Press release -
ESVAGT scouts new opportunities in the Barents Sea
An increased oil & gas production in the Arctic regions requires shipping companies with specialized competences. ESVAGT sees growth opportunities.
A higher oil & gas production is expected in the Barents Sea in the coming years. The reserves in the area are substantial: As recently as 2017, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate updated their size evaluation of the area’s oil & gas reserves to over 17 bn barrels; a doubling compared to the estimates used so far.
This translates into new opportunities for ESVAGT.
Operating in the Arctic regions requires particular skills, which ESVAGT possesses. Five vessels in the fleet are able to operate in particularly harsh winter climates and are fitted for instance with heated ladders and surfaces which can withstand icing. Among them the ‘Esvagt Aurora’, which has worked in the Goliat field for Eni Norge since 2012.
‘It is on many levels challenging to work in the Arctic regions’, says Ole Ditlev Nielsen, Business Development Manager at ESVAGT: ‘The cold can lead to icing and generally complicates operations. Additionally, it is almost dark throughout the day during wintertime, and the sudden polar low pressures with a particularly changing sea have to be taken into account. On top of that, multiple environmental considerations need to be respected, as the nature in the Arctic regions is extremely delicate’, he says.
According to Ole Ditlev Nielsen, ESVAGT’s experience with Arctic operations will be a clear competitive advantage.
‘It is a market with sharp requirements, and where knowledge and know-how are quite essential. We have trained a lot in the area, worked actively with oil spill response, taken care of all support functions and been involved in successful rescue operations. Those experiences will be of great value to us, when the Barents Sea will be further explored’, evaluates Ole Ditlev Nielsen.
Besides the ‘Esvagt Aurora’, the shipping company has four smaller vessels, which likewise are optimized for winter operations in rather demanding environments.
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About ESVAGT
ESVAGT is a dedicated provider of safety and support at sea and a market leader within offshore wind solutions.
We support the offshore Oil & Gas industries with a wide range of specialized services: Standby, Emergency Response and Rescue Vessels (ERRV), Oil spill response, Firefighting, Tanker assists, Rig moves, Supply services and Interfield transfer of cargo and personnel.
We service offshore wind farms and have a fleet of dedicated Service Operation Vessels (SOV), which ESVAGT pioneered in 2010. The SOVs provide accommodation for technicians, spare time facilities, offices and conference room, storage for small turbine parts, workshops, etc. The SOV offers flexible personnel and equipment transfer capabilities by either Walk-to-Work gangway system or Safe Transfer Boats.
ESVAGT was founded in 1981 and has a fleet of more than 40 vessels and approximately 900 employees on- and offshore.
