CHC Helicopter has been selected by Statoil to carry out North Sea rotary operations to and from the Mariner oil field near the UK, using two Sikorsky S-92s. The five-year contract signed between the two companies starts in the middle of 2016, with a three-year extension option.

The operator has a longstanding relationship with Statoil, with several decades worth of experience in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Says CHC regional director Mark Abbey: “Our team of pilots, engineers and support staff has extensive knowledge and experience of helicopter operations here, and we are preparing to move Statoil's people safely to and from the Mariner field, which is the largest development in the UK sector for over 10 years.”

CHC operates a significant and mixed fleet of heavy and medium helicopters. The S-92, like the EC225, is suited to crew change transportation services on oil and gas production facilities and drilling rigs due to its range, capacity, safety systems and ability to fly under a broad variety of conditions.

Abbey lays out his plans for the remainder of the year: “We are going to continue to focus on achieving the highest levels of safety and performance in our industry. Our overall strategy is deeply rooted in a foundation of safety. We will continue to build on our culture where the safety of our passengers and employ-ees is embedded in everything we do.

“We will continue to invest in our fleet of heavy and medium heli-copters to meet increasing customer demand, particularly for helicopter services that enable them to access deep and ultra-deep water sites.”