Equinor's Bay du Nord Rock Installation Vessel Requirement

Equinor is actively seeking a specialized subsea rock installation vessel, specifically a flexible fallpipe vessel, for its Bay du Nord project offshore eastern Canada. The project involves developing the Cambriol and Bay du Nord fields in water depths ranging from 600 to 1,200 meters, with 16 subsea wells tied back to a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel. A final investment decision is anticipated in 2027, with first oil expected in 2031, and potential for additional subsea tiebacks later.

Scope and Technical Requirements

The primary purpose of the rock installation is to protect and stabilize subsea infrastructure, including flowlines and equipment. The majority of rock dumping will occur at the Bay du Nord field in approximately 1,200 meters of water. Due to the extreme water depth and harsh environmental conditions, the vessel must be equipped for high-accuracy installation. The installation season is limited to May through the end of August each year, which may necessitate multiple installation seasons to complete the work.

Rock Quantities and Timeline

Equinor's preliminary plan requires placing nearly 330,000 tonnes of rock in total. Specifically, 167,000 tonnes will be installed in 2028, prior to subsea hardware installation, followed by an additional 162,000 tonnes in 2030-2031. The chosen vessel supplier must also engage with quarries in the Newfoundland area, which Equinor is currently evaluating.

Procurement Process and Potential Contractors

Responses to the expression of interest (EoI) must be submitted by 22 June 2026. Potential contractors with suitable deepwater vessels include Boskalis, Jan de Nul, Tideway, and Van Oord.