Xodus Group has been awarded a contract with Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited to provide Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) services in support of the decommissioning of the Ettrick and Blackbird fields in the central North Sea.

The workscope will assess the best practice decommissioning methods for the main items of field architecture, including the structures, flowlines, umbilicals and risers, the company informed.

Andrew Wylie, Scotland Subsea Operations Manager, said: “Decommissioning in the current economic climate requires a mindset which is open to change. At Xodus, we deliver this by challenging the ‘norm’ and constantly using our clever thinking to drive innovation.

“While offshore infrastructure is complex, a logical approach to decommissioning which makes the most of operational data, lessons learned and latest technologies can reduce costs at every stage of the process.”