Serica renews North Sea deal with Sparrows

UK-based oil and gas company Serica Energy has awarded a crane operations and maintenance services contract for one of its platforms in the UK North Sea to Sparrows Group, a provider of engineering and maintenance services to the oil and gas, renewables, industrial and mining sectors.

Sparrows Group announced a three-year contract award from Serica Energy on Monday. The contract entails crane operations and maintenance services on the North Sea platform, Bruce. Located 340 kilometres northeast of Aberdeen in the UK Sector of the Northern North Sea, the Bruce complex consists of three bridge-linked platforms.

Serica owns and operates the Bruce (98 per cent interest), Keith (100 per cent) and Rhum (50 per cent) assets, which consist of over 25 wells, three bridge-linked platforms and extensive subsea pipelines and infrastructure that tie-in Rhum, Keith and the Western Area of Bruce to the Bruce facilities.

Stewart Mitchell, CEO at Sparrows, said: “We’ve had a positive start to 2022, this contract extension – and additional scope for personnel – really demonstrates the confidence and trust that Serica Energy has in Sparrows and our offering.”

As part of its scope of work, the company will provide resident focal points, onshore engineering, operations and maintenance services including engineering and technical support on-site, refurbishment and repairs, as well as lifting equipment inspection.

Prior to the change in ownership, Sparrows worked with BP on the installation for more than two decades while the contract with Serica Energy has been in effect since 2018. Moreover, Sparrows was awarded a further scope of work last year to provide additional maintenance riggers to complement the existing contract which included operators and lifting competent persons (LCPs).

“We’ve been working on the Bruce platform since the late 90s and have a lot of historical knowledge of the asset. We’re delighted to continue our legacy there with renewed crane operation and maintenance services for the coming years,” added Mitchell.

When it comes to planned activities for the Bruce, Keith and Rhum (BKR) fields, Serica Energy revealed last month its plans to undertake a well intervention campaign to boost production from existing wells and drill an exploration well on another prospect in the surrounding area, seeking to find more hydrocarbons.

The company also extended its contract with Odfjell Drilling in January 2021 for operations on the Bruce platform.