A £450 million subsea contract awarded to TechnipFMC, which has a base in Dunfermline, will "provide a boost" to local economies, jobs and the supply chain.

The company is a technology provider to the energy industry and local workers will be involved in the controversial new Rosebank project, an oil and gas field 80 miles to the north-west of Shetland.

Equinor awarded TechnipFMC an integrated engineering, procurement, construction and installation contract worth $550m for the project.

UK manager Sarah Cridland said: "This contract is good news for TechnipFMC locations across the country.

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"It supports existing jobs and provides opportunities for people who want to continue or start a career in the energy industry.

Dunfermline Press: A new £450 million subsea contract awarded to Technip FMC, for the controversial Rosebank oilfield, will help secure jobs and boost the local economy.A new £450 million subsea contract awarded to Technip FMC, for the controversial Rosebank oilfield, will help secure jobs and boost the local economy. (Image: Newsquest)

“In Dunfermline, we will design, engineer, and manufacture subsea production systems.

"The umbilicals that power and control our subsea systems will be designed and made in Newcastle.

"And construction and load-out of the rigid pipe will take place at our spool base in Evanton."

A huge untapped field, Rosebank is thought to contain 300 million barrels of oil but last month's decision by regulators to approve drilling, when there are calls to move away from the reliance on fossil fuels, proved divisive.

Critics said it would harm climate change targets and not reduce household bills but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak argued that the project was important for the UK's energy security.

Rosebank is owned by British firm Ithaca Energy and energy company Equinor, from Norway and it's expected that it will start producing oil in 2026.

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They say 1,200 UK jobs will be created in the development phase and, over the long term, it will sustain 450 jobs.

Ms Cridland said: “The project will be led from our facility in Aberdeen.

"The city is also the operational base for our fleet of vessels, which will install all equipment for the development.

“The expertise we have developed in oil and gas is directly transferable to energy transition technologies, and contracts like Rosebank help enable the new opportunities the energy transition presents.”

The rigid pipe, umbilicals and the majority of the subsea production systems will be designed, engineered and manufactured using TechnipFMC’s facilities and network of local suppliers.

Ms Cridland said: “By using our trusted local supply chain, Rosebank will also benefit other businesses which provide high-skilled employment, as well as those companies’ suppliers.”