AMEC, the international engineering and project management company, has been awarded a detailed design contract for GDF SUEZ E&P UK Ltd’s Cygnus gas field development, the UK North Sea’s largest gas discovery in the last 25 years.

The detail design contract follows on from the FEED work and is valued at an estimated £60 million. This latest detail design phase, which starts immediately, is scheduled for completion in 2014. The contract will create almost 200 new jobs at peak, and will safeguard a further 160 who are already part of the London-based team.

Helping to safeguard the UK’s energy security, Cygnus is due to meet the demand for nearly one and a half million UK homes at peak production, accounting for around 5 per cent of the UK’s gas production by 2016. The detailed development concept for the Cygnus field consists of two drilling centres, four platforms and initially ten development wells; the planned export route is through the ETS (Esmond Transportation System) pipeline system to the Bacton gas terminal in North Norfolk. First gas is expected in late 2015.

“We are delighted to be continuing to deliver successfully for GDF SUEZ E&P on their strategically important Cygnus field,” said John Pearson, Managing Director of AMEC’s Europe & West Africa business. “This latest award confirms both our and GDF’s commitment to the long term future of the North Sea.”

Jean- Claude Perdigues, GDF Suez E&P Managing Director, added: “Cygnus is a very exciting project for GDF Suez and we have high expectations of the AMEC team to help us deliver a successful development.”