Expro, an energy services provider, has recently announced the acquisition of a new contract with Harbour Energy. This contract pertains to a well abandonment campaign, which forms an integral part of the decommissioning project for the Balmoral area within the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).
Expro has successfully secured a multi-year contract, exceeding a value of $20m. This contract will involve the utilisation of Expro’s advanced Subsea Well Access technology, incorporating a combination of open-water and in-riser applications. These cutting-edge solutions will be deployed from a semi-submersible rig as part of the project.
During the abandonment process, wells often face challenges related to loading and fatigue on the wellhead and Xmas trees. Expro recognises the significance of these issues and aims to address them effectively. By providing a lightweight open-water system, Expro’s solution will help mitigate the loading issues encountered during the subsea well access intervention phase of the comprehensive abandonment campaign.
Expro’s innovative open-water and in-riser bore selector technology offers a remarkable advantage by eliminating the need for a dual bore riser throughout the entire abandonment campaign. This approach brings notable benefits, including significantly reduced system deployment and retrieval times, along with lower maintenance costs. By streamlining the operation and minimising complexities, Expro’s technology ensures a more efficient and cost-effective approach to the abandonment process.
In response to the customer’s specific technical requirements, the company has developed an innovative technological solution centred around a newly designed lightweight intervention system. This system incorporates Expro’s proprietary subsea ball valve technologies, which have proven to be highly effective. Notably, Expro’s existing API 17G standard high debris ball valve has recently been qualified to deliver a single ball cut and seal functionality on coil tubing. Leveraging this ball valve technology, Expro will customise open water riser housings to provide the required lightweight solution, tailored to the project’s needs.
The solution developed for this contract award marks a significant expansion of Expro’s subsea well access portfolio. This development enables Expro to provide the client with a comprehensive range of subsea well access tooling necessary for the abandonment campaign in the Balmoral area, catering to both horizontal and vertical Xmas Trees. By offering a complete suite of tools and technologies, Expro ensures that the client’s requirements for subsea well access during the abandonment project are fully met.
The contract award not only signifies Expro’s expanded role in this significant campaign but also reinforces the company’s existing involvement. Expro’s Well Test and Well Construction teams are already actively supporting the project, and with the new contract, Expro’s contribution will be further extended. The execution of the contract will take place at Expro’s Aberdeen facilities, leveraging the company’s expertise and resources in the region to ensure successful delivery.
Expro Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa vice-president Colin Mackenzie said: “We are proud to have secured this award by offering an innovative approach to meet the needs of this important customer. We believe that our leading-edge technology continues to deliver safe, reliable and environmentally secure subsea well access in support of major projects around the world. We are delighted to further extend the scope of our partnership on this campaign which reinforces our position as a key enabler within the plug and abandonment market.”
