DeepOcean to replace North Sea Visund riser, manage Berling subsea tie-ins

Equinor has awarded DeepOcean a SIMOPRO (simultaneous marine operation and production) installation contract covering work at the Åsgård and Visund fields offshore Norway.

DeepOcean will perform onshore project management, engineering and procurement and also offshore operations.

The company describes SIMOPRO as a complex offshore operation that involves marine construction or installation activities while an offshore facility is producing hydrocarbons.

For Åsgard in the Norwegian Sea, the work scope includes riser removal at the Åsgard B platform; installation of a new production riser and dynamic umbilical connecting the OMV-operated Berling Field’s subsea production facilities to Åsgard B; installation of two static infield bypass umbilicals, flying leads and protection covers. 

At Visund in the North Sea, tasks will include replacement of a production riser.

“These projects require detailed planning of the offshore activities,” said DeepOcean managing director Olaf Hansen. “Our approach is to conduct onshore simulator training of the vessel’s marine crew in advance, to ensure safe and controlled operations once we are offshore.”

The company will conduct offshore installations next summer using the construction vessel Edda Freya.