The Culzean complex consists of a central processing platform, a wellhead platform, a living quarter platform, which are currently under construction at the Sembcorp Marine yard in Singapore (illustration: Maersk Oil UK)

Maersk Oil UK has selected Semco Maritime to participate in the installation and preparation (hook-up) of the new gas production field Culzean, which is located 240 kilometres east of the coast of Aberdeen in the UK sector of the North Sea. The contract is the largest ever for Semco Maritime’s Aberdeen office. Semco Maritime will be responsible for carrying out the electrical work, while the piping and painting work will be carried out by two other companies.

The Culzean complex consists of a central processing platform, a wellhead platform, a living quarter platform, which are currently under construction at the Sembcorp Marine yard in Singapore. Production from the natural gas field is expected to commence in 2019. In Singapore Semco Maritime will even now set up a team of hook up specialists to prepare the installation work in order to have everything planned when the platforms arrive in the North Sea next summer, says Vice President Carsten Nielsen, Semco Maritime Ltd.

“We are very pleased that Maersk Oil UK has chosen us for this project, which marks a breakthrough for us in the UK. The order also confirms Semco Maritime’s strategy of including our competences and offshore experience in a close cooperation with customers in the North Sea, who seek highly specialised assistance within maintenance projects or hook up of new installations,” says Carsten Nielsen.

“The Culzean order is a very interesting and challenging project that sets the highest expectations and demands for safety and quality on time, and we will do everything we can to live up to this.”

The offshore work will be carried out from the base in Aberdeen, where Semco Maritime expects to employ 75 to 150 people for the approximately 8 to 9 months it will take to prepare Culzean.

The order is a continuation of the positive development in the activities, which Semco Maritime has experienced in the UK during the past six months, says Director James Cooper, Semco Maritime Ltd., Aberdeen, who is looking forward to a good and even closer co-operation with Maersk Oil and the others involved.

“The order shows the advantages of being represented with locations and experts in the same geographic areas as our customers. From our Singapore office, we can plan the work optimally, and thereby increase efficiency and minimise costs, when work is to be completed in the North Sea.”

During the period the order will create jobs for approx. 20 people in Esbjerg, both internally in Semco Maritime and at Fanø Fran Service and Ocean Team Scandinavia, who have been selected as sub-suppliers for parts of the work.

Semco Maritime’s total contract is expected to exceed 100,000 working hours offshore. The Culzean field will cover 5% of the gas demand in the UK in 2020/21.

Tags: Maersk Oil UK Limited, Semco Maritime