Two UK contractors in partnership to transform life of field services in North Sea

Engineering and industrial services company Bilfinger UK and Global E&C have formed a new joint venture, named Torus BGP, to transform the delivery of the life of field services in the North Sea, through a long-term contract with oil and natural gas production company CNR International.

Torus BGP was announced as a joint venture between Bilfinger and Global E&C last Thursday. It aims to provide a step-change in the delivery of late life extension in the North Sea with a contract, which covers three North Sea assets. The exact contract value was not disclosed.

Terry Allan, Global E&C Chief Executive Officer, remarked: “Transformation is key to unlocking opportunities for the North Sea now and in the future. Torus BGP has presented a bold, but highly deliverable solution, to the challenges facing life of field services against a rapidly-changing backdrop, not least of which is the need to accelerate decarbonisation and deliver quantifiable efficiencies while not ever compromising on safety.”

The new partnership will enable Bilfinger and Global E&C to work together, under the newly formed Torus BGP brand, to deliver operations and maintenance, engineering, construction, modifications, fabric maintenance, integrity inspection, commissioning and start-up services for three UK North Sea platforms.

“Torus BGP is the perfect partner to work with CNR International to challenge the accepted norms and to foster creativity in late-life operations and beyond. This partnership, which has been 15 months in the making, will not only offer the agility, scalability and cultural fit CNR International was looking for but will also provide a highly attractive, dynamic culture and a secure future for the workforce,” added Allan.

The two companies created the partnership to meet CNR International’s ambition of finding new ways of collaborating and working to extend the life of its assets safely and economically while supporting emissions reductions.

The contract, covering the Ninian South, Ninian Central, and the Tiffany platforms, stipulates that offshore workers will be transferred, under TUPE legislation, from various contractors to Torus BGP, which will be led by a steering committee including Bilfinger UK Executive President, Sandy Bonner and Global E&C Chief Executive Officer, Terry Allan.

Sandy Bonner, Bilfinger UK Executive President, commented: “Our joint purpose is to challenge, innovate and deliver for CNR International as the operator. We will support CNR International by transforming operational and delivery models, alongside introducing the new technologies and technical skills it needs to streamline operations, reduce the carbon footprint, through to late-life asset management and decommissioning.”

Allan concluded: “With a fresh approach, Torus BGP will offer opportunities for the development and progression of fulfilling careers that will be vital to our basin in the long-term. The skills and experience of the workforce are critical as we enter a new era for the offshore energy industry.”

When it comes to the CNR International-operated fields, the firm is working on decommissioning Murchinson, Ninian Northern, Banff and Kyle assets in the North Sea.

To this end, the company awarded a decommissioning contract to Well-Safe Solutions in October this year for the decommissioning of up to 14 wells on the Banff and Kyle fields.