Invitations to tender for converting Statoil's Gullfaks A and C platforms were recently sent to a number of contractors.
Likely to be awarded around the New Year, this contract on the Norwegian North Sea production, drilling and quarters installations will form part of the Gullfaks satellites phase II project.
The platforms are to be equipped to accept oil and gas from the Gullfaks South, Rimfaks and Gullveig fields.
Tenders were originally invited last year with the aim of starting modification work in early 1998, but the government then resolved to slow Norway's offshore investment pace.
Phase II of the satellites project was accordingly postponed until 1999, which explains the new invitation to tender. Bids must be submitted by mid-October.
Plans call for the new project to come on stream in October 2001.