International oilfield services company Expro has been awarded a contract by Pacific Drilling LLC’s subsidiary, Pacific Santa Ana, Ltd, for the provision of an Intervention Riser System (IRS) for PETRONAS’s Chinguetti Field Phase II plug and abandonment (P&A) contract, offshore Mauritania.

The contract, valued at $20m, will see Expro provide its IRS system with associated surface support equipment, to be deployed from Pacific Drilling’s drillship, Pacific Santa Ana. The contracted work will take place for an estimated 360 days.

Worldwide Oilfield Machine (WOM) will support Expro with the provision of the subsea well access system and technical support team.

The IRS safely establishes and maintains well access throughout riser to surface operations, replicating the functionality of the blow-out preventer and providing a safe and reliable means of well control, connected directly to the production tree. With increased coiled tubing cutting and disconnect capability, the IRS system provides an alternative dual barrier, through-tubing system.

The award includes supplying a range of services, including the subsea well access system, lubricator valve, surface flowhead, umbilicals, topsides control equipment and IWOCS (installation and workover control system) package. Expro will also provide an onshore project management team to support Pacific Drilling throughout the project planning and execution phases, based in Expro’s office in Kuala Lumpur and then locally onshore in Mauritania.

Expro recently expanded its subsea intervention capabilities with the introduction of the IRS system and a Riserless Well Intervention (RWI) system, which provides a through-water integrated solution for carrying out cost effective intervention and abandonment operations on all types of subsea wells.

Colin Mackenzie, Subsea Vice President at Expro said:

“Following the recent news that we have expanded our subsea intervention capabilities with two new well access solutions, we’re delighted to announce this significant contract award.

“This contract allows Expro to continue to expand our service offering to clients, and provide well access through our existing landing string technology, or now through-riser or riserless systems.

“We welcome the opportunity to support Pacific Drilling by providing our technology and services, which will enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the field P&A process from their high specification drillship.”

About Expro

Expro is the market-leading provider of production, well testing and appraisal services globally. Headquartered in the UK, the company’s global well test operations are run from Great Yarmouth and Aberdeen (UK), alongside regional hubs in North and Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

About Pacific Drilling

With its best-in-class drillships and highly experienced team, Pacific Drilling (OTC: PACDQ) is committed to becoming the industry’s preferred high-specification, deepwater drilling contractor. Pacific Drilling’s fleet of seven drillships represents one of the youngest and most technologically advanced fleets in the world. Pacific Drilling has its principal offices in Luxembourg and Houston.

About Petronas

With over 35 years of experience, PETRONAS is recognised with a sterling reputation as a reliable LNG supplier and solutions provider. Operating from its main supply base (PETRONAS LNG Complex) in Bintulu, Sarawak. PETRONAS LNG Complex is one of the world’s largest LNG complexes on a single site. The nine-train facility has a combined annual production capacity of about 30 million tonnes. In addition, PETRONAS has also diversified its LNG supply portfolio in recent years with the inclusion of Australia’s Gladstone LNG and the world’s first floating LNG facility located offshore Sarawak.