Babcock Australasia (Babcock) today, in partnership with Santos celebrates the opening of its new hangar in Karratha, Western Australia. The state-of-the-art 1400 square meter facility enables operations, storage and maintenance for two helicopters, with onsite facilities providing passenger processing, security screening and working amenities.
Babcock’s five-year contract with Santos facilitates the introduction of two AW139 aircraft to the region, to be utilised primarily for crew change, emergency support and 24/7 medevac services. It also includes the provision of associated crew and management positions, offering six new jobs for the local community.
“We’re excited to be working in partnership with Santos in Karratha and we thank the City of Karratha for their unfailing support in establishing our operations here. Our partnership with Santos guarantees further growth and investment in our workforce both in Karratha and across Australia, cementing Babcock’s position as Australia’s leading provider of critical aviation services,” said Babcock Australasia’s CEO, David Ruff.
“In the last year, our Offshore Aviation business has received an Asia Pacific Supplier Recognition award and we continue to set the benchmark for aviation safety, customer responsiveness and operational reliability in Australia’s offshore oil and gas sector,” Ruff said.
Santos Executive Vice President Offshore, Brett Darley, congratulated Babcock on the opening of the hangar and the importance of the two companies’ partnership.
“This aviation hub will play a critical role in the safe, effective and efficient operation of our activities here in the west. And in Santos’ 65th year, it’s probably worth touching on what that means – we are the biggest producer of domestic gas in this State, natural gas that is delivered into the Dampier to Bunbury Gas Pipeline and powers the industries that power WA and the nation.”
The contract adds to Babcock’s steadily growing offshore aviation blue chip client base that includes ConocoPhillips Australia, ENI Australia and Chevron.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our exceptional customer service, flexibility and focus on safety to Australia’s premier oil and gas company,” said Andrew Cridland, Managing Director of Aviation Offshore at Babcock Australasia.
“I look forward to seeing Babcock’s AW139s and the talented team who operate them servicing the transportation and safety needs of Santos,” he said.