Norwegian company Akofs Offshore has selected IKM Subsea to be the ROV partner to execute a contract for Equinor.
Image: IKM Subsea Merlin UCV. Photo courtesy of The IKM Group.
Earlier this year, Akofs secured a NOK400m ($47m), five + three-year light well intervention (LWI) services contract on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) from Equinor.
Akofs CEO Geir Sjøberg said: “We are pleased to award this important part of the delivery to IKM Subsea. We see IKM Subsea as an innovative and solution oriented service provider with the backing of a well-qualified and experienced team.”
The contract includes building and mobilizing two Merlin UCVs onboard the Akofs Seafarer and supplying ROV services with personnel and onshore support for the duration of the contract.
IKM Subsea managing director Ben Pollard said: “IKM Subsea have worked proactively together with AKOFS to create the best possible synergies for both companies.
“Considering the challenging times the industry is going through it makes me especially proud to be commissioning the new build of two state of the art ROV systems for this contract. Thus securing work both for our land and offshore staff and strengthening our company overall.”
IKM Technology, IKM Subsea’s sister company, will build the ROVs at Bryne, Norway, where both companies have their headquarters.
Delivery and mobilization of the ROVs to the vessel will take place in mid-2019.
The latest technology, with features such as efficiency, redundancy, conditioning monitoring and optimized performance, along with IKM’s onshore and offshore organization, will assist and contribute to the overall operational performance of the LWI contract.
IKM Subsea business development director Hans Fjellanger said: “We are proud and humble to be awarded this contract by AKOFS for ROV work on the NCS for the next five + three years.
“I believe this is yet another testimonial to the IKM organization, its capabilities and the technology we have at hand.
“During the downturn of the last four to five years we have been able to develop IKM Subsea into new technology and services areas. We really look forward to work with AKOFS and their other partners.”
In June 2018, Akofs Offshore secured the contract for light well intervention services using the Akofs Seafarer vessel for all Equinor-operated licenses in the period 2020 to 2025. The estimated contract value for the five years is around NOK3bn ($350m).