Helix Energy 'thrilled' to be awarded 5-well complete abandonment contract

Houston-based offshore energy company Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc. has scored a 5-well complete abandonment project with New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE).

“We are thrilled to be awarded our first ever decommissioning project offshore New Zealand,” Helix Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Scotty Sparks told PR Newswire of the project to be served by the Helix Q7000 and 10K Intervention Riser System (IRS). “We are industry leaders and are excited to continue expanding our service offerings and global operational footprint into the APAC region, helping our clients navigate energy transition, optimize subsea infrastructure and maximize their economic returns."

MBIE’s contract with Helix is the second recent award for the company in the Asia Pacific region, coming after the award of Cooper Energy BMG wells abandonment in Australia’s Bass Strait.

“This award, coming on the heels of our award with Cooper Energy, shows that an integrated vessel package such as the Q7000 can address a wide range of subsea decommissioning challenges,” added David Carr, senior vice president international for Helix Well Ops. “As we commence this project, we look forward to working with tangata whenua, MBIE and the wider community to protect and restore the mana of this location.”

MBIE Tui Project Director Lloyd Williams said Helix was tabbed for the contract after a spirited procurement process to select a supplier that met the company’s objectives of a robust technical solution, flexibility in timing, competitive pricing and a commitment to working with iwi and local stakeholders.

“Helix is widely recognized internationally as one of the largest and most capable contractors for well intervention and abandonment, and we are looking forward to working with them to complete the final phase of the decommissioning. Helix’s proposed vessel to carry out the work, the Q7000, is a state-of-the-art unit which is optimized for well decommissioning and features specialized equipment required to complete the work safely and efficiently,” Williams added.

Equipped with an IMO-certified DP3 system and the Helix-designed IRS, the Q7000 is capable of performing well intervention and decommissioning operations in water depths of up to 3,000 meters. With its open deck plan and tri-axial configuration, the Q7000 also has the ability to perform a wide range of production enhancement operations as well as well clean-up and field development support.