Norwegian vessel owner DOF Group has secured a new long-term contract with Brazilian oil and gas giant, Petrobras, for its pipelay support vessel (PLSV), as well as an extension of the contract for the PLSV Skandi Açu.
The existing contract has been extended until mid-2026 , with a new three-year contract to follow, ending in mid-2029.
In addition to this, PLSV Skandi Buzios, the sister ship of the Skandi Açu, resumed operations for Petrobras on August 1, 2024. The PLSV started its eight-year charter contract with Petrobras in April 2017. These two vessels have a flexible pipelay tension capacity of 650 tons, enabling the installation of large-diameter flexible pipes in the ultra-deepwater Brazilian pre-salt area.
Both vessels are owned by Techdof AS, a joint venture between DOF Subsea and TechnipFMC, each holding a 50% stake.
“We are pleased to announce another award under this PLSV tender, adding important back log to the Group, and it confirms our long relationship with Petrobras,” said Mons S. Aase , CEO of DOF Group.
Skandi Açu started its eight-year charter contract with Petrobras in August 2016 and was the first of four PLSVs fixed on long-term charters with Petrobras which were awarded to TechDof Brasil in August 2013. Skandi Açu went through complete sea trials and acceptance tests by Petrobras.
DOF and Petrobras signed three new service contracts worth more than $260 million in September 2023 under which DOF is in charge of providing survey and inspection work to Petrobras. In April, DOF secured two contracts with the Brazilian company, putting Skandi Amazonas and Skandi Rio to work.
In terms of the most recent news coming from DOF Group, the company secured two new long-term contracts with Petrobras in June. The 142.2-meter PLSV Skandi Niterói received a three-year firm contract with an option, set to start in 2025.
Additionally, the AHTS Skandi Botafogo, currently contracted by Petrobras until Q1 2025, secured a four-year firm contract with a one-year option to follow.