Energy firm BG Group has said it hopes to approve a tender for building a new satellite platform for the North Sea in the first half of next year.
BG has invited firms to bid for a minimum facility bridge-linkedplatform (BLP) to be added to its Lomond installation in the central North Sea.
The platform is part of plans to develop nearby fields, including Columbus, operated by Serica Energy, and the Dana-operated Arran fields.
BG would not say if any UK firms had been invited to bid for the work, saying: “It’s not appropriate to discuss tenders while they are in progress.”
A spokesman said: “The Lomond BLP tender is now out, and bids will be reviewed through the normal BG Group and partner approval processes in the first half of next year. The Lomond BLP will enhance access to infrastructure for smaller fields in the Lomond area of the North Sea. This is the objective of BG Group and is aligned with the objectives of the UK Government.”