ABB has secured a contract to upgrade the automation and control systems on the Buzzard offshore platform, located approximately 100km north-east of Aberdeen in the UK North Sea.
The project is being undertaken for CNOOC Petroleum Europe, the UK subsidiary of global energy company CNOOC International.
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The scope of work includes the modernisation of ABB’s existing ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system and the Safeguard 400 safety system installed on the platform.
ABB stated that the phased approach to the upgrade will enable key system updates to be implemented while keeping the platform operational. This is expected to minimise shutdown time and reduce the risk associated with project execution.
The engineering team based in Aberdeen will oversee the work. The team also provides ongoing support to Buzzard through an onshore reference system, which tests and evaluates upgrades before they are deployed offshore.
According to ABB, this process is intended to help reduce operational risk, mitigate disruption and maintain production continuity on the platform.
ABB UK, Ireland and Azerbaijan energy industries division head Nicolas Alonso said: “This project reflects our long-standing partnership with CNOOC’s UK business and our shared commitment to safe and reliable operations.
“By modernising the existing automation systems, we are able to help support UK energy security at a time of increasing demand.”
The Buzzard field sits in the Outer Moray Firth in the central North Sea, approximately 100km from Aberdeen and 55km off Peterhead.
The site covers two licences: P.986 (blocks 19/10 and 20/6) and P.928(S) (blocks 19/5a and 20/1S), at water depths around 100m.
Discovered in June 2001, the Buzzard field initially revealed a 400ft oil column, later extended to 750ft through further drilling operations. The reservoir is located in Upper Jurassic turbidite sands between 7,800ft and 9,175ft below sea level.
In June 2025, ABB secured a contract from Seatrium to provide electrical and automation solutions for Petrobras’ new generation of floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, the P-84 and P-85.
These vessels were due to be deployed in the Atapu and Sépia fields, located approximately 200km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Under the agreement, ABB was responsible for the design and construction of the electrical equipment for both the topside and hull, as well as for electrical substation automation and eHouses for each FPSO.
