Petrofac adds third Gulf of Mexico field to its decom scope

Oilfield services provider Petrofac has expanded its decommissioning scope of work in the Gulf of Mexico further by adding another offshore field to its backlog. 

In May 2022, Petrofac and Promethean Decommissioning Company (PDC) formed an alliance to decommission the South Pass 60, South Pass 6, and East Breaks 165 fields in the Gulf of Mexico. At the time, the legacy offshore fields and assets encompassed 9 platforms, 200 wells, and 32 pipeline segments and the scope also entailed the decommissioning of the fields. The alliance selected Danos to support field operations and the decommissioning programme.

As a result of the latest addition, Petrofac has extended the scope of its existing decommissioning contract, which now entails three fields in the Gulf of Mexico. Following this contract expansion, the company explains that the legacy offshore fields and assets now include 12 platforms, 211 wells, and 32 pipeline segments, as well as operations and logistics services.

Nick Shorten, Chief Operating Officer for Petrofac’s Asset Solutions business, commented: “This sizable contract expansion recognises our industry-leading decommissioning programme management experience and our differentiated in-house capability to manage all well and asset decommissioning phases. Through this and other decommissioning projects, Petrofac is actively and sustainably contributing to the energy transition globally.”

According to Petrofac, the scope includes the safe, efficient, and assured decommissioning of the fields and the operation of the fields during the execution of the decommissioning work. No financial or other details about the contract were revealed at this point.

“With over two decades of safe and predictable decommissioning experience and in-house well engineering capability, Petrofac will use its proven decommissioning programme management systems, tools, and processes to deliver the project,” explained the company.

Furthermore, Petrofac’s integrated local team, wider global decommissioning organisation, and supply chain partners have collectively plugged and abandoned more than 2,300 wells and decommissioned over 250 facilities.

Petrofac has also been active outside the Gulf of Mexico and its most recent extension deal is for the provision of operations and maintenance (O&M) services on an FPSO, which is carrying out operations at an oil field offshore Thailand.