May 24, 2013 - Burntisland Fabrication (BiFab) was awarded another contract by GDF SUEZ regarding the construction of facilities for the Cygnus development in the UK North Sea. Based on the contract, BiFab's responsibilities include design, procurement, pre-commissioning assistance along with weighing and load-out of the module. Previously, BiFab accepted a contract to build jackets for the four platforms that will be installed at the field. Cygnus is regarded as the largest discovery in the Southern North Sea in the past 25 years. Facilities at the field are scheduled to be operational by late 2015.

May 23, 2013 - Teekay Offshore has reached an agreement with Statoil to provide a floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel for the Gina Krog oil and gas field in the Norwegian North Sea. The Randgrid, a 1995-built shuttle tanker will be converted to serve as the FSO. Once complete in early 2017, the vessel will begin operating under a 3-year charter that includes 12 additional 1-year options. Statoil (58.7%) operates the development on behalf of its partners Total (38%) and Det norske (3.3%).

May 16, 2013 - Xodus Group has been selected by Premier Oil to conduct a front end engineering and design (FEED) study for the Catcher field development in the central North Sea. To complete the $1.9 million FEED study, Xodus will develop and engineer field and subsea architecture, flow assurance processes, subsea control systems, pipelines and tie-ins, as well as provide technical safety and risk support. Premier and its partners, Wintershall and Cairn, hope to have the design phase completed by 4Q 2013.

May 7, 2013 - The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) approved an addendum to the Ettrick Field Development Plan (FPD) that was submitted in November 2012. Partners in the field include operator Nexen Petroleum (79.73%), Dana Petroleum (12%) and Atlantic Petroleum (8.27%). Ettrick was discovered in 1981 and began producing in 2009. Approval of the addendum will allow an infill production well to be drilled near the crest of the field. The well should be tied into the Aoka Mizu FPSO near the end of 3Q 2013.

Apr 26, 2013 - Sembcorp Marine's subsidiary, Sembmarine SLP Limited (SLP), was awarded a $10.8 million contract to build the bridge and flare structure for Nexen's Golden Eagle project in the UK North Sea. The 550-ton bridge will span 230 feet and provide access between the production, utilities and quarters platform and the drilling platform. The designed length of the flare boom is 230 feet as well and will weigh in at 225 tons. SLP is also building the Golden Eagle living quarters platform under a separate contract. Both projects are scheduled to be delivered in May 2014.

Apr 25, 2013 - The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has approved the plan of development for the Cladhan field, which was submitted in early February. The first phase of will consists of two oil producers and one injection well. Production will be tied back to the TAQA-operated Tern Alpha platform which is positioned almost 11-miles from Cladhan. The field is expected to produce 17,000 boepd with first oil planned for 1Q 2015.