Wood Group secures 200 UK jobs through Ithaca contract extension

11th Jun 2013 07:13

Energy services firm Wood Group has signed its first 'life-of-field' contract through an extension of work in the North Sea for AIM-listed Ithaca Energy worth 200m dollars (140m pounds).Wood Group's PSN division (WGPSN), which began working with Ithaca in 2008, will continue to operate and deliver managed services to the Beatrice offshore platforms and Nigg onshore terminal until the end of their operating life.Beatrice is the largest oilfield in the Inner Moray Firth area. The offshore platform and onshore terminal started producing back in 1981 and had an estimated life span of just 30 years."Since taking over the operation, WGPSN has delivered asset life extension programmes which have considerably increased the expected asset life of Beatrice and Nigg," Wood Group said.The extension secures nearly 200 jobs in the UK, mainly offshore."We are delighted to receive this award and build on the excellent relationship we have developed with Ithaca over the past five years," said WGPSN's UK Managing Director Dave Stewart. "This is our first life-of-asset contract globally and is reflective of our capability and expertise to deliver operations services and develop a programme for late life asset management, taking these facilities through operations to the decommissioning phase when the time comes."