CHC to provide three helicopters for Shell’s Prelude FLNG project

CHC Helicopter, a provider of offshore helicopters for offshore oil and gas industry, will provide three additional aircraft for Shell’s Prelude FLNG project.

CHC Group said on Thursday that three new Sikorsky S-92 aircraft will be serving Shell’s Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) project from its base in Broome, Australia.

According to CHC, these new aircraft will join a fourth S-92 already in use as part of a two-year extension of the current Shell contract in place since mid-2012.

The Shell Prelude FLNG facility measures 488 meters from bow to stern and will weigh around 600,000 tons when fully loaded. It will contain 260,000 tons of steel, and its deck area will be longer than four football fields.

Currently under construction in South Korea, once delivered, the facility will be towed to its location, some 475 kilometers north-east of Broome to the namesake gas field. It will then be moored and connected to the undersea infrastructure and the whole production system commissioned.

Karl Fessenden, President and Chief Executive Officer of CHC Helicopter, said: “Shell has been a long-time customer of ours as we provide critical transportation services in support of their efforts in the region, so we are excited to expand and extend this contract through at least May 2019.”