UK: Talisman Selects Helix Well Ops for Subsea Works on Its Assets

Subsea well intervention specialist Helix Well Ops UK (Well Ops), has been awarded a multi-service contract by Talisman Energy (UK) Limited.

The contract will see the Aberdeen-based firm carry out a number of subsea workscopes that include well maintenance and production enhancement operations, and a number of well abandonments at various fields within Talisman’s portfolio of assets. The multi-service campaign is anticipated to last upwards of two months and will be undertaken from Well Ops’ mono-hull saturation diving and well intervention vessel MSV Seawell.

Launched in 1987, MSV Seawell was one of the pioneers of the light well intervention market in the North Sea and will soon be entering its 25th year of service across the UKCS, NCS and Danish sectors of the North Sea. During this period the vessel has performed well intervention work on more than 650 wells, as well as decommissioning over 150 live and suspended wells and 15 subsea fields.

The 114-metre (374ft) DP2 vessel features a purpose-built derrick for well intervention above a 7m x 5m moon-pool and a travelling block rated to 80-tonne lift capacity. MSV Seawell has a saturation diving capability of up to an 18-man team, and these services are supported by work-class and observation-class ROVs.

Steve Nairn, Well Ops’ regional vice president of Europe and Africa, said: “Well Ops has successfully carried out a number of well intervention projects for Talisman in recent years and we are very pleased to be continuing our long-standing relationship with the award of this two-month, multi-service project.”

The abandonment of wells is anticipated to make up a significant proportion of the estimated £30billion expenditure that will be spent decommissioning the UK’s oil and gas infrastructure. Industry body Oil & Gas UK has said that between 2012 and 2020, it is estimated that £1.6billion will be spent decommissioning wells.

Mr Nairn added: “Although well abandonment and decommissioning is being discussed more widely, there is still uncertainty as to the speed that such projects will come on stream. At the same time, due to the investments which are being made in the North Sea establishing new fields and rejuvenating existing ones, there will continue to be a demand for our broad range of well intervention, diving and light construction services.”

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Offshore Energy Today Staff, December 22, 2011; Image: Photobucket