Encana Corporation News

OceanWorks International has been awarded a contract by the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) to instrument a cable termination for a ground breaking tidal energy project in the Bay of Fundy. The project includes the design, manufacture and integration of the subsea instrumentation, shore station, and commissioning. FORCE is deploying four power cables to connect prototype instream tidal turbines to a dedicated electrical sub-station. By providing this infrastructure, FORCE is lowering the ‘barrier to entry’ for turbine manufactures to test their equipment in one of the most demanding tidal environments. The planned deployment will take place in Atlantic Canada’s Bay of Fundy, which is renowned for having the highest tidal range in the world.

OceanWorks International contracted by the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) to establish project cable termination in the Bay of Fundy, Canada. The project contract includes the design, manufacture and integration of the subsea instrumentation, shore station, and commissioning. FORCE is deploying four power cables to connect prototype in-stream tidal turbines to a dedicated electrical sub-station. By providing this infrastructure, it is lowering the 'barrier to entry' for turbine manufactures to test their equipment in one of the most demanding tidal environments.

Expro, an international oilfield service company, announced that it has been awarded a surface testing and subsea landing string service contract from EnCana Corporation for work offshore Halifax, Nova Scotia. The six-month contract will provide support for the construction of four development wells in the Deep Panuke field and includes the provision of surface well test and landing string equipment and related support services. The preparatory work has been completed and the equipment has been delivered to Nova Scotia for deployment to the field once operations commence using the jack-up rig Rowan Gorilla III. A 10K landing string has been custom-designed to facilitate operations from a jack-up rig involving subsea completions.

Rolls-Royce has won an order to design and equip a UT 755LN offshore support vessel with an integrated power, propulsion and motion control system, for use in the Canadian oil and gas market. Atlantic Towing Limited (Canada) has entered a long term charter with the Canadian oil and gas company EnCana Corporation for the vessel which will be built at the Halifax Shipyard in Nova Scotia. It will operate in the Deep Panuk field off the Canadian east coast. In addition to the ship design, Rolls-Royce will deliver a fully integrated equipment system. This includes diesel engines, propellers, reduction gears, tunnel thrusters, azimuth thrusters, steering gear, rudders, switchboards, automation and controls and deck machinery. The total value of the Rolls-Royce contract is around $10.5m.

Atlantic Towing is the successful bidder for EnCana Corporation’s offshore supply vessel services contract for the Deep Panuke Project. This award includes building a new state-of-the-art offshore supply vessel at the Halifax Shipyard. The building and commissioning of the new vessel will employ over 200 shipyard workers at the peak and provide 426,000 person hours of employment. The new contract will raise total employment levels at the shipyard to over 600 at peak. The building of the new ship will generate an estimated payroll of $20m and will result in about $14m in purchases of goods and services from approximately 50 Nova Scotia suppliers. Atlantic Towing will operate the new vessel on long term contract with EnCana.

Rowan Companies announced that its Super Gorilla class jack-up, Gorilla V, will resume drilling for EnCana Corporation under a contract which was suspended in 2002. The rig will be utilized offshore eastern Canada for EnCana's shallow water exploration campaign beginning in early May. The initial commitment is for one well, with options for additional wells. Bob Palmer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The resumption of this contract reaffirms our confidence in the long-term viability of the eastern Canada market for harsh environment jack-ups. We look forward to continuing our activities with EnCana."