Fugro Well Services

Well positioned

As part of Fugro, the largest geotechnical surveying company in the world, Fugro Well Services (FWS) draws on over four decades of geotechnical drilling experience and specialised oil field drilling expertise to serve notable oil and gas operators around the world.

From its base in the North Sea, FWS responded to market demand for smaller, cost effective drilling units that could be employed in all pre-drilling operations; the idea being they would take the simple tasks off any project critical path and away from expensive and increasingly rare MODUs.

FWS is Fugro‘s centre of excellence for drilling and well control operations – taking responsibility for the safe and effective execution of all projects – and its endeavours are fully supported by the other Fugro companies. FWS’s main body of services encompasses top hole drilling, installing conductor and surface casings, installation of subsea templates, pilot hole drilling, Leak Off Tests (LOT)/Formation Integrity Testing (FIT’s), construction work, pulling and connecting flowlines, running Xmas trees and well abandonment services.

FWS’s business development manager, Ken Cruickshank, provides an overview of the company’s expertise: “Our parent company is the world’s leading geotechnical and investigation group, and we have expanded its services with the addition of a highly specialised lightweight drill ship.”

The recently launched drillship is called Fugro Synergy and was delivered from Bergen Yards at the end of last year. “It’s a key asset at the moment and represents a new venture for Fugro,” Ken explains. “It’s not intended to compete with big companies like Transocean. Instead, we’re aiming at a niche market of top hole drilling, shallow exploration and appraisal well drilling and subsea well abandonment where, we believe, our customised unit can add real value to operators.”

While the concept of this vessel is fairly new, its individual components use a tried and tested format; MI Swaco provided the mud treatment unit and Halliburton installed one of its most modern cement units. Due to the Synergy’s flexibility, FWS is looking to forge long-term relationships with operators on a global scale and is extremely pleased with the keen interest shown in the drilling unit.

Ken discusses the Synergy’s progress so far: “Owing to our vessel’s capabilities, we’ve attracted interest from most regions around the world and we’re marketing her in several key areas. We’ve been crewing up since the middle of 2009, when the crew went into the shipyard as the vessel was being constructed in order to familiarise themselves with the equipment. She commenced working in November 2009, in the North Sea for a small operator and is currently deployed on drilling operations in the Irish Sea. Once she’s finished work there, the ship is scheduled to carry out some top hole work and further investigative drilling in the North Sea before heading off to the Far East for a three month drilling contract with a national oil company.” Ken continues. “We are currently in negotiation with other operators in the region, which will likely involve us keeping the ship there before probably returning to the North Sea for the 2011 season.”

Looking to the future, Ken sums up FWS’ attitude and objectives: “We want to work successfully with a wide range of clients, generating a continual repeat business stream. The current global financial crisis affects everybody but we’re working hard to offer our clients the most cost effective and technically innovative solutions we can. Innovation is important to us – we’re constantly trying to be better and operate more efficiently.”

Fugro Well Services
Services: Drilling and subsea well services