ABL Group to act as marine warranty surveyor for multiple oil & gas developments off Norway

Oslo-listed energy and marine consultancy ABL Group has been appointed as a marine warranty surveyor for the transportation and installation operations on several Aker BP-operated offshore field developments located on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

ABL Group revealed on Monday, 27 March 2023, that it was awarded a contract by Aker BP to provide marine warranty survey (MWS) services for the Yggdrasil and Valhall PWP-Fenris projects. While project execution started in January 2023, the transportation and installation operations are planned to be carried out in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Peter Kingsland, managing director of ABL’s Norwegian operation, remarked: “Yggdrasil will be the biggest field development offshore Norway during the coming years, while Valhall PWP-Fenris is an innovative redevelopment project. We are excited to be chosen as marine warranty survey provider for both projects.

“Our key role will be to help ensure that all transportation and offshore installation work is conducted safely and smoothly. Although each project is different, we bring with us several decades of experience from similar offshore projects into these area developments.”

The Oslo-listed player did not disclose the value of the contract with Aker BP. However, both developments are pending approval from the Norwegian parliament, after Aker BP notified the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy last week about acceding to all the PDOs submitted in December 2022, except for one. As a result of this, the Troldhaugen project in the Edvard Grieg area, which represents around four per cent of the net estimated resources in these projects, has been discontinued.

Yggdrasil, formerly known as NOAKA, is a multi-field development consisting of the Hugin, Fulla and Munin. It is located between Alvheim and Oseberg, approximately 160 km west of Kollsnes, near Bergen, in water depths of 110-120 metres.

According to the firm, the Yggdrasil area development will entail the Hugin A processing platform with well area and living quarters, the Hugin B normally unmanned wellhead platform, the Munin unmanned production platform, and an extensive subsea development with a total of nine templates, pipelines and umbilicals. The firm explains that 55 wells are planned in the area.

On the other hand, the Valhall PWP-Fenris development project will enable a lifetime extension of the Valhall field by adding a new central platform, PWP, bridge-linked to the existing Valhall PH platform. The Fenris field, which is located 50 kilometres north of Valhall, will be developed as an unmanned installation. The production from Fenris will be tied into the new PWP platform in the central Valhall field.

Regarding ABL Group’s recent activities elsewhere, it is worth noting that the firm’s subsidiary, Add Energy, expanded its presence in Asia earlier this month by setting up a new office in Malaysia, headed by a former ExxonMobil drilling engineer.