James Fisher and Sons and Aquaterra Energy have formed a strategic global partnership to provide integrated offshore decommissioning services, combining front-end engineering, well access, subsea operations and offshore execution under a single delivery model.
The collaboration is designed to streamline well abandonment and offshore infrastructure removal projects by reducing contractor interfaces and improving coordination from project planning through execution.
Under the partnership, James Fisher, through its energy division, will provide subsea operations and offshore execution services, while Aquaterra Energy will deliver front-end engineering and well access solutions.
The companies said the partnership will initially focus on the North Sea, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, where growing numbers of offshore wells and installations are approaching the end of their operating lives.
According to the partners, the UK Continental Shelf alone has 153 wells that have passed their decommissioning consent deadlines, while the North Sea Transition Authority estimates around $59 billion (£44 billion) remains to be spent on decommissioning activities. In Australia, government modelling suggests offshore decommissioning liabilities could reach approximately $64 billion (£48 billion) over the next 30 to 50 years. Globally, more than 2,500 offshore structures are expected to require decommissioning by 2040.
The companies said the integrated approach is intended to reduce project handovers, improve accountability and provide operators with greater execution certainty while retaining flexibility as project requirements evolve.
“What operators are looking for now is delivery confidence, predictable execution, fewer interfaces and teams who already understand how to work together. By combining our subsea operations capability with Aquaterra Energy’s early engineering and well access expertise, we can remove many of the common friction points that slow projects down offshore.
"This model gives operators a scalable, field-proven approach that directly supports safer, more efficient execution as global decommissioning activity accelerates,” said Mark Stephen, Product Line Director - Decommissioning & CFE at James Fisher Energy.
“Decommissioning programs are increasingly moving away from simple, isolated scopes. The next generation of projects will require tight engineering control, early integration and the ability to adapt quickly as conditions change. By aligning with James Fisher from the outset, we can shape more efficient scopes, prevent downstream redesign and ultimately reduce offshore duration.
"We see this as a way to give operators the confidence to take on decommissioning programs that are becoming more technically demanding and commercially pressured, while keeping the agility needed to respond as projects evolve,” added Matt Marcantonio, Head of Engineering at Aquaterra Energy.
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