Shetland Isles News

EST-Floattech will be providing the battery system for the purpose-built electric-landing utility vessel (E-LUV) to be built at Coastal Workboats’ new yard Stornoway. The company will also provide the shore-based power supply system.The collaboration with Coastal Workboats Scotland is realized due to Coastal Workboats receiving a £6 million (€7 million) grant to demonstrate the UK's first commercial electric workboat and charging station from the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.The BV-classed E-LUV is set to be the UK's first commercial electric workboat.

Energy regulator Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has been "unable to approve" plans for two huge subsea cables to take energy from the Scottish islands to the mainland.The transmission links from Shetland and the Western Isles were proposed by Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) to connect planned new wind farms on the islands to the national grid.In March 2019 Ofgem said it was minded to approve the estimated £709 million link.The proposal from SSEN for a 600MW transmission link was based on the largest planned project, Viking Energy Wind Farm, securing subsidies through the UK Government’s Autumn Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction.The award of these subsidies would have provided confidence that the wind farm is likely to progress…

Drydocks World has recently completed two projects for Bluewater Energy Services B.V. and end client Hurricane Energy plc.The projects included the refurbishment, life extension and upgrade of the FPSO Aoka Mizu vessel, and the construction of a Turret Buoy weighing over 1,000T. In addition to the complex buoy construction project, Drydocks World teams fabricated and installed over 1,000T of structural steel, 1,800 pipe spools (including Duplex), and 55km of cables on the FPSO.The FPSO Aoka Mizu will be deployed on the Lancaster field…

Damen Shipyards Group delivered a Multi Cat 2613 on April 30, 2015 to Orkney, Scotland-based chartering company Scotmarine to be used for offshore tidal activities in Scotland’s Northern Isles. The hull of the new vessel was in stock and customized for the client earlier this year. The 50-metric-ton bollard pull vessel has a large crane and will replace the stock vessel Multi Cat Orcadia Scotmarine purchased three years ago. Scotmarine will deploy the new vessel in developing underwater tidal energy farms for Scot Renewables Tidal Power.

Statoil (U.K.) Limited has awarded a contract to Sentinel Marine Limited to provide a new multi role Emergency Response & Rescue Vessel (ERRV) to support operations on the Mariner field on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). Sentinel Marine is an Aberdeen-based company, owning and operating offshore support vessels in the oil and gas marine industry. The new 65 metre ship, to be named “Mariner Sentinel”, will be custom built for Statoil and provide emergency cover, oil spill response preparedness and tanker assist capabilities for the Mariner field. The ERRV contract with Sentinel Marine has a fixed duration of five years, commencing in July 2016, and also includes five one-year extension options.

Three tugs of Fairmount Marine have towed the brand new FPSO Petrojarl Knarr from South Korea to Norway in just 61 days. Petrojarl Knarr, one of world’s largest floating production and storage units (FPSO) for harsh environments, was delivered in the port of Haugesund, Norway, September 16th 2014. The entire voyage was under command of lead tug master Kees de Graaff on board of the leading tug Fairmount Sherpa. The newly delivered FPSO Petrojarl Knarr is 256.4 meters long and 48 meters wide with a dwt of 135,000 tons. The vessel is owned by Teekay Corporation and is build by Samsung Heavy Industries in Geoje, South Korea. Petrojarl Knarr will be deployed later in the Knarr oil and gas field offshore Norway.

Three tugs of Fairmount Marine have towed the brand new FPSO Petrojarl Knarr from South Korea to Norway in just 61 days. Petrojarl Knarr, one of world’s largest floating production and storage units (FPSO) for harsh environments, was delivered in the port of Haugesund, Norway, September 16th 2014. The entire voyage was under command of lead tug master Kees de Graaff on board of the leading tug Fairmount Sherpa. The newly delivered FPSO Petrojarl Knarr is 256.4 meters long and 48 meters wide with a dwt of 135,000 tons.

Drilling activity offshore UK is now expected to increase over the next few years as government and industry reacts to the recommendations in Sir Ian Wood’s report – the “Wood Review” – to maximise UK offshore oil & gas recovery advises Douglas Westwood's 'DW Monday' study. From a peak of 396 in 1996, numbers of wells drilled offshore UK fell to 164 in 2013, a low not seen since 1979. Development wells were down from 289 in 1998 to 120 in 2013. Exploration & appraisal drilling, on which offshore production ultimately depends, saw numbers fall from 224 in 1990 to 44 last year. Of these the key driver is of course exploration wells, down from 157 in 1990 to just 15 last year.

Statoil (U.K.) Limited has awarded the helicopter transportation contract for the Mariner field to CHC Helicopter in the UK. The contract calls for CHC to operate two Sikorsky S-92 aircraft on behalf of Statoil. The helicopters will fly from Aberdeen or Sumburgh on the Shetland Isles to the Statoil-operated Mariner field, 250 kilometres off the north-eastern coast of Scotland. The contract has a duration of five years, plus an extension option for up to three years. The service is anticipated to begin in mid-2016. “We are pleased to have entered into this contract, meeting our needs for safe and efficient transportation to the Mariner field…

DNV GL U.K. has secured the third party ICP (Independent Competent Person) multimillion GBP contract, related to compliance with U.K. Offshore Regulations for the Statoil Mariner project. The award is the culmination of two years’ of project FEED support, assisting Statoil in developing Performance Standards and the Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) under the U.K. Offshore Safety Case Regulations for the Production Drilling Quarters (PDQ), Subsea, Umbilical’s, Risers and Flowlines (SURF) and the Floating Storage Unit (FSU).

Aker Solutions won a contract from Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) to deliver a drilling equipment package for the production platform at the Mariner oilfield in the U.K. North Sea. The parties agreed not to disclose the value of the order, which includes a complete topside equipment package. Aker Solutions will also provide necessary support services at DSME's shipyard in South Korea and during the offshore installation phase. Delivery of the equipment will be completed in 2015.

US-based CB&I wins a project contract worth US$250-million from Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co, Ltd. (DSME). CB&I's scope of work, which will commence in the first quarter, includes detailed engineering design services for the Mariner Topsides project that is part of the Mariner oil field development project being operated by Statoil in the UK North Sea. The Mariner heavy oil field is located on the East Shetland Platform of the UK North Sea, approximately 150 kilometers east of the Shetland Isles. Pending final approval of the field development plan by the UK authorities, Statoil expects to start production from Mariner in 2017. The field is estimated to produce for 30 years with an average production of around 55,000 barrels of oil per day.

Hamworthy has won a contract from South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries to supply its inert gas generator (IGG) package for the QUAD 204 FPSO project. The BP-operated FPSO is to be deployed some 110 miles to the west of the Shetland Isles in the North Atlantic as a replacement for the Schiehallion FPSO. Hamworthy will supply two sets of inert gas generator units, including two deck water seals, two control systems, two inert gas cleaners and two pressure vacuum breakers. The…

The events of September 11, 2001 will continue to have lingering effects on the world indefinitely. The most visible remnant in the maritime world is the drastically heightened sense of safety and security, as officials in countries around the globe seek to secure their borders from the threat of attack — either direct or covert — via ship. Many of the issues currently on the legislative fast track were already in the works pre-September 11. False crew documentation, enhanced vessel tracking and beefed-up harbor controls were much-discussed topic in previous years. As is the case more often than not, though, a disaster of some proportion is inevitably the impetus in moving from discussion to action.

Oil wells in the North Sea and the North Atlantic are still bubbling with Black Gold. With two new high-performance Voith Water Tractors, the harbor authority of the Shetland Isles (Shetland Island Council) is set to widen its opportunities and will soon be able to unload even larger oil tankers in the harbor of Sullom Voe at affordable cost. In spring 2010, the two new vessels will enter service at the most northern point of Scotland. The two escort vessels will be built in Spain by Union Naval Valencia. With 77 tons bollard pull ahead and 71 tons bollard pull astern, they are in the highest output class for this type of Escort Voith Water Tractors. Each of the two Voith Water Tractors is fitted with two electronically controlled Voith Schneider Propellers size 36R6/255-2.