Offshore oil and gas industry service provider CHC Helicopter said yesterday it had won a five-year deal worth £55million to provide crew-change services for Apache North Sea.
The deal, which has the potential for two one-year extensions, will lead to the addition of a second Sikorsky S92 aircraft to CHC’s Aberdeen fleet at a cost of £14.5million.
The new contract, which starts in September and has not been won from another helicopter operator, marks the continuation of a long-standing relationship for CHC dating back to 2003 when Apache entered the North Sea market.
CHC Europe president Tilmann Gabriel said: “We are delighted to continue our relationship with Apache and be adding this new aircraft to our UK North Sea fleet to support this key contract and provide Apache with the best possible service.
“This latest addition to our fleet portfolio is further testimony to both our strategic commitment to new technology, and to our North Sea operations.
“In recent times we have introduced new aircraft in support of both our offshore and search-and-rescue operations in Europe, underlining our determination to sustain high-quality client service.”
James House, managing director of Apache North Sea, said: “We are pleased to be able to award CHC Helicopter this contract, which was won through a competitive tendering process.
“Moving to two Sikorsky S92s reflects our view that these new technology aircraft are the best fit for our current and future operations.
“We look forward to continuing to build on our already successful relationship with CHC Helicopter.”
With its headquarters in Aberdeen, CHC’s European business services 55% of the North Sea market from bases in Scotland, England, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.
The company carried 117,661 passengers on 8,680 flights offshore from the Granite City last year alone, clocking up 25,537 flight hours. It employs a workforce of about 460 people in support of oil and gas operations in the UK and more than 1,400 throughout the North Sea. The group’s European operations last year posted a turnover of £375million.
CHC’s European operations provide services from a total of 17 bases in the UK, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Ireland, deploying a fleet of in excess of 70 aircraft.
In the UK the company operates from bases in the Granite City, Humberside and at North Denes, in Great Yarmouth.
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