James Fisher Subsea Excavation nets EMAS-AMC deal

James Fisher Subsea Excavation (JFSE), part of James Fisher and Sons, has signed a contract for providing mass flow excavation services to EMAS-AMC during vessel replacement offshore Libya.

JFSE said on Thursday that the contract is their first in the East Mediterranean and that the project will take place at Bouri field, considered to be the Mediterranean’s largest producing oilfield, to replace the FSO Sloug.

The company stated they will support the client, EMAS-AMC, with post-lay trenching and backfilling services, ensuring safe and efficient delivery of this critical project.

Global offshore marine construction contractor EMAS-AMC is, according to the statement, responsible for the engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning of the new offshore facility, FSO Gaza. The oilfield, located some 120 km from the Libyan shore, is operated by Italian oil company Eni with the National Corporation of Libya as a partner.

JFSE said their non-contact method will deliver enhanced safety during operations close to existing assets, as the new flowline will be laid adjacent to an existing power cable. The company’s patented T4000 and TwinR2000 tools will carry out excavation on the flexible flowline, which will be installed from a platform to a subsea structure.

Phil Long, Project Manager at EMAS-AMC, said: “This is an important project for the energy industry in Libya, and in fact, worldwide. We recognize the need to work with the leading suppliers of the services we’re tendering to ensure a smooth, cost-efficient and time-effective completion of key parts of this major project. We are confident JFSE’s tools and expertise are the solution for the subsea excavation element of this project.”

Kenneth Mackie, managing director of James Fisher Subsea Excavation, said: “Our expert knowledge and market-leading tools will provide the most time-effective and cost-efficient solution for EMAS-AMC for this part of the project. The non-contact method is essential in protecting the existing power cable.

“Over the years, we have supported scores of clients worldwide with sensitive excavation requirements subsea. This is our first contract in Libya and growing our global footprint is an opportunity to show how our mass flow excavation services can help clients in more regions and industries deliver their projects safely, quicker and cheaper than alternative methods.”

According to JFSE, they have completed almost 400 projects over a period of 16 years which provides them with „in-depth knowledge and understanding of the mass flow excavation process“.