Aibel secures FEED contract for Equinor’s Wisting FPSO topsides in the Barents Sea

(WO) – Following a competitive tender among domestic suppliers, the Equinor-led Wisting partnership has selected Aibel for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract covering the topsides of the field’s proposed production vessel. The agreement features an option for engineering, procurement, and project management. Aibel estimates that approximately 250 employees will be assigned to the project, with a separate contract for topside module fabrication to be issued at a later date.

“Wisting is still in its early phase of development, and significant effort is required to ensure the project becomes both economically viable and executable,” stated Trond Bokn, Equinor’s senior vice president for project development. He noted that the FEED study “will serve as a key component of the framework for any future final investment decision.”

The field partners aim to finalize a development concept and determine whether to advance the project by late 2026, targeting a final investment decision by the end of 2027. Should the project proceed, Wisting’s operational lifespan is projected at 30 years, with subsea infrastructure, drilling, and wells representing roughly 50% of the total capital expenditure.

Equinor serves as operator with a 42.5% stake, alongside partners Aker BP (27.5%), Petoro (20%), and INPEX Idemitsu Norge (10%).