Hornbeck Offshore secures multiple deepwater agreements with Shell
Hornbeck Offshore Services has entered into multiple agreements with Shell Offshore to provide integrated deepwater vessel and subsea services in the US Gulf of Mexico, expanding the companies’ existing commercial relationship.
The agreements cover riser-based well intervention, riserless well intervention stimulation support and marine transportation. Operations are scheduled to begin in 2027, with a well intervention vessel and an associated support vessel contracted for five years.
Hornbeck plans to deploy a specialised well intervention vessel equipped with an intervention riser system, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and supporting engineering and project management services.
The programme will also involve a high-specification multipurpose support vessel equipped with ROVs, together with deepwater offshore supply vessels compliant with the US Jones Act. These vessels will provide marine transportation and operational support for the offshore activities.
Integrated vessel and subsea operations
The agreements bring together several types of offshore vessels and technical services to support Shell’s deepwater operations.
Riser-based well intervention involves the use of specialised equipment to access subsea wells, while riserless intervention and stimulation support provides additional capabilities for work involving subsea infrastructure.
Hornbeck’s planned deployment will combine these activities with ROV operations, engineering services and marine transportation, allowing different aspects of the programme to be supported under the new contractual arrangements.
Todd M. Hornbeck, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hornbeck Offshore Services, said the agreements represent an expansion of the company’s longstanding relationship with Shell.
“We look forward to delivering integrated services through a unique combination of high-specification assets in the deepwater basins of the U.S. Gulf of America,” said Todd M. Hornbeck, President and CEO of Hornbeck Offshore Services.
Agreements follow Hornbeck–Helix combination
The latest contracts follow the completion of the combination between Hornbeck Offshore and Helix Energy Solutions Group in September 2026.
The transaction brought together offshore marine transportation capabilities with subsea and well intervention operations, expanding the range of services available through the combined business.
Hornbeck said the new Shell agreements demonstrate the capabilities created by that combination, particularly the ability to deploy specialised vessels alongside subsea systems and engineering support.
The company has not disclosed the financial value of the agreements, the identities of the vessels to be deployed or the precise commencement dates for operations in 2027.
The contracts establish additional work for the combined group’s deepwater operations, with the five-year commitment providing a defined period of activity for the contracted intervention vessel and support vessel.
