Oceaneering bags offshore decommissioning work in Canada

October 1, 2019, by Offshore Energy Today

Offshore oilfield services provider Oceaneering has secured a contract to support a decommissioning project offshore the east coast of Canada.

A platform complex which is a part of the Sable Offshore Energy Project / Image source: SOEP

Oceaneering’s work scope covers internal cutting, external cutting, and local soil displacement. Oceaneering did not share the financial details.

The decommissioning project comprises seven offshore gas platforms located approximately 135 nautical miles east of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on the edge of the Scotian Shelf, the oilfield services firm said.

According to the company, the platforms were installed between 1999 and 2006 and consist of integrated topsides modules on jacket structures that are in water depths of 25-75 meters. Work is expected to start in Q2 2020.

While the company did not provide further details on the project, the description it gave corresponds to ExxonMobil’s Sable Offshore Energy Project, which comprises of seven platforms, and the decommissioning timeline provided by Oceaneering matches the one of Exxon for the Sable project.

The Sable Offshore Energy Project was Canada’s first offshore natural gas project, with first gas produced on December 31, 1999. Production ended December 31, 2018.

According to ExxonMobil’s expected decommissioning timeline, platform removal is slated for 2020. The platforms will be removed by Heerema Marine Contractors, using a heavy lift vessel. The topsides and jackets will eventually be transported to an international demolition yard.