Bristow S92 in Port Harcourt off Contract
With Total selling its 20% stake in the Usan offshore field to the Sinopec and Exxon Mobil taking over as the operator they have decided they don't need an S92 so Bristow have an aircraft sitting doing nothing. That must be expensive and if no work is found for it soon it will be no surprise if it leaves for the North Sea. So far no pilots have been laid off, but I guess if they don't get some other work for it soon that could happen. They pilots who were flying it have mostly gone back to flying other types but for sure the bean counters will be looking at that. Bristow has been hiring like crazy this year and lots of talk about more and more new helicopters coming in, but maybe the bubble is about to burst and some of the other operators will get a bigger share of the work.
The Addax contract is up for grabs next month and the tender document was recently in many Nigerian newspapers. It'll be an interesting look into what may happen in the future if Bristow keeps or loses that contract. Caverton are obviously pushing for it, but with CHC back in Nigeria with a partner like NigerDock and Aero still hanging on and desperate for work Bristow will find it increasingly difficult to keep its huge slice of the pie.