Total delays North Sea gig for Prosafe’s accommodation rig

Offshore accommodation specialist Prosafe and oil major Total have agreed to delay Total’s 2020 North Sea campaign, which was supposed to use Prosafe’s Safe Caledonia flotel.

Prosafe and Total E&P UK have agreed to defer the start date for the Safe Caledonia to provide accommodation support at the Elgin complex in the UK sector of the North Sea by one year, Prosafe said on Friday.

The contract was signed back in August 2019 and it was supposed to start in April 2020.

However, the firm duration of the contract now starts around late 1Q 2021 and remains as 162 days with one 30-day option. In addition, there will be a deferral fee payable by Total.

Jesper Kragh Andresen, CEO of Prosafe, said: “This contract remains important for both Prosafe and Total, even as we face a time of unprecedented challenge”.

The Safe Caledonia is a POSMOOR passive position moored semi-submersible accommodation support rig with beds for 454 persons. It is capable of operating worldwide, excluding Norway, in the most demanding conditions.

It was built in 1982 at GVA Kockums yard in Sweden to a Pacesetter design and completed a 20 year life extension in 2012/13.