GMS teams up with Dwellop for cantilever solutions

Equipment

January 19, 2016

Gulf Marine Services (GMS), a provider of self-propelled self-elevating support vessels (SESVs), has entered into a partnership with Norwegian-based Dwellop for well intervention and workover operations, in order to capture new markets in the sector.

The partnership brings together GMS’ experience in SESV construction and operation and Dwellop’s expertise in topside systems for well intervention and workover, GMS said. The result of this collaboration is a cantilever system for the vessels.

The parties have entered into a three-year exclusive agreement for cantilever solutions for the GMS SESVs. The first two cantilever solutions are scheduled for delivery in 2016. The first system will be for well intervention with wireline and coiled tubing, the second, ready for operation at the end of 2016, will be equipped with the workover rig. This complete system is designed to perform operations such as plugging and abandonment, light drilling, change out of submerged pumps and completions.

Duncan Anderson, CEO at GMS, says: “GMS operates in mature oil fields where a significant amount of workover activity is still undertaken by drilling rigs. GMS vessels are already able to move more rapidly between surface well heads than these relatively cumbersome and costly drilling rigs.

“As part of our strategy to maintain our high utilisation levels and grow our fleet further, we have developed with Dwellop a cantilever solution that will allow us to supplant the drilling rigs with our self-propelled SESVs, thereby providing cost savings and further reductions in non-productive time for our clients.”

Dwellop, formerly a Rolls-Royce Marine company, is a designer and supplier of topside handling systems for well intervention.

“The technology is proven and was developed for the harsh environment of the North Sea. The first rig was delivered to Talisman. This new partnership with GMS marks the first step of our growth strategy to enter into new markets globally,” says Helge Hustoft, CEO at Dwellop.