Friday, April 5, 2013

Subsea 7 Wins Talisman Pipeline Contract

Oilfield services firm Subsea 7 announced Wednesday that it has been awarded a contract to install pipeline bundles at Talisman Sinopec Energy UK's Montrose Area Redevelopment Project.

The contract, valued at $285 million, will see Subsea 7 deliver two three-mile pipeline bundles that will tie back the Cayley field to the new bridge-linked platform (BLP) at the Montrose facility. The contract scope also includes the procurement, fabrication and installation of an 11-mile production pipeline, water injection pipeline, gas lift pipeline and control umbilical to tie back the Shaw field to the BLP.

Subsea 7 said that engineering and project management will begin immediately from the firm's Aberdeen office with offshore operations starting in 2014.

Steph McNeill, Subsea 7's Vice President for UK and Canada, commented in a statement:

"This contract award continues our long-standing business relationship with Talisman. The complexity of this project further illustrates our bundle system’s unique ability to offer a highly cost-effective single product which neatly integrates all necessary pipelines and control lines."

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Aker Closes Enovate Acquisition

Norwegian oilfield services company Aker Solutions announced Wednesday that it has closed a deal to buy a majority stake in Enovate Systems – a specialist in subsea well control equipment. Aker announced at the end of January that it had agreed to buy a controlling stake in the Aberdeen-based firm.

Enovate has developed a range of patented components and products for use in open water workover systems as well as in riser workover systems, rigless intervention systems and drilling safety systems.

Founded in 2002 and now employing 62 people, Ennovate had revenues of approximately $23.6 million in 2012 and an EBITDA profit of $7.8 million.

Aker intends to see Enovate continue to be developed as an independent supplier of well control equipment.

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UK: Oil, Gas in Need of Skilled Engineers

UK: Oil, Gas in Need of Skilled Engineers

The past couple of years have proven that several nations such as the UK are facing an engineering deficit, one that is poised to significantly hinder the engineering sector unless changes are made. This trend will have a ripple effect, greatly impacting the oil and gas industry – 66 percent of contractors and 62 percent of operations have difficulty recruiting skilled engineers in the oil and gas industry, according to a Labor Market Intelligence survey conducted by the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization (OPITO).

Matchtech, an engineering and technology recruitment specialist, noticed the problem and called on the government for help.

"There is a growing sense of unease throughout the UK engineering industry," Matchtech Managing Director Keith Lewis recently told Rigzone. "A look at our Confidence Index [United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Index] points heavily towards a lack of confidence in the government's ability to support the industry."

Chancellor George Osborne took heed of this situation and addressed it at this year's budget hearing.

His measures include a $4 billion (EUR 3 billion) new field allowance for large and deep fields to open west of Shetland – fields that were once deemed uneconomic. This strategic move is posed to encourage billions of dollars of investment in the North Sea to revitalize production that has declined since 1999.

The tax allowances will lead to an extra $67 billion allocated to the industry, resulting in the recovery of an additional 1.7 billion barrels of oil and gas, according to Oil & Gas UK. This production estimate will bring additional jobs and opportunities, however the need for highly skilled engineers poses a problem, stated Osborne.

Research suggests that the main shortage in the industry exists in recruiting experienced workers.

"It is a reality that other sectors are competing for the same skills," Managing Director of OPITO UK Larraine Boorman told the Engineer publication. "There is big competition for skills from the nuclear and power sectors as well as decommissioning. As an industry, we need to make sure the potential talent sees us as an attractive career option."

Overall, engineering companies in the UK are projected to have 2.74 million job openings from 2010-2020, 1.86 million of which will need engineering skills, according to a report launched by EngineeringUK. Out of this number, about 87,000 engineers per year will require people with level 4+ degrees, including foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.

There is a high demand for about 69,000 people qualified at advanced apprenticeship, or equivalent, each year, but only 27,000 UK apprentices a year qualify at the appropriate level, the report stated.

Furthermore, 100,000 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates are needed a year just to maintain the status quo, according to a study by the Royal Academy. In the UK, about 23,000 engineers are graduating a year while India is producing eight times that number of engineers and China 20 times as many.

In order to meet this current demand, the country is recruiting experts from abroad.

"We've already started to see the impact of the skills shortage with certain prospects that previously could have been completed in the UK being moved to other European cities, such as Stavanger in Norway," said Lewis. "This is obviously a huge concern and shows just how vital it is for a plan to be put in place in order to attract new graduates, as well as encouraging the transition of those in other industries which have the necessary transferrable skills, in order to boost growth."

The "Engineering UK 2013: The State of Engineering" report also called on the government for assistance, noting that the engineering sector needs a joined-up action where government works in partnership across the engineering industry, professional bodies and third sector to achieve long-term impact at a national level.

"What the report makes clear is the need to lay the groundwork early," stated Paul Jackson, EngineeringUK chief executive in a Rigzone interview. "The government is recognizing that engineering is central to the UK economy and is funding technologies for growth as well as training. It is crucial, however, that government, business, professional bodies, education and the wider engineering community continue to work together to ensure that the UK has the talent pipeline ready to meet demand."

The UK is in an engineering crunch and is looking for youth to help fill the void, according to The State of Engineering report.

The main challenge for the engineering community is how to attract the youth and funnel them into an engineering career. The oil and gas industry and its attraction to recent grads are abundant. The rewards can be attractive for engineers that choose to work in the oil and gas sector.

"Oil and gas engineers are constantly inventing new technologies to extract oil from increasingly deeper levels beneath the Earth's surface," Boorman told the Engineer. "In order to achieve this, engineers are trained to be the best in their field and there are excellent opportunities for career progression."

"The government needs to prioritize investing in the future of the industry by focusing on the opportunities available to the younger generation," stated Matchtech's Lewis. "Funding for apprenticeships has started to increase over the last year, but the government really needs to commit itself to improving opportunities for those candidates who may not want to enter university but instead gain practical experience. Not only will this mean they enter the industry sooner, but they will also enter into it with the vital skills to succeed."

Programs geared to the youth are blossoming throughout the nation. One for instance launched in 2009, The Big Bang Fair, is touted as the largest celebration of STEM subjects for the UK's youth.

"The government recognizes that the industry has to appeal to our youth," stated EngineeringUK's Jackson. "The Big Bang Fair and school programs, such as Tomorrow's Engineers, are playing an important role in ensuring that the UK will have the future engineers needed to realize its ambition. Evidence shows that collaborative efforts of the engineering community are making a positive impact."

"In order to begin to rectify this, the government needs to start presenting engineering as 'an industry of choice', particularly at a time where the UK youth unemployment rate stands at 23 percent, in addition to this change must also come from those within the industry itself," added Lewis.

With more than 10 years of journalism experience, Robin Dupre specializes in the offshore sector of the oil and gas industry. Email Robin at rdupre@rigzone.com.

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Sound Oil Revises Schedule to Accelerate Cash Flow

Italy-focused Sound Oil announced Wednesday that it has revised its near-term drilling program to accelerate cash flow from its onshore Nervesa discovery and to preserve cash for the company's most material prospects.

Sound plans to drill its Badile prospect as originally scheduled in 2014, but now with a 100-percent equity position in the prospect and Sound operatorship. It also plans to drill the Zibido prospect, a second material exploration prospect in the Po Valley, northern Italy, where Sound's Nervesa discovery is located.

At Nervesa itself Sound is planning to address the northern extension of the discovery by drilling a second well in the fourth quarter of 2013 with a very to accelerating production and cash flow from what the firm describes as its flagship asset.

Meanwhile, Sound confirmed that it would drill the Laura discovery as originally scheduled in 4Q 2014 using a long-reach deviated well from onshore.

Sound will contract a 2,000 to 3,000 horsepower electric rig on an exclusive basis for a period of 18 months beginning in 1Q 2014 in order to cover the Badile, Laura and Zibido drills.

Sound will defer the Strombone appraisal well in order to free up an operational window for its second Nervesa well in 3Q/4Q 2013 and to free up $9 million in cash to fund its increased equity stake in Badile. The firm may also include the Casa Tiberi field development in its 3Q 2014 operational window.

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Statoil Launches In Amenas Investigation

Statoil Launches In Amenas Investigation

Norway’s Statoil announced Tuesday that it was launching a security investigation into January’s terrorist attack on the gas plant at In Amenas in southeastern Algeria, where several dozen oil workers were killed.

Statoil said that the objective of the investigation will be to help it make further improvements to its security, risk assessment and emergency preparedness. The firm has appointed retired Lieutenant General Torgeir Hagen, the former head of the Norwegian Intelligence Service, to head the investigation.

The investigation team will examine facts relating to the terrorist attack, including:

Risk and security assessments, security arrangements and emergency preparedness, and their implementation directly related to the In Amenas gas plant prior to the terrorist attack.Notification of and the emergency response to the attack, including interaction with government authorities and entities and partners.Potential non-conformities with and areas of improvement in Statoil's existing security and emergency preparedness systems and procedures.Potential areas of improvement related to organisational capabilities - including competencies, roles and responsibilities, training, culture and capacity within the areas of security and emergency preparedness.

The team will deliver its final report by mid-September 2013, when it will be made public.

Statoil confirmed the last of its employees to have been killed at In Amenas in January. BP named the final victim among its staff earlier this month. Together, the two companies lost nine employees in the attack.

"Many people from different countries became victims of brutal international terrorism at In Amenas. In Statoil we lost five of our cherished employees. The terrorists, and no one else, are responsible for the attack. They stand guilty of causing all the anguish and suffering. Our responsibility is to learn and do what we can to further strengthen the safety of our employees for the future," Statoil Chairman Svein Rennemo commented in a statement Tuesday.

"We will investigate to determine the chain of events before, during and after the terrorist attack in order to learn and further improve within the areas of security and emergency preparedness. It has been important for us to obtain external expertise on terrorism and security that will contribute to this work. In addition we will utilise the investigation expertise found in the company."

A former engineer, Jon is an award-winning editor who has covered the technology, engineering and energy sectors since the mid-1990s. Email Jon at jmainwaring@rigzone.com.

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Victoria O&G Appoints New CEO

Junior firm Victoria Oil and Gas announced Tuesday that it has appointed John Scott as its new CEO.

Scott, who started out his career at BP, has more than 30 years' experience in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, and in energy banking. He has served in technical and senior commercial roles with the British National Oil Company and Halliburton. He has also held various investment banking roles with Citigroup, Standard Bank and ABN Amro.

With its operations focused on Cameroon and the former Soviet Union, Victoria noted Scott's corporate finance experience in both West Africa and Russia.

Most recently, Scott served as an executive at Indus Gas – an oil and gas exploration company focused on Rajasthan, India.

Victoria Chairman Kevin Foo commented in a company statement:

"John has helped steer Indus through a period of major growth in shareholder value and has outstanding operational and transactional experience. We believe he is the right man to guide VOG through its transition to a successful mid-cap oil and gas company over the next few years."

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Statoil Launches In Amenas Investigation

Statoil Launches In Amenas Investigation

Norway’s Statoil announced Tuesday that it was launching a security investigation into January’s terrorist attack on the gas plant at In Amenas in southeastern Algeria, where several dozen oil workers were killed.

Statoil said that the objective of the investigation will be to help it make further improvements to its security, risk assessment and emergency preparedness. The firm has appointed retired Lieutenant General Torgeir Hagen, the former head of the Norwegian Intelligence Service, to head the investigation.

The investigation team will examine facts relating to the terrorist attack, including:

Risk and security assessments, security arrangements and emergency preparedness, and their implementation directly related to the In Amenas gas plant prior to the terrorist attack.Notification of and the emergency response to the attack, including interaction with government authorities and entities and partners.Potential non-conformities with and areas of improvement in Statoil's existing security and emergency preparedness systems and procedures.Potential areas of improvement related to organisational capabilities - including competencies, roles and responsibilities, training, culture and capacity within the areas of security and emergency preparedness.

The team will deliver its final report by mid-September 2013, when it will be made public.

Statoil confirmed the last of its employees to have been killed at In Amenas in January. BP named the final victim among its staff earlier this month. Together, the two companies lost nine employees in the attack.

"Many people from different countries became victims of brutal international terrorism at In Amenas. In Statoil we lost five of our cherished employees. The terrorists, and no one else, are responsible for the attack. They stand guilty of causing all the anguish and suffering. Our responsibility is to learn and do what we can to further strengthen the safety of our employees for the future," Statoil Chairman Svein Rennemo commented in a statement Tuesday.

"We will investigate to determine the chain of events before, during and after the terrorist attack in order to learn and further improve within the areas of security and emergency preparedness. It has been important for us to obtain external expertise on terrorism and security that will contribute to this work. In addition we will utilise the investigation expertise found in the company."

A former engineer, Jon is an award-winning editor who has covered the technology, engineering and energy sectors since the mid-1990s. Email Jon at jmainwaring@rigzone.com.

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Aker Wins Major Subsea Deal with Statoil

Norwegian oilfield services firm Aker Solutions reported Wednesday that it has been awarded a "major" frame agreement with Statoil to deliver subsea operation and services on the Norwegian continental shelf. The deal will see the expansion of Aker's Aagotnes facility on the west coast of Norway.

Aker said that it had booked some $1 billion of orders as a preliminary estimate of the work to be generated in the initial five-year period of the agreement, which has three additional three-year options for extension.

The subsea operations and services covered by the agreement include: subsea equipment, maintenance, upgrade and recertification of tools and installed equipment. The agreement includes workover activities and life extension of subsea wells.

"Aker Solutions has worked with Statoil for decades and we are very honoured by this major award. We are not only refurbishing subsea trees to guarantee an extended lifetime, but we are also upgrading to accommodate more functionality, enabling Statoil to increase production capacity from each well," said Alan Brunnen, head of Aker Solutions' subsea business division.

Aker Solutions' facility at Aagotnes, near Bergen on the west coast of Norway, will support the Statoil projects. As a result of the frame agreement, Aker expects to further develop its service base at the facility in 2013 and 2014 with new workshops, increased logistics capability and a new office block.

Aagotnes currently employs approximately 800 people.

The agreement will see Statoil immediately execute a subsea refurbishment project to be performed by Aker on the Troll field, located in the northern part of the North Sea approximately 40 miles west of Kollsnes in Norway.

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Keppel O&M Secures Contracts from MTOPS, SMB Offshore

Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M), through its subsidiaries – Keppel FELS Brasil and Keppel Shipyard – have secured two contracts worth $161 million (SGD 200 million) from repeat customers, the company disclosed late Tuesday.

Keppel FELS Brasil's contract is with MODEC and Toyo Offshore Production Systems (MTOPS) to integrate the topside modules of a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit. The project will be carried out at BrasFELS, Keppel FELS Brasil's yard in Brazil.
The FPSO, a project by MODEC and its partner Schahin Group, has been chartered for operations offshore Brazil for 20 years.

Integration works for the FPSO will take place from 3Q 2014 to 3Q 2015. The completed unit will have a production capacity of 150,000 barrels of oil per day and storage capacity of 1,600,000 barrels of oil.

Keppel Shipyard has meanwhile been engaged by SBM Offshore to fabricate an internal turret for a newbuild FPSO, which will be installed in the Ichthys Field, offshore Western Australia. Inpex awarded SBM Offshore the contract to engineer, procure, fabricate and supply the turret in February last year. The contract also includes assistance during the integration of the turret into the FPSO as well as during installation on the field. Installation is slated to start in mid-2015.

Keppel Shipyard's work on the 6,800-tonne Ichthys FPSO turret is scheduled to complete by Q3 2014.

"We are pleased to be selected by our customers for repeat projects as these are strong affirmations of the quality of our services. BrasFELS and MTOPS' first FPSO project was delivered safely and 19 days ahead of schedule; the second project is underway and on track for delivery in 2Q 2014. Keppel Shipyard has collaborated with SBM Offshore on some 17 major conversion and fabrication projects," Keppel O&M's CEO, Tong Chong Heong, said in a statement.

Keppel Shipyard's ongoing projects for SBM Offshore are the conversion of FPSO OSX-2 for Brazil as well as modification and upgrading of FPSO N’Goma for Angola. SBM Offshore is also working with Keppel Singmarine on the newbuilding of a multi-purpose dive support construction vessel.

Quintella has reported on the upstream and downstream oil and petrochemicals markets from 2004. Email Quintella at quintella.koh@rigzone.com.

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