Statoil Awards Helicopter Contracts

 

The deals, valued at around NOK 1 billion in the five-year fixed period and including four yearly options, reflect a market situation with lower activity offshore, and a continuous need for flexible and cost-efficient solutions, Statoil (STO) said.

 

Presently, Statoil uses six helicopter bases for transportation services in Norway: Sola, Bergen, Florø, Kristiansund, Brønnøysund og Hammerfest. The company has search and rescue (SAR) helicopter agreements at Sola, Oseberg, Statfjord, Heidrun and Hammerfest.

 

Astrid Sørensen, Statoil’s senior vice president for joint operations support , said, “The contract awards will strengthen the competitiveness of the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) through opening up for more efficient flight program that will help reduce costs for the petroleum business. This ensures predictability in relation to long-term activities and adds value on the NCS. We look forward to further develop the cooperation with Bristow Norway, and working closely on the new contracts.”

 

Statoil has contracts with two helicopter companies, Bristow Norway and CHC Helikopter Service, which will be about the same size when the new contracts with Statoil take effect in May 2017. The helicopter types used from May 1, 2017 are S-92 and H225, S-92 mainly for transportation services, and H225 mainly for SAR.

 

By combining the new contracts with the current helicopter portfolio, Statoil will have five permanent personnel transportation helicopters in Bergen and one in Florø from May 1, 2017, and will have flexibility to increase the capacity when needed.

 

Statoil added it seeks to cooperate with other operators in Florø on helicopter services. 

 

“Since 2013 we have seen the number of passengers to the Norwegian continental shelf drop by 30 percent,” said Jon Arnt Jacobsen, Statoil’s chief procurement officer. “Increased flexibility to adjust to changed demands has therefore been emphasized in the contract strategy.”