BW Offshore is making ‘good progress’ on engineering, procurement and construction activities on the fpso destined for Premier Oil’s CATCHER (SEN 31/21) field in the UK North Sea.

Fabrication of the turret mooring system is progressing well and topside fabrication activities has started.

The firm charter period of the contract is seven years, with expected start up in mid-2017, with extension options of up to 18 years. Backlog from the contract is US $2.3bn.

The fpso will have a processing capacity of 60,000 b/d of oil and a storage capacity of 650,000 bbl.

The Catcher project takes in the Varadero and Burgman fields in UK Central North Sea Block

28/9. They will be tapped by the fpso with some 23 wells to be drilled in the initial stages.

Woodside has chosen the Ngujima-Yin fpso on its producing VINCENT (30/23) oil field as the tie-in destination for its 70mmboe recoverable reserves Greater Enfield oil discoveries (Laverda and Cimatti) off Western Australia.

The fpso was picked after the operator decided to accelerate the FEED process for the project to make the most of falling costs in the current market conditions. This project was previously deemed only marginal, it said, during its latest investor presentation.

Accelerating the FEED gives potential savings from lower rig and vessel market rates, it added, as well as from subsea equipment and installation synergies.

Well and subsea costs account for up to 90% of the execution estimate, it added. An FID is planned during the course of 2016.

The fpso for the UK North Sea ALMA/GALIA (31/20) development has been securely moored on location in the field and the preparation process for pulling in the risers has begun.

Operator EnQuest said the project, which will revitalise the UK North Sea’s first producing oil field, Argyll, remains on track for first oil in mid-2015.

The development, which has been delayed from start-up in 2014, will use the fpso EnQuest Producer which will be capable of processing 57,000boe/d and storing 625,000bbls of oil.

Ithaca Energy has received a Statement of Claim relating to purported misrepresentation of information regarding the past schedule for completion of the FPF-1 (31/21) floating production facility modification works being completed by Petrofac.

Ithaca said it ‘vigorously refutes’ any such allegations and strongly denies any suggested wrongdoing. The company said it will be taking all necessary legal measures to defend itself against the Statement of Claim.

Petrofac has been awarded a contract to support maintenance management system (MMS) implementation for Bumi Armada's Armada Kraken fpso bound for the North Sea KRAKEN (31/14) field.

The work will be carried out by Bumi Armada supported by Petrofac subsidiary Plant Asset Management. Converted from a Suezmax ice class tanker, the FPSO will be deployed in the East Shetland Basin.

The Kraken field development is one of the biggest heavy-oil field projects currently under development in the UKCS. The scope of work includes development of an integrated risk-based maintenance programme, associated repair/replacement strategies and spares holdings.