| Project Detail |
Client: Anasuria Operating Company (AOC) – a UK joint venture between Hibiscus and Ping Petroleum
Location: Anasuria cluster, UK North Sea, 175km east of Aberdeen
Scope: Petrofac has assumed responsibility on behalf of AOC for the FPSO operations, as well as for monitoring and managing the pipelines and wells
In March 2016, Petrofac was awarded a Service Operator contract to support Anasuria Operating Company (AOC) on the Anasuria cluster in the North Sea.
AOC acquired the cluster from Shell and its partners in 2015 as part of its long-term plan to rejuvenate mature assets and bring a new generation of thinking and operating into the North Sea.
Located 175km east of Aberdeen, the cluster consists of a 100% interest in the Anasuria FPSO, Teal, Teal South, Guillemot A fields and a 38.65% interest in the Cook field.
Petrofac is undertaking full responsibility on behalf of AOC for the FPSO operations as well as for monitoring and managing the pipelines and wells, with the exception of the Cook well.
Opportunity for change
New UK regulations introduced in 2015 created an opportunity for us to widen the scope of service we could offer our clients and take on more responsibility for asset operations.
The new role of Installation Operator was introduced in these 2015 Regulations, allowing us to retain the existing responsibilities for health and safety as Duty Holder but also manage all the environmental aspects of an offshore installation. As part of this we can now manage the integrity, safety and environmental aspects of the wells as the appointed Well Operator.
We combined these responsibilities for the first time in the UKCS, within one outsourced contract – known as Service Operator - an evolution of the outsourced Duty Holder model we pioneered in 1997.
It’s a key step for us in the current environment. While oil prices remain low, the UKCS is still seen as an attractive investment by independent operators and potential asset owners.
This Service Operator model has been designed to provide an integrated, aligned approach to the operation and development of the Anasuria cluster. It responds to the current climate and keeps costs to a minimum, allowing new entrants such as AOC to completely focus on where they can bring value.
Safe transition
As part of a one-team approach, everyone involved tried to make the transition of ownership as seamless as possible, particularly for the people working offshore on Anasuria – a 20-year-old asset with a lot of history.
Conducted over a six-month period, 68 people were transferred across to Petrofac, and everything from work contracts and pensions to shoe sizes and coveralls had to be assessed.
There were over 2,500 line items to consider and more than 16,500 man-hours worked between the transition manager and his team. Where possible, we assured that changes to the normal operations and day-to-day life on board were minimal.
Looking to the future
Petrofac and AOC have worked hard with Anasuria’s previous owners to overcome potential obstacles such as the decommissioning liability. There is still a 20-year remaining life for Anasuria and AOC are looking to invest in more wells and increase production to create maximum value for the asset.
Together, Petrofac and AOC are working to extend the life of the Anasuria and use the might of their enterprise to maximum effect. The collaboration not only marks the evolution of Petrofac’s service model but it also marks the beginning of a new era for the North Sea.
Project update: celebrating 100 days
In June 2016, Petrofac celebrated 100 days since we took over operations. Highlights from the first 100 days include:
Gas export rate increased by 50%
Peak production significantly increased
No accidents or incidents
Three Petrofac management visits complete
16 trips to Anasuria by members of the onshore support team
Its been 100 days since we began our post-transition journey. Id like to thank the Petrofac and AOC teams for their combined focus and drive, which is laying the foundations for a successful Anasuria story that we can all be proud to be a part of.
Sandy Merson, Operations Manager |
