FES International’s Diverless Bend Stiffener Connector for Western Isles Project

UK oil and gas engineering firm, FES International, has secured a $2.5M (£1.5M) contract to supply one of its latest products, the automated Diverless Bend Stiffener Connector (DBSC) to NOV Flexibles.

NOV Flexibles has called on the subsea technology services of FES International as part of Subsea 7’s Western Isles Development (WID) project in the northern North Sea area, operated by Aberdeen-based Dana Petroleum.

FES International will supply automatic DBSCs, which reduce the cost of installing subsea risers and umbillicals by removing the need for either a dive spread or work-over ROV required by existing bend stiffeners. Subsea 7 is the latest in a line of automated DBSC orders for FES totalling $16.5M.

Ian Latimer, technical director at FES International who is heading up the project, said: “Confidence in our new technology is growing fast – the more project success we have, the more contracts flow our way. The automatic DBSC is our latest DBSC development and can save operators up to £400,000 on the cost of installation. It is going to play a big part in our future.

“We’ve worked with NOV Flexibles before and are delighted they have chosen to work with us once again. This project requires a quick turn-around to ensure everything is completed by November.”

The WID project involves the development of two oil fields located 160km east of Shetlands and 12km west of Tern field. The oil fields are situated in a water depth of 165m and a reservoir depth of 6,000ft. The development consists of at least five productions and four water injection wells plus two exploration wells tied back to a new build floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO).

Drilling began on the WID project in 2013 and the subsea installation scope of work in which FES international is to be involved, is taking place this summer.