Helicopter company Bristow has secured a contract valued at up to Nkr1.9 billion (approximately $196 million) to provide services for the Norwegian Barents Sea operations of Equinor and Vaar Energi.

Contract Details and Services

The agreement stipulates that Bristow will supply three specialist helicopters based in Hammerfest: two S-92 models for passenger transport and one S-92 configured for search and rescue (SAR). The contract is set to commence on 1 September 2026, with a firm duration of three years. It includes options for two additional one-year extensions, with the total estimated value covering all potential periods reaching about Nkr1.9 billion.

Operational Context and Rationale

Bristow is already the incumbent service provider, currently operating two transportation helicopters and one SAR helicopter for the northern operations of both Equinor and Vaar Energi. These aircraft serve the Johan Castberg field (Equinor) and the Goliat field (Vaar Energi), where activity is high with approximately 90 monthly flights transporting around 3,400 passengers. The new contract aims to ensure stable and predictable helicopter services amidst this increased Barents Sea activity, which is deemed crucial for safe and efficient operations.

The necessity for stable capacity is linked to the long-term increased service demand following the start-up of the Johan Castberg field. Safety for personnel traveling to and from offshore installations is the top priority, and robust search and rescue capabilities are a vital component of emergency preparedness for offshore employees and others in the area.

Broader Operational Scale

Equinor's operations involve the annual transport of roughly 320,000 passengers to and from its offshore installations, which corresponds to over 24,000 flight hours per year. The company utilizes three helicopter providers for all its offshore Norway operations: Bristow, CHC Helicopter, and Lufttransport.