Aquaterra Energy and James Fisher have partnered to combine engineering, well access, subsea operations and offshore execution within a single offshore decommissioning delivery framework.
Under the arrangement, Aquaterra Energy will be responsible for front-end engineering, planning and well access. James Fisher’s energy division will provide subsea operations and offshore execution support.
The model will be applied globally, with an initial focus on the North Sea, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, where demand for decommissioning services is expected to rise.
The partnership is intended to reduce handoffs during well abandonment and infrastructure removal. The companies said aligning their capabilities from the outset could help avoid downstream redesign and reduce the time required offshore.
Matt Marcantonio, Head of Engineering at Aquaterra Energy, said the approach would allow the companies to develop more efficient project scopes by coordinating their expertise from the beginning.
The two companies will work together on a project-by-project basis, with teams assembled according to the requirements of each assignment. Cross-trained personnel may also be deployed where appropriate, which the companies said could reduce offshore personnel requirements and lower risk exposure.
The partnership comes as decommissioning obligations continue to accumulate in mature offshore basins. Citing North Sea Transition Authority data, the companies said 153 wells on the UK Continental Shelf remain beyond their decommissioning consent deadlines.
Around £44 billion ($59 billion) in decommissioning spending remains in the North Sea. More than 2,500 offshore structures worldwide are expected to require decommissioning by 2040.
Aquaterra Energy and James Fisher are in discussions with operators about upcoming opportunities across several regions.
