The agreement marks the first time that a facilities management company has assumed management of an onshore gas terminal in the UK (Bacton).

Petrofac will also manage the six gas-producing installations in the Hewett Field, 25 miles east of Great Yarmouth. The Hewett installations, three normally unmanned with the others joined in a central complex, are tied back to the onshore Bacton Terminal in Norfolk.

The operatorship transfer is Petrofac's fourth UKCS Facilities Management agreement. As well as managing the production facilities for the ChevronTexaco Galley field for the past five years, Petrofac recently completed the transition of the Paladin-owned Montrose, Arbroath and Arkwright fields and assumed responsibility for these facilities in May 2003.

"The transfer of operatorship agreement with Tullow is significant to Petrofac as it represents a milestone in the development of our company into the Southern North Sea and onshore terminal management. It also signifies the route for the industry to enable field life extension of mature oil and gas fields," said John Methven, operations director, Petrofac Facilities Management Europe.