White Rose could smooth the way for future development

June 19, 2003
Contractors working on the White Rose project offshore Newfoundland hope the project will pave the way for more development work in the region. Management from Technip CSO, Samsung Heavy Industries, SBM-Canada, Aker Maritime Kiewit Contractors, and Maersk Contractors presented an update on the White Rose project to participants at the Newfoundland Ocean Industries Association meeting in St. John's.

Contractors working on the White Rose project offshore Newfoundland hope the project will pave the way for more development work in the region. Management from Technip CSO, Samsung Heavy Industries, SBM-Canada, Aker Maritime Kiewit Contractors, and Maersk Contractors presented an update on the White Rose project to participants at the Newfoundland Ocean Industries Association meeting in St. John's.

According to Pierre Jerome, project director for White Rose at AMKC, as the first EPC fixed-price offshore module contract in the province and the first project to be completely engineered in Newfoundland, "White Rose has set a benchmark in Atlantic Canada."

The hope is that another first will be for the project to be completed on time and on budget, something the contractors are all striving for. According to Dr. Will Roach, general manager of the East Coast for Husky, "Husky Energy and partner Petro-Canada are living up to their commitments on White Rose." The project is on schedule for first oil in the second half of 2005.

Partners in the project are optimistic that the industry will find a way to build on the successes demonstrated by White Rose. White Rose will show that Grand Banks fields can be developed effectively and efficiently, according to Walter DeBoni, vice president Canada frontier and international business at Husky. DeBoni believes the successful completion of the White Rose project will stimulate more exploration and development off Newfoundland. Already, Husky has plans for more exploration activity on the Grand Banks this year, DeBoni said.

The company's East Coast expenditures for 2003 total 30% of the total budget, with C$515 million going to White Rose alone, he said.

The challenge is to keep the ball rolling, but DeBoni is optimistic that White Rose will provide the momentum needed for that to happen. "If a puffin can fly with a belly full of capelin, surely we can make the offshore of Newfoundland and Labrador successful," he said.

06/19/03