Offshore staff
CANTERBURY, UK – Douglas-Westwood (DW) forecasts global expenditure of $24 billion on offshore helicopter services between 2014 and 2018. This represents a 57% increase on the preceding five-year period.
Western Europe will account for the largest share of the expenditure due to theNorth Sea’s extensive infrastructure and the preference in this region for using large helicopters.
Elsewhere, DW sees growth for services inAfrica, Asia, Australasia, and Latin America, with a preference for local providers in some of these markets.
One growth driver is thefield development lifecycle. In the drilling phase, helicopter needs are short-term, DW says, with requirements for flexibility from helicopter operators. In the production phase, the emphasis is on long-term crew transfer support. As production ramps up, particularly in deepwater regions, there is an increasing need for a larger fleet of modern helicopters.
Globally, the medium-type helicopter class accounts for around 60% of offshore helicopter service expenditure. Over the next five years, a new generation of medium-class aircraft such as the EC175 and AW189 are due to be introduced. However, in Western Europe and Australasia buyers tend to favor larger helicopters with increased range and carrying capacity.
Bristow and CHC remain the dominant players with activities in all chief operating regions.
04/29/2014
