Highlights of the Week

Subsea World News has put together a recap of the most interesting articles from the previous week (June 29 – July 05).

Italian contractor, Saipem, has relased an animation of its future fleet addition, the offshore subsea construction vessel Normand Maximus. With Normand Maximus, the Italian contractor aims to combine SURF installation with field development activities in ultra-deep water.

Solstad was hired to build and operate the vessel. According to Solstad, Saipem agreed to charter the vessel for a minimum of 8 years from delivery, scheduled to be 2Q 2016.

SURF contractor, Ceona, has confirmed company’s plans to adjust its workforce as it tries to adjust to tough subsea market caused by the fall in oil prices.

According to the company’s spokesperson, Ceona is currently reviewing all areas of its business operations and not just Aberdeen. Ceona did not say how many jobs will be affected and when the planned redundancies will happen.

Shell has made the final investment decision (FID) to advance the Appomattox deep-water development in the Gulf of Mexico.

This decision authorises the construction and installation of Shell’s eighth and largest floating platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The Appomattox development will initially produce from the Appomattox and Vicksburg fields, with average peak production estimated to reach approximately 175,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day.

Oslo-listed, Siem Offshore (SIOFF), informed that Daya Materials has received green light from its shareholders to implement the acquisition of offshore subsea construction vessel “Siem Daya 1″.

In April this year, Siem Offshore agreed to sell Siem Daya 1 for USD 120 million. In addition, SIOFF is entitled to a 60/40 profit share in SIOFFs favour based on the profit Daya makes on the vessel limited to an additional USD 10 million.

Saudi Aramco has achieved a landmark by energizing its largest Tie-in Platform with a 230 kilovolt 46 km submarine composite cable, “the longest of its kind”.

The Tie-in Platform, named ‘TP-20′ lies in Safaniya offshore field, and energizing it was the first phase of long-term plans to upgrade the Safaniya offshore field, referred to as the Safaniya Master Plan.