Well-Safe Solutions, the tier-one well decommissioning contractor, has announced a multi-year contract with Apache North Sea to decommission its platform wells and subsea wells in the Forties field.
Work will begin in 2026, with Well-Safe Solutions leading the contract across all well related project management, well and subsurface engineering, and offshore delivery of platform and subsea wells.
The award will support hundreds of jobs in Aberdeen and provide a much-needed boost to the economy in the northeast of Scotland at a time when the sector is facing significant challenges and concerns over wider industry job retention.
Phil Milton, Chief Executive Officer at Well-Safe Solutions, said: 'This award is a defining moment for Well-Safe Solutions and a testament to the confidence Apache has in our team to deliver safe, efficient and technically robust decommissioning solutions at scale. This contract award is exciting news for our business and for the wider economy, sending a powerful signal to the supply chain and helping to secure critical talent and resources. Today’s announcement is undoubtably a huge moment for our business and our industry, however, it comes at a particularly difficult time for our sector when we are hopeful of retaining the talent and capability that we have in the North Sea.'
The availability of mobile offshore drilling units capable of drilling and decommissioning both platform and subsea wells has been declining significantly year on year, with just five semi-submersible rigs remaining in the UK Continental Shelf. This persistent reduction in capacity risks severely undermining the UK’s ability to meet its energy needs and decommissioning obligations, with thousands of wells due to be decommissioned by the end of the decade.[1]
Donald Martin, Vice President, Decommissioning, Apache, commented: 'We are pleased to partner with Well-Safe Solutions on this large-scale decommissioning programme across the Forties Field. This contract reflects our commitment to delivering safe, predictable and cost-effective decommissioning through disciplined execution and with a high-performing, integrated team. Building on decades of successful production from one of the North Sea’s cornerstone assets, Apache is focused on maximising late-life asset value, reducing risk, and delivering a safe, efficient and disciplined transition into decommissioning.'
This most recent contract reinforces Well-Safe’s position as a strategic leader in the UK decommissioning space, following recent successful campaigns with the Well-Safe Defender and Well-Safe Protector, and follows two recent major contract awards for Well-Safe Solutions this summer with other operators in the North Sea.
[1] OEUK Decommissioning Report 2025, November 2025
Source: Well Safe Solutions
