en.Wedoany.com Reported - Aquaterra Energy has established a strategic partnership with James Fisher to jointly provide integrated offshore decommissioning services, combining engineering, well access, and offshore execution capabilities into a single delivery model.
The collaboration aims to streamline well abandonment and infrastructure removal projects by reducing the number of contractor interfaces and improving coordination from project planning to offshore execution. Aquaterra Energy is responsible for providing front-end engineering, project planning, and well access solutions, while James Fisher's energy division undertakes subsea operations and offshore execution services. The partnership operates globally, with an initial focus on the North Sea, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, where offshore decommissioning activities are expected to accelerate in the coming years.
Both companies stated that integrating engineering and execution earlier in the project lifecycle helps improve planning, reduce late-stage redesign, and provide greater flexibility when requirements change. Matt Marcantonio, Engineering Director at Aquaterra Energy, noted that coordinating expertise with James Fisher early on allows for more efficient project scoping, preventing downstream redesign and reducing offshore operational time.
Growing decommissioning obligations are driving demand for efficient project delivery models. According to data from the North Sea Transition Authority, 153 wells on the UK Continental Shelf have exceeded their decommissioning consent deadlines, with an estimated £44 billion in decommissioning expenditure expected across the basin. Globally, more than 2,500 offshore structures are expected to require decommissioning by 2040.
The partnership operates on a project-by-project basis, with teams formed according to project scope and cross-trained personnel used where appropriate to reduce offshore staffing requirements. Aquaterra Energy and James Fisher stated that they have already engaged with operators in multiple regions regarding upcoming offshore decommissioning opportunities.
