CHC Group has been awarded a new contract with Faroe Petroleum to provide helicopter services in support of the oil and gas company's exploration drilling programme at the Brasse Field in the North Sea.

"We are excited to work with Faroe Petroleum as its aviation partner in this project," says Arne Roland, CHC regional director for the Nordics, eastern Europe, Caspian and Canada. "This project allows us to continue to build on our decades of experience supporting oil and gas customers in the Norwegian Continental Shelf as we continue to evolve our services and technology to best meet their needs."

The operation will begin in summer 2017, flying from CHC's base in Bergen, Norway, using a Sikorsky S-92. The helicopter has a proven safety and availability record, reaching more than one million fleet hours of service in 2016.

Faroe Petroleum's drilling prog-ramme is expected to last for an initial period of 70 days and the contract includes an option to extend CHC's services beyond this period.

"CHC is proud to continue a safe and reliable transportation offering to customers in and around the North Sea," says president and CEO Karl Fessenden. "We look forward to helping Faroe Petroleum meet its transportation needs throughout this project and are eager to start flying on its behalf when the project commences later this year."