U.K. independent Premier Oil has picked compatriot AMEC to perform the FEED study for its planned Sea Lion tension leg platform (TLP) destined for the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

DI hears the FEED for the dry-tree drilling and production platform went to AMEC after a tight bidding battle against Aker Solutions, Wood Group Mustang and KBR, with bids going in to Premier in early April. After Aker and KBR dropped out of the race for the FEED it is understood that AMEC then emerged as the winner. DI understands the contractor will begin work on the project this month.

Premier and AMEC both declined to confirm or deny the choice of winner, which is unsurprising as no contract has yet actually been signed, while Rockhopper—Premier’s minority partner in Sea Lion—also declined to say anything at this time.

It is further understood the U.K. contractor’s selection is still going through a final internal and partner approval process. AMEC’s London location close to Premier’s offices could have been one of the key factors in its selection for this high-profile project, along with its long-term harsh environment experience gained in the North Sea and its international project integration expertise.

Its appointment would also keep a U.K. flag flying firmly over the development, something the U.K. government would be keen to see given the tense relationship with the Argentine government over the status of the Falklands.

AMEC’s case would no doubt have been helped by its previous TLP experience on Shell’s Malikai deepwater project offshore Malaysia, for which it performed basic engineering studies for flow lines, risers, topsides and the hull for that field’s dry-tree TLP. That was in 2009, in a joint venture with MMC Oil and Gas, on behalf of Sabah Shell Petroleum.

More recently it has performed topsides design for the recently-executed Clair Ridge project west of Shetland for BP, and it has extensive floating production experience encompassing TLPs, FPSOs and semisubmersibles.

DI understands that AMEC will act as a full integration contractor for the entire Sea Lion facility, working on the topsides structure, with other contractors supporting the project: RDS has previously performed conceptual engineering, alongside Jacobs and Atkins, as well as Houston Offshore Engineering, which carried out the Sea Lion pre-FEED.

The TLP is planned by operator Premier for installation in a water depth of 450 m (1,480 ft) over the main field centre in licence PL032 in the North Falklands Basin, for which it has previously indicated a surface facilities capex of US $3.5 billion.

Specifications for the TLP topsides include processing for up to 120,000 bbl/d of oil and 165 MMcf/d of gas, while the unit is predicted to have a displacement of 118,000 short tons, with a 28,400 t hull weight and a benchmark payload of 45,000 t.

Premier’s preference for the TLP beat an earlier FPSO rival concept on cost grounds. The facility will feature a permanent drilling rig to avoid high-cost deepwater rig costs, process, utility and living quarters modules, and minimal subsea infrastructure to provide a first phase development for Sea Lion. The TLP will be connected to a floating storage and offloading unit.

The first phase, based on recovery of 293 MMbbl of oil and condensate, will feature 32 development wells, 19 producers and 11 water injectors, plus two subsea gas injection wells.

AMEC is expected to start collecting preliminary construction quotes from EPC contractor fabrication yards over the course of the next year.

DI understands one of the FEED deliverables is a TLP pricing assessment allowing Premier to finally and fully determine if they can make a Final Investment Decision. Among the issues to be decided is organising fabrication of the TLP hull and topsides, and dry towing the complete unit to the Falklands after mating.

Hull fabrication has been suggested previously by Premier for South Korea, China, Singapore or Japan, while topsides could be built in the U.S., Korea, Singapore and Dubai, while the complete unit could be dry-transported either from Asia or the U.S. to the Falklands.

Timing for Sea Lion involves an 18-month design phase starting with award of the FEED contract, which is to be followed by an EPC bid shortlist in fourth-quarter 2014, by which time the operator also aims to submit a draft field development plan, and to have updated cost estimates. The issue of EPC tenders will follow in first-quarter 2015, with project sanction anticipated by second-quarter 2015.

Following the same schedule, Premier is planning a design competition leading to a supply contract for the FSO, and a FEED for SURF equipment leading to a supply and EPCI contract.

Premier originally farmed in for 60% of Rockhopper’s licence interests in the North Falklands Basin, including Sea Lion, in July 2012 and assumed operatorship of the Sea Lion area in November that year. It is currently looking for a farm-in partner with deep pockets to help reduce its cost exposure, and no doubt someone that also has experience of similar harsh-environment floater projects. Sea Lion is located 200 km north of the Falkland Islands.

Potential Sea Lion satellites expected to be tied into any subsequent project phase will be subject to further exploration drilling starting next year. That could include the Casper and Casper South prospects, and a southern extension of Sea Lion. Premier has even previously suggested that if drilling at Casper is successful the scheme could change to include a second copycat TLP.