Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd, one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a new contract with BW Offshore.

This new contract, worth in the region of £16 million, is to provide crew change support for the BW Offshore (UK) Limited Floating Production Storage and Offtake (FPSO) vessel Athena which is located at the Athena Field. BW Offshore maintain production at the field, located approximately 180 kilometres north-east of Aberdeen, on behalf of Ithaca Energy

Operations are due to commence from Aberdeen Airport in March 2013, with a new-to-fleet AW139 medium category helicopter, for an initial contract period of three years with options to extend.

Oil produced at Athena is transported from the BW Athena FPSO by shuttle tankers to the onshore Nigg storage facility, operated by Ithaca Energy.

Luke Farajallah, Managing Director, Bond Offshore Helicopters, said: “I am delighted with this new contract, our first of 2013, which cements our strong existing relationship with BW Offshore. We look forward to further growth over the course of the year”.

Richard Mintern, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Europe and Asia Pacific, Avincis Group said: “This new win is the latest in a fantastic recent run of success for Bond, coming on the back of the new contract with Perenco in the Southern North Sea, as well as contract renewals by long-standing air ambulance customers in Scotland and the Midlands. As it grows Bond is also investing in staff and cutting-edge equipment, in order to continue providing the optimum level of service to its customers”.

About Bond Offshore Helicopters

Bond Offshore Helicopters provides crew change for the oil and gas industry, and search and rescue support, in the central and northern North Sea and west of Shetland.

Bond Offshore Helicopters is part of Avincis Group. Avincis Group is the world’s leading provider of mission critical aviation services. The Group’s mission is to save lives, protect the environment and provide safe transport for mission critical people and assets for public services and blue chip corporations.

Avincis has a global footprint which, includes the UK, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Ireland, Norway, Australia, Chile and Peru. The Group operates around 350 rotary and 50 fixed-wing aircraft, from 295 bases in ten countries. Avincis employs almost 3,000 people worldwide and at end 2011 had an annualised turnover of €521 million (£421 million). The Group is headquartered in London.

About BW Offshore (UK) Ltd

BW Offshore is a leading global provider of floating production services to the oil and gas industry. BW Offshore is the world’s second largest contractor with a fleet of 14 FPSOs and 1 FSO represented in all major oil regions worldwide. BW Offshore has a long track record on project execution and operations, as well as a robust balance sheet and strong financial capabilities. In more than 30 years of production, BW Offshore has executed 36 FPSO and FSO projects. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Further information is also available on www.bwoffshore.com