StatoilHydro has awarded Aker Solutions a front end engineering design (FEED) study for upgrading the Gullfaks A drilling facilities. The drilling upgrade is expected to extend the productive lifetime of Gullfaks A. Contract value is estimated to be approximately NOK 50 million.

Scope of work for the FEED study includes new equipment to increase drilling capacity and modification of existing installations offshore. The study will consider the possibility to upgrade the drilling capacity to reach 10 kilometers, including heavy lifting to install a new derrick. The FEED will also include improvement of environment, health and safety (HSE) upgrading for the equipment to be better suited for the increased longitude. The object is to install top modern equipment and automated offshore installation.

Work under the contract starts immediately and the FEED will be completed in April 2010.

The FEED Study will be performed by the Aker Solutions' drilling equipment business hub in Kristiansand together with the company's centre of maintenance and modification expertise based in Bergen. The contract party is Aker Solutions' subsidiary Aker Offshore Partner AS.

"This is an important project for Aker Solutions and of strategic importance for our position in the drilling upgrade market. We are very pleased to demonstrate that we are well positioned for this emerging market. This project falls solidly within our core competence," says Stian Vemmestad, president of the maintenance and modification hub in Aker Solutions.

Tags: Aker Solutions, StatoilHydro