KBR enters engineering services deal in Caspian Sea

KBR, a global engineering and construction firm, has been awarded a two-year engineering services call-off contract in the Caspian Sea by the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC).

KBR said on Wednesday that the deal covered conceptual studies and pre-front-end engineering services for the NCOC’s projects in the Kazakhstan part of the Caspian Sea.

Under the North Caspian Sea Production Sharing Agreement (NCSPSA), NCOC acts on behalf of a consortium of seven energy companies comprising of KazMunayGaz, Eni, Shell, ExxonMobil, Total, CNCP, and INPEX.

The company operates oil and gas activities within the offshore oil field developments covered under the NCSPA which include the Kashagan, Aktote, Kairan, and Kalamkas fields.

Jay Ibrahim, KBR’s President for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said: “KBR is pleased to have the opportunity to provide our expertise for these significant projects for NCOC.

“This award continues KBR’s long time work in the Caspian region and our enduring relationship with the operators on these offshore developments to further the development of challenging projects, and our Caspian team is excited to provide fresh ideas to NCOC with a commitment to maximize local content.”

The North Caspian Sea Production Sharing Agreement was signed back in 1997 and the Offshore Kazakhstan International Operating Company (OKIOC) was formed to explore and produce hydrocarbons within the 5,600 square kilometer NCSPSA contract area the following year.

In 2000, the Kashagan field was discovered and a new operating company, Agip Kazakhstan North Caspian Operating Company N.V. (Agip KCO), was formed. The North Caspian Operating Company B.V. officially took over as operator from Agip KCO in 2009, while the North Caspian Operating Company N.V. became the universal successor of NCOC BV and NC Production Operations Company B.V. (NCPOC) in 2015 and is the current operator of the NCSPSA contract area.