UK decom specialist lands 14-well job with European operator

Aberdeen-based decommissioning services provider Well-Safe Solutions has inked a new decommissioning deal on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) with an undisclosed European operator.

Well-Safe Solutions revealed on Thursday that it had signed an agreement to plug and abandon (P&A) 14 wells on the UKCS. This deal is the first one agreed for the Well-Safe Defender semi-submersible rig, purchased in June 2022 from Awilco Drilling.

Neil Ferguson, Operations Director at Well-Safe Solutions, remarked: “This is a very exciting time for our teams, with a little over a month between Well-Safe taking ownership of the Well-Safe Defender and the signing of this contract with our latest client.”

No financial details for this deal have been disclosed yet, however, the firm did explain the project will see the rig mobilising in March 2023 for approximately 250 days of work.

Gavin Robinson, Commercial Manager at Well-Safe Solutions, commented: “We are delighted to assist our client, a leading European operator, with meeting their decommissioning obligations on these historic fields.

“Like the Well-Safe Guardian and Well-Safe Protector, the Well-Safe Defender is a dedicated decommissioning asset converted from a drilling rig. Clients benefit from a greatly reduced carbon footprint and quicker mobilisation times as a result, as no virgin steel is required for a new-build rig.”

According to the company, the Well-Safe Defender rig is currently undergoing a “host of efficiency enhancements,” as part of its integration into the business as well as the completion of its recertification ahead of mobilisation in March 2023.

“In addition to the clear economic benefits of this approach, we expect this work to generate approximately 60 new positions offshore, with several supporting roles also required onshore. This will take the total estimated headcount in Well-Safe to 330 people in early 2023,” concluded Robinson.

Well-Safe Solutions underlies that this contract announcement is the latest in a “summer of growth,” as it previously announced a well decommissioning contract with Ithaca Energy as well as a capital funding boost of £50 million (close to 50 million) by new and existing investors.

The company’s previous, similar contract wins include those with Repsol Sinopec and CNR International, for the decommissioning of 14 wells, each.