Island Frontier News

Aker Solutions has been awarded two contracts from Island Offshore to provide well intervention services for Statoil in the North Sea. Scope of work is to deliver downhole well intervention services from Island Offshore's two riserless well intervention vessels Island Frontier and Island Wellserver. These operations include running of mechanical wireline, electrical wireline and wireline tractor services. The two contracts are valid for five years plus two optional two-year extensions (5+2+2). They will run from 2015, when the current contracts expire.

Aker Solutions has been awarded two contracts from Island Offshore to provide well intervention services for Statoil in the North Sea. Scope of work is to deliver downhole well intervention services from Island Offshore's two riserless well intervention vessels Island Frontier and Island Wellserver. These operations include running of mechanical wireline, electrical wireline and wireline tractor services. The two contracts are valid for five years plus two optional two-year extensions (5+2+2). They will run from 2015, when the current contracts expire.

Statoil has awarded contracts for new light well intervention (LWI) vessels. These “category A” units will contribute to increased recovery from Statoil’s approximately 500 operated subsea wells on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). These purpose-built vessels are used for performing light well interventions, well operations and well maintenance without a riser-based system. Statoil can reduce well intervention costs by about 60% by utilising a LWI vessel instead of a conventional rig. The contracts are worth a total of NOK 9.4 billion.

Statoil is cutting the costs of increased recovery from fields in operation by hiring in light well intervention vessels. As of December Statoil has three light well intervention vessels in operation. Statoil awarded Island Offshore a framework agreement earlier this year for light well intervention (LWI) services from their Island Constructor vessel. The new vessel is set for operation in December, and is Statoil’s third light well intervention vessel in operation on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS).

Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) has long been the leading offshore service vessel company in the Gulf of Mexico with more than 100 vessels offering supply, crew transportation, anchor handling and other services. Last year the company debuted the world's largest OSV, the 348-ft. Laney Chouest, an Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessel and the continuation of their 280-ft. series of supply vessels. By the end of this year, six of the 280-ft. vessels will have been built. Now the Galliano, La.-based company is looking to extend its reach internationally and has formed a new company, Island Offshore Shopping AS, to pursue offshore service business internationally. Island Offshore is a joint venture between Edison Chouest Offshore and Ulstein.

Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) announced plans to continue its newbuilding program. Having already designed, built, owned and operated almost 70 new generation offshore vessels servicing the deepwater oil and gas industry over the past decade, the company plans for 11 new vessels, with options for an additional 14. Construction highlights feature three additional 280-ft. deepwater supply vessels, with an option for another 10; four 160-ft. fast supply vessels, with an option for another four; three Norwegian-designed and built platform supply vessels; and a 348-ft. survey support ship.

Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) plans to continue its newbuilding program. Having already designed, built, owned and operated almost 70 new generation offshore vessels servicing the deepwater oil and gas industry over the past decade, the company plans for 11 new vessels, with options for an additional 14. Construction highlights feature three additional 280-ft. deepwater supply vessels, with an option for 10; four 160-ft. fast supply vessels, with an option for another four; three Norwegian-designed and built platform supply vessels; and a 348-ft. survey support ship. The supply vessels and survey support ship are being constructed at ECO's shipbuilding facilities in Larose and Houma, La.; the fast supply vessels are designed and built at Breaux Brothers Enterprises in Loreauville, La.

Rolls-Royce introduced a pair of new vessels for its popular UT line of vessels, the UT712 and the UT737L. To be built by Soviknes for Island Offshore and delivered in October 2003, the new UT737L, dubbed Island Frontier, takes multi-tasking to dizzying new heights. Under development for almost three years, according to Svein Kleven, Rolls-Royce Marine AS, the design is an evolution of the UT745E, and is particularly notable that it demanded classification society Det Norske Veritas to create a new classification for the type: Ship Shape Well Intervention Unit 1. North Sea condition with wave height of 4.6 m and tidal current of 3.5 knots.

Aker Yards has signed a contract worth approximately NOK 650 million to build a Well Intervention Vessel for Island Offshore. The vessel will be delivered in January 2008. Main duties for the new vessel of Rolls Royce design, will be maintenance and repair of oil-/gaswells in deeps of as far as 600 meters, and operate with a riserless wireline intervention system. The vessel will operate an ROV, (remote operated vehicle), for operations on the sea bed. The sub sea related equipment will be provided by FMC and Aker Kvaerner Wellservice. Island Offshore has been assigned a contract by Statoil for well intervention services on the Norwegian continental shelf.