It's the subsea survey specialists' turn in the spotlight this time as shown by a recent slew of project awards by clients in the oil and gas and renewables sectors. Western Europe is still the apparent centre of this activity, but work is nonetheless progressing well in other regions such as West Africa and Australasia.
Shearwater secures four contract awards
Shearwater GeoServices definitely has a busy year ahead after four successive survey contracts were awarded to the company within a two-week period. First, the company has secured a contract by CGG for a 3D survey in the Northern Viking Graben area offshore Norway. The five-month survey is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2021.
Shearwater has won a second contract in Norway, this time with Equinor as part of a recently signed frame agreement between the two companies. The contract is for a 4D seismic survey over the Heidrun Field in the Norwegian North Sea to be conducted over a period of one month beginning in Q2 2021.
The company has also been selected to conduct a 3D multisensor marine seismic survey in the Otway Basin offshore Australia on behalf of an unnamed client. The approximately two-month survey is expected to commence in Q3 2021 and will cover an estimated 2,700 square kilometres.
Lastly, a final contract award will entail a 4D monitor marine seismic acquisition survey to be carried out on behalf of Total E&P Angola. The survey will comprise a two-month project on the GJDR Development area of Block 17 and will commence before the end of Q1 2021.
Eni taps Fugro for Angola surveys
Fugro is continuing its successful operations in Angola, resulting in the Dutch survey company being awarded multiple contracts by Eni Angola to carry out geotechnical and environmental surveys off the coast of Angola between March and May.
The deepwater environmental survey will acquire, analyse, and interpret sediment and water samples from Eni Angola's Agogo field development. During the survey operations, specialist marine fauna observers (MFOs) will carefully monitor the marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds that can be found in the area, and the study will gather key environmental baseline data on offshore Angola's benthic communities, physicochemical sediment characteristics, and water column productivity.
Route surveys will also be conducted, this time on Angola's nearshore areas. These will include various environmental, geotechnical, and geophysical surveys to allow Eni Angola to calculate the best installation route and optimise cable burial protection for the New Gas Consortium.
TDI-Brooks wraps up EBS work for ExxonMobil, CABGOC off Angola
Angola has seen some completed projects as well. TDI-Brooks International recently concluded environmental baseline studies (EBS) for both Cabinda Gulf Oil Company (CABGOC) and ExxonMobil. The research and survey vessel Proteus was deployed to blocks 0 and 14 for CABGOC and Block 15 for ExxonMobil offshore Angola to complete these programs.
For CABGOC, water column and sediment sampling included collecting 63 sediments samples, 27 water samples and nine water column profiles. For ExxonMobil at Block 15, 56 sediment samples, 55 SPI/PV image samples, 14 plankton samples, 42 discrete water samples, 14 discrete (surface) water samples and 14 CTD water profiles were collected.
TDI-Brooks said Block 15 has recoverable resource potential of approximately four billion gross oil-equivalent barrels. It was Angola's second-highest-producing block in 2016.
Manor Renewable Energy to supply power to Hornsea Two wind farm
Manor Renewable Energy (MRE) has entered into an agreement with Ørsted on the provision of a full temporary power solution, service technicians, and vessels during the construction phase of the Hornsea Two offshore wind farm 89 kilometres off the UK coast.
The vessels to be provided by MRE will include crewboats and walk-to-work vessels.
NKT completes cable installation for Triton Knoll development
NKT has completed the delivery and installation of 100 kilometres of 220kV HVAC offshore export cables and 144 kilometres of 66kV array cables at the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm in the UK North Sea.
The cables were manufactured in NKT's factory in Cologne. When in full operation, the 90 turbines installed at the site will be able to provide renewable energy for more than 800,000 UK households.
Aker Solutions awarded Equinor EPCI contract
Aker Solutions has won a contract from Equinor for modifications on the Åsgard B gas and condensate platform in Haltenbanken in the Norwegian Sea to enable increased production. The scope includes engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of new equipment.
The work has already commenced and is scheduled to be completed in 2024.
Cadeler scores Siemens Gamesa T&I award
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy has awarded Cadeler a US$90 million contract, with an additional US$30 million in options, to transport and install 14MW turbines at an undisclosed offshore wind development.
Cadeler will deploy specialised vessels to install the turbines, each of which stands 252 metres in height from sea level and has 108-metre-long blades.