Ithaca Energy’s Stella field in the UK North Sea is still expected to start production in November 2016.

Providing an operational update Ithaca on Thursday said that the hook-up and commissioning operations of the production facility FPF-1 were progressing to plan.

To remind, the FPF-1 set sail from a yard in Poland in August, and was then towed to the field moored on location and the dynamic risers and umbilical connecting the subsea infrastructure to the vessel installed.

Ithaca now says that Technip is working to conclude the remaining subsea commissioning works.

At the same time, Ithaca added, prior to the FPF-1 offshore commissioning program is on-going, with the preparation of the topsides processing and utility systems for the introduction of hydrocarbons underway.

“The scheduled completion of these activities remains in line with previous guidance, with first hydrocarbons from the Stella field anticipated in November 2016,” Ithaca said.

Also, the company said, progress has been made on the installation of the oil export pipeline from the FPF-1 to the Norpipe system, making the switch from tanker loading to oil pipeline exports for the Greater Stella Area in 2017.

The 44-kilometer spurline from the FPF-1 to the Norpipe system was successfully installed as planned in September 2016. The key remaining activities to be completed are the construction and installation of pipeline export pumps on the FPF-1 and the final subsea connections that need undertaking before the switchover, the company concluded.

http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/uk-ithacas-stella-field-start-up-expected-in-november/

French oilfield services firm Technip has reportedly signed a half a billion dollar deal in Libya.

According to Reuters, Technip will work on the refurbishment of an offshore platform at Bahr Essalam field in the Mediterranean Sea.

The field is located 110 kilometers off the Libyan coast, and is operated by the Italian oil company Eni, in cooperation with the Libyan state-owned oil company, National Oil Company (NOC).

More to follow…

http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/report-technip-clinches-500m-offshore-job-in-libya/

Technip Angola Engenharia Limitada, a joint venture between Technip and Sonangol, was awarded by Total E&P Angola a three-year engineering services contract.

This contract covers services for the existing Girassol, Pazflor, Dalia and CLOV floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units and associated subsea field development. These FPSOs are located in Block 17, offshore Angola.

Technip stated that the scope of work could comprise engineering, technical assistance, management, supervision and coordination, as well as procurement-related activities.

Technip Angola Engenharia Limitada will carry out the contract, which is scheduled for completion at the end of 2018.

Hallvard Hasselknippe, President Subsea of Technip, commented: “We have been entrusted by Total E&P Angola to deliver quality engineering services. It is the result of our sustainable presence in Angola with skilled engineering resources and comprehensive knowledge of our client’s technical referential and working methods.

“This contract reinforces our activity in Africa, an area with good dynamics. It also fits into our strategy to engage with our clients at early stages of their projects and build on long-lasting successful relationships.”

http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/total-dishes-out-3-year-engineering-contract-in-angola/

Statoil has awarded the contracts that include marine operations, marine construction, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of an unmanned wellhead platform as well as modifications at the Oseberg Field Centre, in the North Sea offshore Norway.

The contracts have a combined value of approximately NOK 1.6 billion ($184 M).

“We are very pleased to be able to award these contracts now to suppliers that all have a good track record for Statoil,” says Torger Rød, senior vice president for project development in Statoil.

Statoil submitted the plan for development and operation (PDO) of Oseberg Vestflanken 2 just before Christmas, and the contract awards are subject to government approval of the PDO.

According to Statoil, the field development will provide 110 million barrels of oil equivalent and will be profitable even in a low oil price scenario.

– Technip Norway has been awarded contracts for pipe laying at Johan Sverdrup and Oseberg Vestflanken 2. The combined contract value is approximately NOK 400 million.

– Ocean Installer has been awarded contracts for marine construction and installation at Oseberg Vestflanken 2, Johan Sverdrup and Gina Krog. The combined contract value is approximately NOK 200 million.

– Hereema Fabrication Group has been awarded the contract for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the unmanned wellhead platform at Oseberg Vestflanken 2. Hereema Marine Construction will be responsible for transport and installation of the platform. The combined contract value is approximately NOK 800 million.

– Aibel has been awarded the contract for engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) on the Oseberg Field Centre, to prepare the platform for receiving the well stream from Oseberg Vestflanken 2. This contract has a value of approximately NOK 200 million.

Late last year, FMC was awarded a contract for delivering two subsea trees for the existing subsea template to be included at Oseberg Vestflanken 2. This contract value is approximately NOK 120 million plus options.

The Oseberg Vestflanken 2 development will consist of an unmanned wellhead platform with 10 well slots. Two existing subsea wells will also be reused. The well stream will be routed to the Oseberg Field Centre via a new pipeline, and the wells will be remote-controlled from the Field Centre.

Statoil said that even though wellhead platforms with no facilities, helicopter deck or lifeboats represent a new solution in Norway, it has been thoroughly tested in other areas, such as the Danish and Dutch continental shelves.

http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/statoil-dishes-out-epc-contracts-worth-184m/

Serimax, a Vallourec subsidiary, a company providing offshore & onshore welding solutions, and Technip, France’s engineering and construction company providing services for the energy industry, have signed an agreement in principle in order to achieve a strategic partnership in the domain of pipeline welding.

In this respect, Technip would acquire a minority stake in Serimax. In a statement on Monday, Technip and Serimax said they would combine their expertise and would deploy the Serimax welding technology at Technip’s spoolbases(1) and S-lay(2) vessels.

The companies hope the move will allow them to offer high end competitive capabilities to address operators’ capital investment constraints for future projects; invest in joint R&D programs and innovative reel-lay welding solutions to meet the growing technical challenges of projects; increase operational performance through enhanced productivity, improved scheduling and higher integration of the value chain.

Serimax will remain an independent service and technology provider, and will continue to serve its clients in the offshore, onshore pipeline and fabrication markets.

Frederic Castrec, Managing Director for Serimax commented: “We are delighted Technip has the confidence in and has selected Serimax, to further support their future project developments. It is a clear recognition of Serimax’s capability. Together, we can combine our respective areas of expertise to develop an integrated technical and commercial solution.”

Hallvard Hasselknippe, President Subsea, Technip said: “This partnership is part of Technip’s strategic focus on technology, a key differentiator to contribute to costs optimization on projects.”

Didier Hornet, Senior Vice President Eastern Hemisphere, who is responsible for Vallourec’s oil and gas strategy, said:”We are confident that combining both company’s technologies will make a real difference to the market and offers greater opportunities to think differently about how we package solutions for clients. Delivering solutions to the oil and gas market require companies that are agile and capable of growing together to meet market expectations.”

http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/serimax-technip-join-forces-in-pipeline-welding-domain/

South Korea’s majors rig builders Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) have teamed up in a Joint Industry Project, looking to cut rig construction costs and project delays.

According to Hyundai Heavy Industries, the three companies recently held a meeting for an “Offshore Design Standardization JIP” with American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) at Houston, Texas.

On the occasion also attended by ConocoPhilips and Technip, the three Korean shipbuilders agreed to join forces to standardize materials, design, and procedures of offshore facilities that vary by project and client by the first half of 2016.

In the absence of common rules for equipment lists, design and work procedures, offshore facilities contractors and clients alike have been facing increases in the number of materials needed and material procurement costs, and project delays with the project-specific procedures, Hyundai Heavy Industries said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Hyundai, the three Korean major shipbuilders have also been working on standardization with DNV GL since May this year. The plan is to further expand the standardization work with Lloyd’s Register and Bureau Veritas, and to list the common rules on ISO.

Choi Kil-seon, chairman and CEO of HHI, said: “Standardization of offshore design is an essential move to ease material cost increases and project delays, and to enhance our competitiveness in the global offshore market. We hope that the standardization will help lower the entry barrier of domestic offshore facilities equipment manufacturers in the global market.”

http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/south-korean-rig-builders-team-up-to-tackle-construction-costs/

A new joint venture between Harkand and Consolidated Shipping Agencies Ltd has resulted in its first contract win in Ghana, West Africa. The award will see the global inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) company delivering onshore and offshore support to Technip in the region.

Having formed a strategic alliance with Consolidated Shipping Agencies Ltd, the company’s Aberdeen-based Harkand Andrews Survey team will deliver services to Technip on the Tullow Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntomme (TEN) project situated in the deepwater Tano block, approximately 60km off the coast of Ghana.

When the campaign begins in October 2015, the survey team will manage and support all survey requirements on board Technip vessels during offshore construction activities which includes rigid and flexible lay, structure installations, spool metrology, pre-lay and as-built surveys. The work is expected to be completed by summer 2016.

Harkand Andrews Survey managing director Stuart Reid said: “We are delighted that Technip has chosen us to support them during this major project in Ghana and continues our successful long term working relationship with Technip.

“This contract award underlines Harkand’s commitment to working in the West African region in general and Ghana in particular. I believe that this will be the first of many campaigns that we engage in with our local Ghanaian JV partner, Consolidated Shipping Agencies Ltd.”

The joint venture with Consolidated Shipping Agencies Ltd is the latest in a series of partnerships Harkand has forged around the globe.

http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/harkand-to-support-technip-in-ghana-ops/