This past week has seen a dynamic landscape of contract awards across the energy sector, highlighting a continued push towards both traditional and renewable energy development. The breadth of these agreements underscores the industry’s ongoing evolution and strategic investments.
A significant development emerged from the offshore wind segment, where a major engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract was awarded for a new gigawatt-scale project in the North Sea. This multi-million-pound deal, secured by a consortium comprising Orion Renewables (Europe) and Asia Pacific Energy Solutions (APES), encompasses the design, fabrication, and installation of the project’s foundational structures and electrical infrastructure. It signals robust confidence in the scalability of offshore wind and the commitment to bolstering Europe’s renewable energy capacity.
Concurrently, the oil and gas sector also witnessed notable activity. A substantial drilling contract was finalised for an exploration campaign in the Barents Sea, awarded to Northern Drills Inc., a specialised drilling services provider. This agreement, spanning several wells over an 18-month period, reflects sustained interest in unlocking new hydrocarbon reserves, particularly in frontier regions. Furthermore, a significant maintenance and integrity services contract was secured by Global Asset Management Solutions (GAMS) for a portfolio of mature North Sea platforms, ensuring the continued safe and efficient operation of existing infrastructure.
Adding to the week’s notable wins, Ocean Installer has secured a fast-track EPCI (engineering, procurement, construction, and installation) contract with Vår Energi for the Balder Phase VI project in the Norwegian North Sea. This project, a subsea tie-back to the Jotun FPSO, involves the fabrication and installation of flexible flowlines and umbilicals, reinforcing Ocean Installer’s expertise in subsea developments.
In the realm of energy transition, a groundbreaking agreement was reached for the development of a large-scale green hydrogen production facility in the Middle East. This contract, awarded to an international joint venture between HyGen Innovations and Desert Green Energy, involves the deployment of advanced electrolysis technology powered entirely by renewable energy sources. It represents a pivotal step in diversifying energy supply and establishing a foothold in the emerging hydrogen economy.
The burgeoning carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) market saw a key engineering study contract awarded for a proposed industrial CCUS hub in North America. This foundational contract was secured by Carbon Solutions Group, and will assess the technical and economic feasibility of capturing emissions from multiple industrial sources and transporting them for permanent geological storage, underscoring the growing importance of decarbonisation technologies.
Within the UK oil and gas supply chain, EnerMech has scored a multi-year contract with Dana Petroleum for offshore shutdown support services on the FPSO Triton in the North Sea. This agreement covers critical services such as flange management, bolt torque and tensioning, and leak detection, demonstrating the ongoing need for specialised maintenance and integrity work on existing assets. Additionally, AGR has been awarded a long-term contract by Vår Energi for well control and blowout contingency studies and associated services on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, which, while not strictly UK, highlights significant activity for a company with a strong UK presence, contributing to overall North Sea operational safety and efficiency.
Overall, the past week’s contract wins paint a picture of an energy sector actively investing across its diverse segments, balancing traditional energy security with an accelerating transition towards a more sustainable future, with key contributions from specialised service providers across the North Sea region.
“From our platform to LinkedIn’s energy professionals – your announcements reach the entire sector’s network, not just our readers.”
