SLB and Equinor have signed a multi-year agreement covering advanced reservoir stimulation services across the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), including a major upgrade of the well stimulation vessel MV Island Captain. The deal secures dedicated stimulation capacity to support development of tight offshore reservoirs and help maximize recovery from future wells.
The upgrade
The Island Captain will be converted into a fully proppant-capable stimulation vessel. Proppant is the granular material pumped into a well during stimulation to hold open the fractures that let oil and gas flow. The upgrade adds expanded proppant storage, advanced handling and blending systems, increased pumping capacity, and an optimized deck layout for complex stimulation operations. Once complete, the vessel will carry up to two million pounds of proppant, enabling high-intensity offshore treatments across the NCS.
Tight reservoirs are expected to take on a bigger role in offshore resource development, and unlocking them requires specialized stimulation systems that can deliver high-intensity treatments efficiently and reliably. By securing dedicated stimulation capacity on the NCS, SLB and Equinor are building the infrastructure for the next generation of tight-reservoir developments in Norway.
Ole Christian Meldahl, SLB's managing director for Scandinavia, said the agreement "builds on a longstanding relationship between Equinor and SLB." He called the vessel upgrade "an important investment in offshore stimulation capability for the Norwegian Continental Shelf."
