TechnipFMC orders buoyancy modules for Equinor’s giant UK oil & gas field

Balmoral Group company Balmoral Comtec has won a multi-million-pound contract with TechnipFMC to provide more than 600 buoyancy modules for Equinor’s UK oil & gas field.

Balmoral Comtec will provide engineering, design, and manufacture of buoyancy modules for the Rosebank project from its base in Scotland. 

Equinor, together with its partner Ithaca Energy, is investing $3,8 billion for the development of the Rosebank field. The field is located approximately 130 kilometers northwest of Shetland and is said to contain the largest untapped reserves on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).

The development plan encompasses subsea wells connected to the FPSO Petrojarl Knarr. The start-up of Phase I is scheduled for 2026-2027. 

The modules are planned for installation on flexible risers and umbilicals. The contract award has led to the recruitment of over 50 new employees at Balmoral Comtec’s Aberdeen base.

“Rosebank signifies an exciting shift for the future of offshore field development in the UK, with its ambitions to be one of the first UK fields powered with renewable electricity. We’re delighted that as a result of this project we’re actively recruiting for many roles here in Aberdeen and across the UK,” said Gary Yeoman, Sales Director at Balmoral Comtec.

“While this recruitment effort is driven by our recent award win, the addition of valuable, transferable skills will continue to heighten our expertise and strengthen our position as a leader across offshore sectors in both traditional and renewable energies.”

TechnipFMC secured the integrated engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (iEPCI) contract for Equinor’s Rosebank project in 2023.

“Balmoral Comtec is making an important contribution to the success of the Rosebank project through its extensive experience and high-quality solutions. Rosebank supports jobs and opportunities for people who want to continue or start a career in the energy industry, as well as helping enable the new opportunities the energy transition presents,” said Matthew Toler, UK Country Manager at TechnipFMC.

Optime Subsea in January 2024 won a contract to deliver the remote-operated controls system (ROCS) for the Rosebank field.