Equinor has initiated a bid process for the direct procurement of over 150 kilometres of linepipe, a key hardware component for its $10.25 billion Bay du Nord deepwater project offshore Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada. The project will be developed via a phased subsea production system tied back to a floating production, storage and offloading vessel with a capacity of 160,000 barrels per day. A final investment decision is targeted for 2027, with first oil potentially in 2031. While most procurement is managed by contractors BW Offshore and the Subsea Integration Alliance, Equinor is leading the sourcing for this specific hardware.

Procurement and Logistics

Equinor is currently seeking qualified suppliers to submit expressions of interest for 154 kilometres of linepipe and will engage a manufacturer for all associated supply activities. Once secured, the linepipe will be mobilised and delivered directly to a spool base in Norway.

Project Scope and Technical Specifications

Canada's first deepwater development will initially focus on the Bay du Nord and Cambriol fields, tapped by up to 16 wells, with potential for future tie-backs. The required rigid flowlines include pipe-in-pipe and polyethylene-lined water injection designs. Chrome resistant alloy is necessary for production flowlines due to reservoir conditions.

The work scope is broken down by field. For Bay du Nord, 23 km of linepipe is needed for production, 16 km for gas injection, and 7 km for water injection. The production flowlines consist of 11 km of 11-inch chrome-rich inner pipe and 12 km of 16-inch outer carbon steel pipe. The gas injection system requires 8 km each of 10-inch inner and 16-inch outer pipe. The water injection line is 7 km of 12-inch pipe.

Cambriol requires a larger system: 36 km of 12-inch chrome-rich inner pipe and 36 km of 16-inch outer pipe for production, plus 36 km of 16-inch carbon steel pipe for water injection. Responses to the expression of interest are due by the end of April this year.

Project Location and Regional Context

The Bay du Nord development is located approximately 475 kilometres from St John’s in the Flemish Pass basin, in water depths of 600 to 1200 metres. Separately, also offshore Newfoundland & Labrador, Cenovus is seeking a 1.6-kilometre reeled subsea umbilical. While the specific project is not named, Cenovus operates the White Rose, West White Rose and North Amethyst assets. The company requires the umbilical to be lifted aboard a light intervention vessel with a 90-tonne crane and aims for installation next year. At the bid stage, contractors must provide costs based on using their own vessels or the Skandi Vinland unit.