Premier hires M² Subsea for Balmoral inspection

ROV provider M² Subsea has secured a contract to provide inspection services for Premier Oil’s Balmoral floating production vessel (FPV) in the North Sea. 

The Balmoral is a purpose built semi-submersible FPV which is situated in the Balmoral field, block 16/21a and 16/21b of the central North Sea. The Balmoral area fields produce via this FPV. Premier also derives benefit from the Burghley and Beauly third party fields utilizing the Balmoral area infrastructure.

M² Subsea said on Wednesday it would carry out an annual inspection of the vessel’s hull, flowlines, umbilicals, risers and subsea template.

The subsea company added that the work scope would be carried out by its Mohican ROV at a depth of 140m. The Mohican is an inspection class ROV rated to 2000m with a garage tether management system.

Mike Arnold, chief executive officer of M² Subsea, said: “We will carry out the 2018 inspection for the Balmoral vessel and work with Premier Oil to then determine what work needs carried out going forward. This is an important contract for us and is an excellent opportunity to strengthen our client base with a major North Sea operator.”

The latest agreement with Premier Oil follows a run of wins for M2 Subsea, which recently announced it had secured £10 million worth of contracts in the last six months.