Companies in the news

BOURBON has taken delivery, as scheduled, of the anchor-handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel Bourbon Arctic from the Vard Brattvåg shipyard in Norway. It has since completed its first anchor-handling operation for Lundin Petroleum. The vessel was engaged in the disconnection and unmooring of the IslandInnovator semisubmersible at Fosen field in the Norwegian central North Sea. It is specially designed to operate in remote areas, worldwide, and equipped for advanced anchor-handling and towing operations. Photo: BOURBON.

Vallourec has signed a contract with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to supply Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG), during the 2016-2018 period, to its three operating companies—ADMA-OPCO, ADCO and ZADCO. It represents the largest OCTG contract (100,000 tons) that Vallourec has received to supply the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The company will supply a full range of standard API and premium OCTG, for both onshore and offshore oil fields, for applications ranging from conventional to complex wells. Also included in the contract is the supply of high-torque VAM connections for extended-reach drilling and corrosion-resistant alloy steels for sour service.

Covey Park Gas LLC, a subsidiary of Covey Park Energy, has entered into a purchase-and-sale agreement with subsidiaries of EP Energy Corp., to purchase all of EP Energy’s Haynesville and Bossier shale assets. The $420-million deal is expected to close in second-quarter 2016, subject to customary closing conditions. The assets, primarily in Louisiana’s DeSoto and Bossier parishes, consist of approximately 34,167 net acres and an average production of 113 MMcfgd. Covey Park will increase daily net production to approximately 200 MMcfgd.

Cluff Natural Resources (CLNR) has signed Heads of Terms with Verus Petroleum (CNS) Limited and Verus Petroleum (SNS) Limited—both wholly-owned subsidiaries of Verus Petroleum UK Limited. The company proposes initially to acquire a 5%, non-operated interest in three UKCS licenses in the Outer Moray Firth, which include the Fynn and Penny exploration prospects. The licenses are operated by The Parkmead Group, which estimates the potential for 400 MMbbl of recoverable oil, in aggregate. Additionally, the Heads of Terms provide for an exclusive option to acquire a 25% interest in License P2082 in the central North Sea, and include the Skerryvore exploration prospect.

Wood Group has acquired a supplier of proprietary software and consulting services, Ingenious Inc. The acquisition provides a strong manufacturing operations management (MOM) systems capability that will build on, and diversify, the capabilities of Wood Group Mustang’s automation and control business. Ingenious supplies software products, including remote performance monitoring, production planning and scheduling, and training.

Materia, Inc., in conjunction with Aegion Corp., has been selected by Shell Offshore, Inc., to supply pipeline insulation materials for the Appomattox development in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The insulation system will provide an effective thermal barrier between flowlines and seawater. Additionally, the thermosetting, cross-linked hydrocarbon polymer will maintain structural integrity at water depths greater than 10,000 ft.

Blackhawk Specialty Tools has expanded its operations in Mexico by opening a new subsidiary and operating facility in Villahermosa. The company will hire and train local employees, in an effort to build stronger partnerships with both national and independent oil and gas companies. Photo: Blackhawk Specialty Tools.

Greene’s Energy Group has received the American Petroleum Institute (API) Specification Q2 Certification—an advanced industry certification standard for service companies—for its flagship operations center in Lafayette, La. API Q2 is a risk-based quality management system approach that focuses on supply chain controls, service design, competency, preventative maintenance, contingency planning and service quality plans, inspection activities, equipment repair and maintenance, well construction and servicing, and abandonment.

William Jacob Management Inc. has secured its initial contract to complete the engineering and design of its first Mobile Offshore Support Services Vessel, the MOSS V. The MOSS V is a heavy-duty jackup rig, converted to a self-propelled vessel. Other potential applications include rigless plug and abandonment, construction support, floatel, storm damage repair, decommissioning, wireline, workover, support of a skid-off rig and maintenance. Northport Marine LLC will be the first client to receive delivery of the new concept vessel, scheduled for completion in first-quarter 2018. Image: William Jacob Management Inc.

Specializing in protecting companies’ process control software assets, Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd (AGSL) has been awarded a contract by TAQA. AGSL will provide its software management tool set to TAQA for use on its North Sea offshore assets, which include five platforms that produce from 13 fields throughout the northern and central North Sea. AGSL also will deliver an online, computer-based training program, so that employees can learn to properly use the Asset Guardian tool set.

Tullow Oil has awarded a contract to Jee Ltd. to investigate the most appropriate options for decommissioning its Thames area assets. The contract relates to the decommissioning of Home, Wren, Wissey, Orwell and Thurne fields in the southern North Sea. Jee will review the decommissioning programs for these assets, before redefining the most appropriate options for the subsea sections. The study, due to be completed over the next few months, will assess what infrastructure can be left in situ. In instances where removal is deemed necessary, Jee will look for process efficiency to reduce associated costs.

Archer Limited has been awarded a two-year extension of its contract for platform drilling services, as Statoil exercises the first option following the original four-year contract. Archer is presently the incumbent contractor for the Statfjord A, B and C platforms and was additionally awarded the Njord, Sleipner A, Snorre A and B, and Visund platforms under the extension, which will commence on Oct. 1. Archer’s offshore drilling crews will provide drilling operations and maintenance services on 19 platforms on the NCS, 24 platforms on the UKCS, two platforms in Brazil and one tender-assist barge rig in Greece.