US-Korean duo deepening offshore infrastructure partnership

Houston-based engineering, commissioning, and field services player Gate Energy and South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate on offshore energy infrastructure projects.

Under the MOU, the two companies intend to jointly pursue engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) opportunities in the offshore oil and gas sector, targeting global markets.

As disclosed, the agreement provides a general framework for future cooperation and information sharing, allowing partners to adapt to new tenders on a case-by-case basis. It also includes provisions for joint planning, resource integration, and the potential development of execution models tailored to developer requirements.

Mark Myhre, President of Commissioning at GATE Energy, commented: “This MOU represents the next chapter in a strong and growing relationship between GATE and HHI. Our collaboration on the King’s Quay and Shenandoah projects demonstrated what’s possible when two organizations align in both technical expertise and delivery mindset. We’re proud to formalize our intent to pursue future opportunities together, delivering value to clients across the offshore landscape.”

HHI and GATE Energy will work together as strategic partners, with the former’s experience in hull and topside EPC delivery complementing the latter’s commissioning and startup capabilities.

“This MOU represents the next step in an already strong partnership built on mutual respect, technical excellence, and shared success. Together with GATE Energy, we are committed to advancing the offshore energy sector by providing integrated solutions that enhance predictability and create lasting value for our clients worldwide,” said Jung-Ho Park, Vice President of HHI.

The two companies are working together on the Shenandoah project in the U.S. HHI was hired to handle the design, procurement, construction, and delivery of the floating production system (FPS) and its installation, while Gate was put in charge of the commissioning.

Situated in the deepwater area of the Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America, Shenandoah is being developed by Beacon Offshore Energy and its partners. After welcoming the FPS, which has a nameplate capacity of 120,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd), the project is expected to start producing oil soon.

The second project the duo is collaborating on is the King’s Quay FPS, handling production from the Khaleesi, Mormont, and Samurai fields within the Green Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America deepwater.

Operated by Murphy Oil, the project has been producing oil since 2022. Murphy’s partner in the project is Ridgewood Energy.