Aker Solutions Scores Total Angola Gig

Aker Solutions has received a contract from Total E&P Angola for providing subsea intervention services from the oil service company's purpose-built intervention vessel, Skandi Aker. The company said the agreement is a breakthrough for vessel-based intervention services in deep and ultra-deep waters.

The agreement is valid for a period of two years plus options for three further one-year periods. The firm two-year part of the contract has an aggregated value of approximately $250 million. Start-up of operations is planned to take place offshore Angola in Q1 2013.

Under the contract Skandi Aker will perform subsea intervention activities related to well re-entry for testing operations, as well as re-entry for intervention using wireline, coil tubing, and well stimulations. The contract also calls for the intervention activities for the running/lifting of subsea trees with cable or a work-over riser and the suspension/plug and/or abandonment of wells.

Provision of the downhole well services, well test services, and ROV services will be provided through separate contracts, outside Aker Solutions' scope of services for Total E&P Angola.

Skandi Akeris the first well service vessel of its kind capable of performing riser-based subsea well intervention in deep and ultra-deep waters. Traditionally subsea well intervention has been performed from drilling rigs. But the rigs' high day rates have made such operations very expensive, while rig availability has been limited. The increasing water depths also mean that it has been necessary to develop alternative technology and more cost effective systems to access deepwater wells.