In more bad news for rig operators, Statoil has decided to cancel the contract for the Songa Trym unit four months before it expires on March 4, 2016. Statoil had previously notified Songa Offshore that the rig would be suspended for a period. Statoil tried to find other assignments for the rig after the suspension period and up to the expiration of contract but had no success. Songa said that following completion of work on the Tavros exploration well, Songa Trym will be stacked while being marketed for new employment.

Due to the soft market conditions Siem Offshore has decided to take another two anchor-handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels out of the market and place them in cold lay-up. The company is now only trading three out of 10 AHTS in the North Sea spot market.

From Houston (BN): Helix announced its Q5000 purpose-built well-intervention semisubmersible unit has entered service in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the company’s second purpose-built well-intervention vessel, Q4000 launched in 2002 being the first. Helix said it has a long-term contract with BP for Q5000 starting next year. Meanwhile, the vessel was doing short-term work for Bennu Oil & Gas at Telemark in 1,350 m of water in Atwater Valley Block 63. Telemark, originally an ATP project, first produced in 2010 and flows via subsea links to Bennu’s Titan hub.

Jacktel has been awarded a contract for the Haven jack-up accommodation rig for the installation and commissioning period for the Johan Sverdrup project phase 1.

Included in the accommodation services is bed capacity and catering services for project personnel. The accommodation rig will provide up to 400 beds on the Johan Sverdrup field.

Offshore