Norway's Equinor awarded CHC Helikopter Service a contract for personnel transportation from Stavanger airport to Equinor's offshore oil fields and drilling rigs, the company announced on Thursday.
For Equinor, the helicopters will be used in connection with crew change services in the southern part of the North Sea, serving the fields Johan Sverdrup, Gina Krog, Sleipner, Grane, Gudrun, Heimdal and Draupner, as well as drilling rigs in the area.
The total value of the contract with options is estimated at NOK 1 billion ($113 million).
The contract will run from July 1, 2021 for a fixed three-year period and includes three-yearly renewal options.
The contract covers crew change services with two Sikorsky S-92 helicopters, with the possibility of increasing this with one additional helicopter.
With this procurement, Equinor and Var Energi signed a cooperation agreement to share capacity on one of the helicopters.
"We have good cooperation experience with Var Energi on joint procurement of helicopter services. The cooperation contributes to efficient use of helicopter capacity and increases flexibility for both companies. It also allows for better long-term planning from the service provider," said Peggy Krantz-Underland, Equinor’s chief procurement officer.
"Stavanger airport is a cornerstone for our operations in the North Sea. About 50,000 passengers are annually transported from there to Equinor’s offshore installations and back," said Steinar Mathisen, responsible for aviation on the Norwegian Continental Shelf for Equinor.
By Murat Temizer
Anadolu Agency
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