WASSB awarded RM10mil JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Contract

Miri, Sarawak, 27 July 2015: Weststar Aviation Services Sdn Bhd (WASSB), a leading regional offshore helicopter transportation services provider will be utilizing its first in the region state-of-the-art AgustaWestland AW189 helicopter type to service recently awarded RM10 million JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Sdn Bhd contract.

The helicopter will fly from Miri Airport to transport offshore workers and goods for JX Nippon’s deep-water exploration drilling program at the deep-water block DW2F located 210 nautical miles offshore Sarawak, South China Sea. The contract has a duration of three months, with an extension option to come in view in October.

At the contract’s maiden flight commencement ceremony, WASSB Business Development Director, Datuk Anuar Noordin said, “We are pleased to have entered into this contract. Meeting our clients’ needs for safe and efficient transportation, the introduction of our AW189 helicopter type works out as a timely introduction, aptly corresponding to what the industry is looking for at the moment.”

“We are proud to be the first owner and operator of the AW189 helicopter in Asia Pacific. This is the first AW189 of four that we have ordered. Furthermore, this is also an important milestone in order to harness our unique opportunities for upward mobility, moving from medium type helicopter to heavy type helicopter. We are seeing more opportunities to utilize this type of heavy helicopter surfacing to support deep-water operations in Sabah and Sarawak,” Datuk Anuar emphasized.

“With the AW189 helicopter, our clients now have the option to run a more cost effective operations that translates into a comparatively lower cost per pax for every passenger on board,” added Datuk Anuar.

He concluded, “At a time when the oil and gas market is soft and plummeting oil prices are causing more companies to put their expansion plans on hold, the cost effectiveness of running the AW189 provides a simple solution for the current situation. Apart from that, the AW189 comes with the latest modern avionics system that is proven to improve the overall performance of the aircraft from every aspect particularly safety.”

According to Datuk Anuar, despite WASSB fifth base in Miri, albeit temporarily, WASSB aims to press ahead to broaden its clients’ base in Sabah and Sarawak with its AW189 helicopter type offering.

Weststar Aviation Services Sdn Bhd (WASSB) is a Malaysian based company that provides offshore helicopter transportation services to the oil and gas industry. Having made its regional presence strongly felt, WASSB is currently the largest provider of offshore helicopter transportation services in South East Asia. Our oil & gas clients include Petronas Carigali, ExxonMobil, Carigali Hess, CPOC, Talisman, Petrofac, Newfield, TOTAL, KPOC, Lundin, SapuraKencana Energy, WesternGeco, Hess, Shell, Tullow Oil, Mubadala Petroleum, CGG Veritas, ConocoPhillips, INPEX Offshore, PTTEP, Galp Energia Tarfayabb, PC Mauritania, EnQuest, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Co., and Kosmos Energy. At present, WASSB owns/operates a fleet of AgustaWestland and Sikorsky helicopters used exclusively to provide offshore support services for multinational oil and gas companies.