Energy and marine consultancy ABL, a part of the Oslo-listed global consultancy group Aqualis, has recently secured a significant installation job with Oil Search (PNG), a subsidiary of Australia’s Santos. This endeavor pertains to a floating storage and offloading (FSO) unit to be established off the coast of Papua New Guinea.
ABL has entered into an agreement with Oil Search, the operator of the PNG oilfields projects, to provide essential services related to a new FSO facility. This includes marine warranty survey services (MWS) offshore Papua New Guinea, along with support for the supply, transportation, installation, pre-commissioning, and commissioning of critical equipment at international locations.
This FSO installation marks a historic milestone for the nation, being the very first offshore floating facility for Papua New Guinea. Positioned at the Kumul marine terminal, it is a pivotal element in the Kutubu pipeline system. The FSO unit is set to play a crucial role in the storage and offloading of liquid hydrocarbons, such as crude oil and condensate, generated from various fields, while the accompanying gas will be redirected to the PNG LNG project.
Sujith Mathew, Engineering Manager at ABL in Australia, expressed enthusiasm about the project, stating, “This is a landmark project for Papua New Guinea that we are proud to support. We will apply decades of specialized MWS experience to oversee the safe transportation and installation of the FSO mooring, pipelines, and other vital subsea infrastructure.”
As part of its scope of work, ABL will manage pipe load-out operations in India, ensure the load-out of coated pipes, spools, and pipeline-end manifolds (PLEM) at Batam in Indonesia, as well as oversee flexible riser load-out processes in Newcastle, UK. Their team will be responsible for approving pipelaying and installing PLEMs, FSO mooring installation, and FSO hook-up to mooring, along with the flexible riser pull-in, all set to take place on-site in Papua New Guinea. Additionally, ABL will provide yard attendance in Indonesia to ensure all operations run smoothly.
With the project primarily managed from their Australian office, ABL intends to utilize its resources in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom to facilitate the project’s success. The overarching timeline for this expansive scope of work is expected to extend to 2028.
Tim Field Dodgson, Principal Marine Engineer at ABL’s Australian operation, emphasized the importance of their MWS role, stating, “Our MWS role is essential to ensure that marine operations are carried out safely, in accordance with applicable regulations and industry standards, and with the appropriate level of risk mitigation measures in place.” He further noted, “This is particularly important for high-value or complex marine operations such as this project offshore Papua New Guinea.”
This recent deal follows shortly after ABL’s parent company, Aqualis, successfully acquired SynergenOG, a Malaysian consultancy specializing in process safety and technical risk management within the energy sector. This acquisition signifies Aqualis’s commitment to expanding its capabilities and reach within the regional markets, aimed at enhancing service offerings in both safety and efficiency.