IOG awards Core Project Phase 1 duty holder role to ODE

UK gas company IOG has awarded the Phase 1 duty holder contract for the installation and pipeline operator as well as facilities operations and maintenance to ODE Asset Management (ODE AM).

IOG said on Monday that ODE would be responsible for “delivering safe, efficient, and cost-effective production operations” from its Phase 1 offshore infrastructure in the UK Southern North Sea (SNS), including the Blythe and Southwark platforms, the Thames Pipeline, and the associated subsea connector lines.

ODE will also provide O&M and integrated services for Phase 1, including the onshore control room at the Bacton gas terminal, travel, training, and crew for offshore activities, emergency response, warehousing, and quayside support, and all associated regulatory interface and compliance.

According to IOG, the contract has mechanisms to incentivise ODE to maximise operating efficiencies and an appropriate risk-reward formula for performance against agreed criteria.

ODE has already been an SNS duty holder for the Tolmount gas platform on behalf of Humber Gathering System Limited and installation and pipeline operator for the producing Babbage gas field on behalf of NEO Energy.

This award is in addition to the 2018 award in which ODE was made the pipeline operator for the Thames pipeline (PL370), since when it has provided pre-operations services on a reimbursable basis. The wider ODE Group is also undertaking engineering, procurement, construction, and installation activities for the ongoing recommissioning of IOG’s onshore Thames reception facilities at Bacton.

Andrew Hockey, CEO of IOG, said: “We are pleased to award this contract to ODE, who have a well-established duty holder and O&M track record in Southern North Sea gas projects including Babbage and Tolmount.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with ODE as we ramp up pre-operations and commissioning activities ahead of first gas in the late third quarter this year“.

Sandy Reid, managing director of ODE, added: “We’re delighted to continue our support to IOG on their prestigious Core Project and be appointed duty holder for the Blythe and Southwark offshore facilities.

“This contract fully aligns and incentivises ODE to support IOG in what both parties see as an operating partnership to deliver industry-leading lifting cost and low carbon performance.

“We’re proud that IOG is placing their trust in the wider capabilities of the ODE Group to safely deliver both the Bacton EPCI and the offshore Duty Holder scopes“.