Subsea 7 and Shell welcomed representatives from the oil and gas and north-east civic communities to Aberdeen harbour yesterday for an event showcasing two new vessels.
Diving support vessel (DSV) Seven Atlantic and remotely operated vehicle support vessel Normand Subsea – among eight ships and other assets in which Subsea 7 has invested more than £800million since 2007 – will service a long-term contract Subsea 7 has with Shell.
The contract is for inspection, repair and maintenance programmes, capital projects and decommissioning works across the oil and gas major’s European offshore fields and facilities.
Yesterday’s event highlighted the significant impact the introduction of these new vessels will have on the North Sea market and beyond.
Subsea 7 said the Seven Atlantic in particular represented a huge step forward in North Sea diving productivity and capacity. She is one of the largest and most capable DSVs in the world and will be able to operate in harsher North Sea weather conditions than has been possible previously by similar vessels.
The company said the Normand Subsea had advanced ROV launch and recovery systems and a focus on achieving year-round availability in harsh environments, including ice.
Steph McNeill, Subsea 7’s UK vice-president, said: “These vessels represent a significant investment in the next generation of diving and diverless operations and have the capability to significantly improve efficiencies and productivity in the North Sea market.”
John Gallagher, technical vice-president at Shell Upstream Europe, said: “Shell’s subsea operations will benefit from the introduction of these technically advanced vessels as we continue our significant investment in the North Sea.”
The last of the eight new vessels, the Seven Pacific pipelay and construction vessel, is expected to be delivered later this year.
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Liberal Democrat MP Sir Robert Smith said: “This visit was an opportunity to recognise what a world leader the north-east has become in deploying technology as a result of lessons learned operating in the North Sea.”
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