Capnor AS, Stavanger, Norway, was awarded a contract by StatoilHydro (formerly Statoil) for laser scanning and related activities. The award covers nine platforms in the Tampen area: Statfjord A, B, C; Gullfaks A, B, C; Visund; and Snorre A and B. Contract duration is three years, with an option to extend for two more years.
According to managing director Gunnar Dirdal, Capnor will provide data capture and modeling services including establishing a global grid coordinate system on each platform. StatoilHydro plans for all its contractors to use this global coordinate system going forward. Dirdal says the multi-year, seven-figure contract will enable Capnor to invest appropriately in hardware, software and personnel.
We think this multi-year approach makes a lot of sense, not only for service providers who are often buffeted by the month-to-month, go-fast/go-slow nature of offshore construction work, but also for EPC and asset owner clients who grow increasingly reliant on dimensional control and laser scanning services and need to lock in their supply of competent talent. Earlier this year, Sovereign Dimensional Survey, Aberdeen, Scotland, was awarded a three-year contract that it reports to be in excess of £1 million (approximately US$2 million) per year to provide dimensional control and laser scanning services to the Wood Group. Late last year, Velosi Limited announced it had purchased a 51% interest in Plant Design Engineers Sdn bhd, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and subsequently reported it had been awarded a seven-month contract by BP West Java Ltd to provide laser scanning imaging services at the BP West Java Rehabilitation Project. We also know of several other procurements of comparable size that we believe will be announced in the very near future.
