Cooper Energy Ltd., Adelaide, has let a contract for the fabrication and installation of the subsea infrastructure at its Sole natural gas field development in eastern Bass Strait offshore Victoria to global engineering firm Subsea 7.
The work involves the subsea tie-back of Sole field to the onshore gas processing plant near Orbost on the Gippsland coast. It will include the fabrication and installation of a 64-km subsea pipeline, spool, and manifold as well as installation of a 64-km umbilical along the same route. The work will finish with commissioning of the system.
Cooper has not disclosed the value of the contract, but it is believed to be in excess of $50 million. The deal is subject to a final investment decision being taken for the Sole development project, which is anticipated in the next few months.
Project management and engineering work will begin immediately in Subsea 7’s office in Perth. The offshore operations, dependent on the FID, are scheduled to start in 2018.