en.Wedoany.com Reported - Apache North Sea has signed a multi-year contract with Well-Safe Solutions for the well decommissioning of the UK's Forties field, with the project expected to commence this year. Well-Safe CEO Phil Milton described the contract as a "defining moment" for the company, calling it "a testament to Apache's confidence in our team's ability to deliver safe, efficient, and technically robust decommissioning solutions at scale."

Well-Safe noted that the contract will secure hundreds of jobs in the Aberdeen region, boost supply chain confidence, and highlighted the significant challenges the industry faces regarding employment. Apache's Vice President of Decommissioning, Donald Martin, welcomed the collaboration with Well-Safe on the "large-scale decommissioning programme for the Forties field," stating: "This contract reflects our commitment to delivering safe, predictable, and cost-effective decommissioning solutions through rigorous execution and high-performing, integrated teams." Martin added that Apache is focused on maximizing late-life asset value, reducing risk, and achieving a safe, efficient, and orderly transition through decommissioning.

The contract covers all well-related project management, well and subsurface engineering, including offshore delivery work for platform and subsea wells. Milton further pointed out that this deal is "undoubtedly a huge moment for our business and the industry, but it comes at a particularly challenging time for our sector, and we hope to be able to retain the talent and capability in the North Sea."

Well-Safe stated that local capacity on the UK Continental Shelf has diminished, with only five semi-submersible rigs remaining in the region, a shortage that could impact the UK's ability to meet its energy and decommissioning needs. Thousands of wells require decommissioning by the end of this decade. Well-Safe owns two semi-submersible rigs, one jack-up rig, and employs over 300 people. Milton said in March that the decommissioning sector is beginning to turn a corner, citing an increase in long-term tenders as evidence.

Apache plans to cease its UK operations by 2030, partly in response to tax policies. Analyst David Moseley previously noted that maintaining the Forties field into the 2030s would require significant investment. The Forties field began production in November 1975, and this decommissioning contract is seen as a significant development for the industry.

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