CHC Helicopter has been awarded a nine-year $500 million contract to provide helicopter services for Woodside Energy’s Australian operations, possibly the largest helicopters service contract ever written in Australia.

Managing Director for CHC Helicopter’s Australian operations, Rick Burt, was proud to be working with Woodside.

“Woodside continue to play a lead role in developing the North West shelf oil and gas region into one of the premier investment and production areas globally, and we are extremely proud to be chosen to assist Woodside’s continued development,” Mr. Burt said.

CHC Helicopter recently announced that it would be moving its Australian headquarters to Perth to be closer to customers involved in Australia’s major off-shore oil and gas province.

“We play a significant role in the off-shore oil and gas industry globally and our goal is to increase our presence in one of the industry’s fastest growing regions,” Mr. Burt said.

The Woodside Energy contract will commence in June 2011, operating four EC225 aircraft and two AW139 aircraft based out of Karratha in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The Eurocopter EC225 seats 19 passengers and is the newest model in the Puma family, while the Agusta Westland AW139 seats 12-15 passengers.
Over the contract term it is expected two of the aircraft will be moved to various other bases along the Northwest Shelf of Australia as required.

CHC will be making a total capital investment of approximately $150 million to provide the requisite aircraft, spare parts inventory and base infrastructure. With an estimated value of over $500 million, the contract will run for five years, with up to four years of extension options.

CHC anticipate some 150 new jobs will be created with this contract, mostly into Western Australia and most at their Karratha base in the State’s North West.
Several growth opportunities exist for additional aircraft and bases over the term of the contract.

CHC Helicopter (Australia) currently employs more than 400 people at 20 bases around Australia and East Timor. Mr. Burt said the company also intends to grow its Australian search and rescue and emergency medical services operations.

The company provides search and rescue operations for the Royal Australian Air Force and SAR and emergency medical services flights in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.

[Figures are in Canadian Dollars]