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Norwegian state-owned energy giant Equinor has handed out a contract to compatriot Lufttransport RW for the operation of five new helicopters which will be used to transport passengers to offshore assets on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). According to the Norwegian major, the five new helicopters manufactured by Leonardo are type AW189 aircraft, which are part of a new generation of aircraft that will take passengers from the Sola and Florø airports to the NCS. The contract with Lufttransport is the first operator agreement after 15 new helicopters were ordered last year to supplement the only model currently in use, the Sikorsky S-92. Five aircraft will be provided by Leonardo and ten by Bell, with delivery scheduled to start in 2026. The fixed agreement with Lufttransport has a duration of around seven years, with options for an additional six years. The total value of the contract, including options, is estimated at around 7 billion NOK, or around $617 million. As Equinor claims Lufttransport has experience in dealing with challenging Norwegian conditions and their safety record is good, the company and the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority decided it was the best choice for the assignment. “The safety of our employees who travel by helicopter is our utmost priority. New helicopters will make helicopter traffic more robust. Safe, predictable and efficient transportation is crucial to safely maintain a high activity level on the NCS for many years to come,” noted Ørjan Kvelvane, Equinor’s Senior Vice President of Operation and Maintenance in Exploration & Production Norway (EPN). As explained by Equinor, the AW189 helicopters represent a newer type of helicopter used throughout the offshore industry worldwide, with “thoroughly tested technology and excellent safety.” The AW189 is said to feature good passenger comfort, noise reduction, and lower emissions. The two first helicopters are scheduled to arrive in Norway in spring 2025, gradually starting operations over the course of the summer and autumn. The remaining three will be delivered and put to use the following year. The Norwegian operator will also conduct search and rescue operations for Equinor starting in early 2026 under a contract awarded one year ago. This occurred following a tragic accident approximately 15 nautical miles west of Bergen off the coast of Norway which led to the death of a crew member. Equinor also signed an agreement with Milestone Aviation Group, which will assume ownership of the AW189 helicopters once delivered by Leonardo. “Through this agreement, we’ve secured long-term rights to manage these helicopters ourselves, and the contract with Lufttransport gives us a third operator for shuttle services on the NCS, alongside CHC and Bristow. We’ve managed to put a set of innovative agreements in place to ensure that we have good technical solutions that provide more robust operations,” said Mette Ottøy, Equinor’s Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Management. The agreement with Milestone is valued at just over 2 billion NOK, or approximately $176 million, for a contract duration of up to 20 years. Apart from the helicopter contracts, Equinor’s recent agreements entail extending the contract of Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Atlantic semi-submersible rig. Thanks to the extension, the rig is set to stay with Equinor until the end of Q2 2027. |
