BP keeps Sparrows on North Sea crane management contract

UK’s offshore crane services specialist Sparrows Group has extended its North Sea mechanical handling and crane management contract with British oil major BP.

According to Sparrows’ press release on Friday, the contract entails crane management and maintenance of all 21 pedestal cranes across eight BP’s North Sea assets. This includes the soon to be commissioned Clair Ridge platform and Glen Lyon FPSO.

The full scope of the contract covers the supply of crane operators and maintenance of the pedestal cranes as well as all other mechanical handling equipment which includes inspection, repair, refurbishment, and spares management. As part of the contract, the company also delivers training and engineering support for all lifting scopes which includes equipment change-outs and decommissioning activities.

The companies have a relationship going back to 1975 with Sparrows servicing all of BP’s North Sea crane operations and maintenance requirements since then. The contract extension will extend the working partnership between the firms to over 50 years.

Stewart Mitchell, CEO of Sparrows, said: “Reaching this impressive milestone with BP is something we are very proud of. We have built an enduring relationship with them, which began in the very early years of the North Sea, based firmly on true partnership. To be involved as the new generation of platforms come online is hugely satisfying and underlines that there is a lot of life left in the North Sea.”

Recently, Sparrows Group secured a contract for the provision of crane management services on an FPSO bound for another UK North Sea asset, the EnQuest-operated Kraken field.