Vancouver-based CHC Helicopter has signed a contract worth several million dollars to support Shell in its deep water exploration missions off the coast of sub-Saharan Africa.

The five-year agreement sees CHC supply two Eurocopter Super Puma L2 aircraft with the capability to offer transportation services and to implement emergency medical evacuations where required. Shell is using its Noble Globetrotter II deep water drill ship in multi-country operations.

CHC has a long-standing history of providing offshore support to complex operations, and has so far provided services in 19 different African countries. It operates more than 240 aircraft in around 30 countries worldwide and, according to regional director for Africa and Euro-Asia Chris Krajewski, is the obvious choice for an operation such as this. “We support customers in challenging oil and gas territories around the world, including in recent projects for EHL, Petrobras and British Gas throughout East and west Africa,” says Krajewski. “This contract reflects CHC's ability and our commitment to customers, as we help them safely go further and do more in Africa and around the world.”

CHC Helicopter says it is now at the forefront of providing transportation to offshore oil and gas platforms and vessels in sub-Saharan Africa. Its pilots are specially trained to fly over open water and equipped with stringent training and procedures. CHC comments that missions are becoming trickier as rigs move farther offshore, and the soaring temperatures of sub-Saharan Africa also pose a challenge.