Aberdeen-based decommissioning services provider Well-Safe Solutions has landed a new decommissioning assignment at a field in the North Sea on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) and hired Archer and NMC Energy to lend a hand with the plug and abandonment (P&A) scope of work.
Well-Safe Solutions has been appointed lead contractor for Apache North Sea’s Beryl field decommissioning project, representing the second contract awarded by the same oil and natural gas exploration and production company this year, as the Scottish player is also working on the decommissioning of the operator’s Forties field .
As a result of the additional contract, the combined scope of work now encompasses more than 260 wells, making it one of the largest well decommissioning contracts awarded in the North Sea to date. The Beryl field and associated infrastructure, Alpha and Bravo platforms and facilities, and the nearby associated Ness, Nevis, Buckland and Skene fields, are located 335 kilometers northeast of Aberdeen.
In light of this, Well-Safe Solutions has contracted platform-based drilling services and specialist technical solutions to Archer, which will provide well services solutions, wireline and coiled tubing, and a compact workover rig.
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The Scottish firm has also awarded a contract to NMC Energy to provide the integration, commissioning and topside decommissioning services. The collaborative approach is anticipated to provide Apache with a fully integrated solution for the decommissioning of the platform and subsea wells across the Forties and Beryl assets.
Phil Milton , CEO of Well-Safe Solutions, commented: “The additional scope of work awarded by Apache reflects its continued confidence in Well-Safe Solutions as a partner that shares its focus on safe, efficient decommissioning delivery.
“This planned project highlights Apache’s impressive commitment to comprehensive full-scale decommissioning, on a level that no other operator has yet undertaken. Their proactive approach should be applauded and seen as a model for future decommissioning activity in the North Sea.”
With preparatory work already underway on the subsurface, well engineering and project management scopes for the project, well operations are due to start offshore on the Beryl Bravo platform wells in the summer, while subsea well decommissioning operations are scheduled to kick off in 2027, beginning a multi-year program of work.
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Donald Martin , VP of Decommissioning at Apache, underlined: “The addition of the Beryl Field programme marks a significant milestone in Apache’s North Sea decommissioning journey. Together, the Forties and Beryl projects represent one of the largest well decommissioning programmes undertaken in the region and an important next chapter in the legacy of two iconic North Sea assets that have played a major role in the UK’s energy story.
“Successful delivery of a programme of this scale depends on a strong, integrated team. By bringing together Apache, Well-Safe Solutions, Archer and NMC Energy as one team, we are combining complementary expertise and experience to safely and efficiently execute this complex scope of work. We look forward to continuing this collaboration as we progress these projects over the coming years.”
Given that the Well-Safe Defender and Well-Safe Guardian semi-submersible rigs and the Well-Safe Protector jack-up rig are now under contract, Well-Safe Solutions claims to currently be experiencing a welcome increase in industry activity.
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Dag Skindlo , CEO of Archer, underscored: “We are very excited to be part of this significant P&A project with Apache and Well-Safe. This agreement represents a delivery model for large-scale P&A, where Apache has contracted Well-Safe and Archer under an integrated framework.
“We are committed to supporting the project through the application of our operational experience, technology and engineering capabilities. Working in an integrated execution model with Apache and Well-Safe’s experienced management and engineering teams, we will seek to deploy effective solutions and new technologies throughout the project lifecycle.”