GE, Statoil sign subsea exploration wellhead frame agreement

ABERDEEN, United Kingdom -- GE Oil & Gas has been awarded a four-year framework agreement to provide wellhead equipment and associated services to Statoil with the option of two, two-year extensions.

GE Oil & Gas will provide its DWHC MS-700 SFX and MS-800 SFX wellhead systems to Statoil. The wellhead systems are designed to be a holistic solution to address fatigue and improve operating life based on field-proven solutions. The GE SFX (Standardized Fatigue Resistant Solution) wellhead systems will allow all year operations in regions with harsh environments.

GE Oil & Gas’s SFX wellhead technology is designed to directly address concerns about fatigue in the subsea sector, as exploration has expanded into harsh and remote environments. The need for standardized and robust subsea equipment is growing, as highlighted in the recent Recommended Practice (RP) 0034 published by DNV GL.

Standardization

The RP, adopted for use in this agreement, contains requirements for qualification, manufacturing and testing of steel forgings, and is a significant step in increasing standardization of subsea equipment. As a result of alignment to the DNV practice along with design and material upgrades, SFX provides repeatable quality in a reduced lead time.  

“We are delighted to be teaming up with Statoil on this agreement, which further strengthens our relationship,” Rod Christie, CEO of subsea systems, GE Oil & Gas, said. “With offshore operations moving into more extreme environments, the need for more cost-efficient and optimized solutions is paramount. Our equipment can lead the industry in extending the life of offshore assets.”

Equipment from GE Oil & Gas will be built in the company’s facilities in Montrose, UK, Houston, Texas, Batam, Indonesia, and Jandira in Brazil.