Highlights of the Week

Subsea World News has put together a recap of the most interesting articles from the previous week (December 14 – December 20).

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) has given Statoil, Gassco and ExxonMobil consent for manned underwater operations in 2016. The services are to be supplied by Technip and Subsea 7.

The consent applies to manned underwater operations down to 180 metres and covers both planned and undefined operational and project tasks, as well as emergency repairs.

Bibby Offshore has been awarded a multi-million pound contract by BP to replace subsea infrastructure in the Central North Sea.

The work is part of the $1-billion Eastern Trough Area Project (ETAP) Life Extension Project announced by BP in the summer.

Norwegian seismic player Dolphin is filing for bankruptcy after failing to secure financial support to keep the business afloat.

The Oslo-listed company has, over the past few months, looked for financial solution, however, last week, Dolphin warned that it had not reached an agreement with the main stakeholders and if the answers don’t come soon, it will have no choice but to file for insolvent liquidation of the company.

Aker Solutions said on Tuesday that the absence of a new main supplier contract with Statoil will have ‘serious implications’ for the company’s maintenance, modifications and operations (MMO) business in Norway.

Aker Solutions is currently a main supplier of maintenance and modifications services at Statoil-operated fields in Norway through a framework contract that expires in summer 2016 and that provides work for about 900 onshore and offshore employees.

Ocean Installer has signed an amendment with Statoil for riser replacement operations at the Troll C field.

Additionally, this includes options for work at the Vigdis field. The work will be executed under the SLMP Marine Installation Contract.