VBMS, a strategic joint venture of VolkerWessels and Boskalis, has successfully completed the offshore installation of an 18.5-kilometre control umbilical for Wintershall Noordzee B.V. The umbilical connects platform RAVN to A6A, located in the Danish and German sectors of the North Sea.

VBMS equipped the SURF-installation vessel Ndurance with the in-house developed Trenchformer burial system in order to perform the full installation, which included direct pull-ins and the simultaneous laying and burial of the umbilical.

Leo van Vliet, Commercial Business Director Oil & Gas: “By simultaneous laying and burial we can eliminate an additional working process, which in turn saves on time and costs and minimises risks. Our proven track record of major renewables projects now benefits in efficient and cost-effective solutions for our clients in the oil & gas industry.”

Expansion
VBMS specialises in offshore flexible installation solutions and is expanding its position in the oil & gas market with Oil & Gas SURF. With the RAVN project, VBMS is continuing its relationship with Wintershall Noordzee B.V., having already successfully completed a similar remote platform tieback project in August 2014 connecting platform L8-P4 to L6-B.

About VBMS

VBMS specialises in subsea power cable installation, Balance of Plant maintenance for the renewable market, SURF installation for the oil & gas market and installation of interconnectors. The company delivers added value with its robust end-to-end project management and multi-disciplinary grid-to-grid solutions. In addition, VBMS complies with strict European and international industry standards, reflected in a high QHSE ranking. VBMS provides quality services balanced with cost effectiveness, with a portfolio including major offshore developments in Europe and beyond.

About Wintershall Holding GmbH

Wintershall Holding GmbH, based in Kassel, Germany, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF in Ludwigshafen. The company has been active in the extraction of natural resources for 120 years, and in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas for over 80 years. Wintershall focuses on selected core regions where the company has built up a high level of regional and technological expertise. These are Europe, Russia, North Africa, South America, and increasingly the Middle East region. The company wants to expand its business further with exploration and production, selected partnerships, innovation and technological competence. Wintershall employs some 2,500 staff worldwide from 40 nations and is now Germany’s largest, internationally active crude oil and natural gas producer.