Aibel to Connect Johan Sverdrup’s Drilling Platform

Oil and gas services company Aibel has been awarded a contract from the Norwegian oil company Statoil for the hook-up of the drilling platform at the Johan Sverdrup field, offshore Norway. 

The company informed on Tuesday that the value of the contract is close to NOK 400 million. In addition, the contract includes options for hook-up of further two platforms.

“This is an important contract for Aibel. We have been determined and have worked hard to improve competitiveness, and we are pleased to see that we are gaining ground in a tough market,” says President and CEO in Aibel, Mads Andersen.

Statoil awarded the contract on Tuesday on behalf of the partners in the Johan Sverdrup license. Aibel’s task will be to prepare and execute the actual hook-up of the new drilling platform at the Johan Sverdrup field. The project also includes connecting the platform’s systems towards the jacket and two gangways, splicing of high-voltage cables, and hook-up of a temporary hotel platform. In addition, Aibel will assist Statoil during commissioning and start-up offshore.

Haugesund

According to the company, the work starts immediately and will be managed from Aibel’s office in Haugesund. At the yard in Haugesund, the construction of the drilling platform is now more than halfway to completion.

“We look forward to expanding our partnership with Statoil. At the moment we are about to complete a similar assignment, and we enter the project with the best starting point possible. The basic manning is in place, we have an operational team and recent experience,” Andersen says.

The first phase of the project will be characterized by preparatory activities in close cooperation with the drilling platform project. The topside for the drilling platform will be completed and ready for installation in spring 2018. Then, an intensive offshore phase begins for the Aibel crew, which will consist of up to 600 employees in rotation towards the summer of 2019.

The contract with Statoil also includes options for hook-up of the process platform and the accommodation platform, both are under construction for the Johan Sverdrup field.

Statoil on Tuesday also awarded a contract for the hook-up of the riser platform for the Johan Sverdrup field to Aker Solutions and Kvaerner.