An integrated project team comprising Smulders HSM, a provider of multidisciplinary offshore platform solutions, SPIE, a multi-technical services provider, and offshore installation partner Scaldis, has been tasked with handling the next phase of a gas project in the Dutch North Sea, with a new compression module set to extend the operating life of the asset’s offshore platform, which is running on offshore wind energy.
The Netherlands-headquartered ONE-Dyas, as the operator of the N05-A platform, has awarded Smulders HSM a contract to build and integrate a new compression module that will enable efficient gas production from the N05-A field in the future. The module is expected to be integrated into the existing platform from June 2027.
Smulders HSM will work with SPIE and Scaldis to deliver the project as an integrated team, with the companies aiming to reduce interfaces between contractors and streamline decision-making throughout the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) phases.
SPIE, which is acting as Smulders HSM’s multi-technical partner, will deliver the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), mechanical, and electrical and instrumentation (E&I) scope for the compression module.
The firm underlined: “Combining these disciplines within a single organization reduces the number of interfaces, streamlines communication and improves overall execution efficiency. This multidisciplinary approach offers significant benefits, particularly when integrating new installations into an existing offshore platform.”
The module will comprise two independent compression trains, allowing the platform to continue operating under varying pressure conditions as reservoir characteristics change over time. The N05-A platform, which has been operational since March 2025, is the first offshore gas production platform in the North Sea to operate entirely on electricity generated by offshore wind power, according to SPIE.
The platform uses electricity from the German offshore wind farm Riffgat, helping to reduce its direct operational emissions compared with conventional offshore gas production powered by fossil fuels. The new compression module is designed to enable longer and more efficient gas production from the N05-A field, while making greater use of the existing offshore infrastructure.
The North Sea project went through years of preparation, several hurdles, a court-ordered temporary halt of operations due to opposition from climate activists, and a provisional ruling that enabled the operator to move forward with its planned activities.
Marthijn van Dessel, Sector Director at SPIE in the Netherlands, commented: “The fact that ONE-Dyas and Smulders HSM have once again chosen to work with us for this next phase speaks volumes. We know the platform, we know each other, and we deliver HVAC, mechanical and E&I as a single integrated package.
“This reduces the need for coordination between multiple parties, streamlines communication and enables more efficient project execution. Ultimately, that improves quality, schedule reliability and the overall predictability of project delivery.”
The compression module addition comes as the Netherlands continues to transition its energy system while maintaining natural gas as part of its energy mix. SPIE claims that the N05-A project demonstrates how electrification and existing infrastructure can be combined to curb the direct emissions associated with offshore gas production.
SPIE noted: “As the Netherlands continues its energy transition natural gas will remain part of the energy mix for the foreseeable future. The challenge is therefore to produce it as efficiently and with as few emissions as possible.
“N05-A illustrates this approach: an electrified offshore platform powered by wind energy, demonstrating how innovative technology can significantly reduce the direct operational emissions associated with energy production.”
The Dutch-German energy project is situated in the border segment, where several small fields together contribute to a stable energy supply for the Netherlands and Germany, with an estimated potential of about 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the so-called Gateway to the Ems (GEMS) area.
By integrating the new compression module, the partners, ONE-Dyas, EBN, and Tenaz Energy, aim to extend the productive life of the N05-A field while continuing to operate the platform using electricity generated by offshore wind.
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