plan, having been prioritised following encouraging technical and geological studies. According to the ministry, these assessments confirmed the commercial viability of the well and its role in sustaining and expanding production from the North Safa Field.
North Safa is regarded as one of the most significant offshore discoveries in the Gulf of Suez in recent years. Commercial production from the field began in 2024 after GUPCO completed a major development programme that included the installation of a new offshore production platform and the laying and connection of subsea production pipelines. The project was executed in line with stringent occupational safety, health and environmental protection standards, the ministry added.
Alongside bringing new wells on stream, GUPCO is also advancing an integrated reservoir pressure maintenance programme designed to support long-term production sustainability. The programme involves water injection across three wells, aimed at maintaining reservoir pressure, optimising recovery rates and enhancing overall production efficiency.
Preparations are already under way for the second phase of development at North Safa, with reservoir performance data from current operations expected to inform future drilling and production plans. The ministry noted that the company’s focus remains on balancing short-term production gains with long-term field management, particularly in offshore environments where maximising recovery from existing infrastructure is critical.
The latest production milestone underscores the continued importance of the Gulf of Suez as a core oil-producing region, even as operators increasingly rely on advanced studies and targeted development to unlock additional value from established fields.
Technology solutions company, Rosenxt Group, has acquired K.U.M Umwelt- und Meerestechnik Kiel GmbH (K.U.M), strengthening its position in the growing subsea technology market and expands its portfolio with specialised solutions for deep-sea monitoring and data acquisition.
K.U.M boasts a vast portfolio of customised subsea monitoring systems, ocean-bottom seismometers, seabed instrument carriers, and other advanced deep-sea solutions. The company has more than 400 offshore expeditions and a broad customer base across 40 countries. Now, as part of Rosenxt Group, K.U.M will gain access to a broader international market and be able to scale its subsea solutions more rapidly.
Through the acquisition, Rosenxt will significantly expand its presence in the specialised subsea domain: K.U.M brings more than 20 years of experience in developing complete subsea systems. The acquisition supports Rosenxt’s strategy on integrating sensing, robotics, digitalisation, materials technology and deep environmental expertise to develop robust solutions that create value across subsea, offshore and upstream applications.
Hermann Rosen, Chairman of the Board at Rosenxt, said, “The integration of K.U.M is a consistent contribution to our responsibility to shape the future of critical infrastructure in a resilient and technologically excellent way. K.U.M brings decades of subsea engineering expertise and precise data acquisition to the table – a strong addition to our group. We think in the long term – beyond market cycles – and are laying the foundations today for the solutions of tomorrow. Rosenxt is staying true to its course and sending a clear signal about its ambitious development in the subsea market.”
CEO of K.U.M, Onno Bliss, commented, “Joining the Rosenxt Group enables K.U.M to further scale our subsea data acquisition and instrumentation solutions and benefit from the group’s broader technology ecosystem. Our shared values – innovation, precision, integrity – make this partnership an excellent fit.”
Archer, in collaboration with SLB, has been awarded an integrated plug and abandonment (P&A) contract with Equinor for the Titan platform in the Gulf of America (GoA).
The service offerings under the contract includes project management, well engineering, provision of a compact workover rig, coiled tubing, wireline services, and a suite of downhole P&A technologies and the scope covers P&A of three wells. The award combines SLB’s established deepwater leadership in the region with Archer’s specialist expertise as a P&A service provider.
Dag Skindlo, CEO of Archer, commented, “This integrated deepwater P&A project builds on our momentum following several large P&A contract awards in the North Sea in 2025. The recent acquisitions of the US based fishing specialists WFR and Premium were key steps in our strategy to position Archer as a leading service provider in the growing deepwater P&A market in the GoA.”
The contract follows hot on the heels of the award of an integrated P&A contract with Equinor for 30 subsea wells. The fully integrated P&A programme incorporates the planning scope including project management, well and subsurface engineering (provided through the Archer Elemental joint venture) with the execution scope including wireline, fishing and remedial services, downhole mechanical isolation, P&A services, cementing, fluids, and mudlogging.
The awards further reinforce Archer’s leading position within the P&A market and reflect its ability to deliver integrated well abandonment solutions from concept selection through to the permanent abandonment of wells. The company has successfully completed hundreds of permanent P&A wells in the North Sea.
Equinor has been granted approval by the Norwegian Offshore Directorate to drill a new exploration well in the Norwegian part of the North Sea, strengthening ongoing activity in one of the country’s mature offshore areas.
The permit relates to the 34/8-A-37 H wildcat well within production licence 120, a licence originally awarded on 23 August 1985 and currently valid through to 2034. Equinor operates the licence with a 53.2% interest. The remaining stakes are held by Petoro, which owns 30%, ConocoPhillips Skandinavia with 9.1%, and Repsol Norge with 7.7%.
Drilling of the well is planned to take place from the Visund field, with operations expected to commence in January 2026. The Visund field is situated in the northern North Sea, northeast of the Gullfaks field, in waters measuring around 335 m in depth.
Discovered in 1986, Visund moved into the development phase following approval of its plan for development and operation in 1996. First oil was achieved three years later, in 1999, and the field has remained an active production hub since then.
The development comprises the Visund A platform, a semi-submersible installation that combines accommodation, drilling and processing functions. This surface infrastructure is supported by a subsea production facility located in the northern part of the field, enabling continued operations in the area.
With some of Vietnam’s older fields entering the decommissioning stage, reflecting the maturity of south-east Asia’s offshore oil and gas sector, the industry is still capable of throwing up a surprise or two.
In a move that should stir longer-term demand for oil well services of all kinds, Vietnam has just unearthed its largest discovery in a generation.
For US independent Murphy Oil Corporation, 2026 truly began with a bang with the drilling of the Hai Su Vang-2X (HSV-2X) appraisal well in Block 15-2/17 in the Cuu Long Basin, yielding what is thought to be the biggest find across the region in 20 years.
Located approximately 40 miles off the coast of Vietnam, the well spud in early October 2025 and marks a major milestone in Murphy’s strategic appraisal campaign for the Hai Su Vang (Golden Sea Lion) field.
The HSV-2X well was drilled to appraise the 2025 Hai Su Vang discovery, where an initial discovery well encountered approximately 370 feet of net oil pay across two reservoirs.
The HSV-2X well encountered 429 feet of net oil pay across the same two reservoirs, including 332 feet of net oil pay in the deeper primary reservoir and 97 feet of net oil pay in the shallow reservoir.
While further testing is ongoing, the primary reservoir achieved a production rate of 6,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) of high-quality, 37-degree API oil.
These results confirm Hai Su Vang as a “significant discovery,” a Murphy Oil statement noted, pushing up resource estimates at the site beyond the initial 430 MMBOE high-end range.
“This is a pivotal moment for our Vietnam business,” said Eric Hambly, Murphy Oil’s President and CEO.
“The success of HSV-2X not only reinforces the commerciality of the Hai Su Vang field but also sets the stage for a robust development programme.”
Additional appraisal wells are needed to further refine the range of recoverable resources for both reservoirs — the HSV-3X appraisal in Block 15-1/05, and the HSV-4X well in Block 15-2/17 are both included in the group’s 2026 capital programme.
It also bodes well for the Cuu Long Basin going forward and the scope for oil well services in the region.
Now considered a mature basin, work on decommissioning, dismantling and relocation of Vietnam’s Song Doc Platform is already underway.
It means news from the Murphy Oil camp at the start of 2026 will be welcomed by the whole services industry.
Canada’s ReconAfrica has increased a private finance placement ahead of a major 2026 programme covering planning, pre-drill work, appraisal and testing across its West African assets.
The company reported that it increased the size of the finance offering from C$20mn to C$32mn due to strong investor demand.
In a statement, Brian Reinsborough, President and CEO, called the 2026 capital spend “the most comprehensive and diverse programme in ReconAfrica's history.”
It will fund multiple activities in parallel, including advancing the Kavango discovery in Namibia toward commerciality, advancing the exploration inventory of the newly discovered Damara Fold Belt play from Namibia into Angola, and progressing the Loba discovery on the Ngulu exploration block offshore Gabon to a drill-ready state.
Work at Namibia’s Kavango West 1X will include a production test after a decision was taken not to perform a drill stem test (DST) to allow for more controlled testing of isolated intervals of interest.
A production casing string will be installed from the surface down to a total depth of 4,260 metres to allow for more controlled testing of all hydrocarbon-bearing intervals and for the well to be completed as a potential producing well.
The activities in Namibia aim to position the company towards final investment decision and commercialisation of the Kavango discovery and the acceleration of first production, according to Reinsborough.
In Gabon, the company signed a production-sharing contract last year for the Ngulu block, located in shallow waters offshore.
After wading through seismic data, ReconAfrica plans to obtain a third-party resource report outlining the block’s potential with the goal of progressing the Loba field appraisal well to a drill-ready status.
In Angola, ReconAfrica plans to accelerate geochemical sampling of surface oil seeps in its MOU area and commence permitting for a potential 2D seismic programme as part of a broader evaluation of the Damara Fold Belt, with crews expected on site in April 2026.
One of Australia’s newest ships that could play a crucial role in the nation’s decommissioning effort has been christened.
Bhagwan Marine announced on 7 January, 2026 that it had named its newest vessel the 'Bhagwan Micah' at its Brisbane operational base — it is named in honour of the late Micah Kirk, a former member of the group's Melbourne team.
The company said the vessel is purpose-built for the energy transition and critical infrastructure sectors.
Formerly named ‘the Phoenix’, the Bhagwan Micah is a 38m state-of-the-art Stern Landing Vessel (SLV), designed for the exacting requirements of modern offshore energy and subsea operations, particularly oil and gas decommissioning, with the ability to work in shallow water environments, subsea inspection, maintenance and repair and defence logistics projects.
“This latest addition to our fleet marks another milestone in the company’s strategic growth as Australia’s leading provider of integrated marine solutions across offshore energy, subsea, ports and inshore logistics and defence sectors,” a Bhagwan Marine statement read.
“With a fleet now of over 100 vessels, Bhagwan Marine continues to position itself as the partner of choice for operators who demand proven reliability, technical excellence and low-risk project execution in complex marine environments.”
The vessel is secured under a five-year bareboat charter from BM Fleet, providing Bhagwan Marine with long-term control of a scarce, high-spec asset while maintaining capital flexibility for further fleet renewal.
“The Bhagwan Micah is not just another vessel – it is a strategic asset that reinforces Bhagwan Marine’s leadership in complex, high-consequence marine operations where safety, technical performance and environmental responsibility cannot be compromised,” the statement added.
Last August, in its 2025 results presentation, the company highlighted how it had grown its presence in the decommissioning sector.
It also highlighted future growth opportunities, citing “a substantial long-term pipeline of offshore oil and gas decommissioning projects” as well as potential work arising from ageing offshore assets requiring inspection, repair and maintenance.
Page 6 of 119
