Oil and gas giant Shell has awarded a modifications services and maintenance contract to offshore services provider Aker Solutions. 

The contract, which is for the Norway-based Nyhamna natural gas processing facility, is valued between Nkr500m ($46.54m) and Nkr1.5bn.

According to the agreement, Aker Solutions will perform maintenance and modification work on the Nyhamna plant in Aukra. 

The onshore plant connects to the Polarled pipeline in the Norwegian Sea and serves the Ormen Lange field.

Since 2007, Aker Solutions has carried out projects and offered services at the Nyhamna facility, which is where gas is first brought ashore before being transported to the UK.

Shell acts as the technical service provider to Norwegian state-owned gas pipeline operator Gassco. 

It has opted to extend the framework agreement for an additional four years, or until September 2028.

Aker Solutions said the transaction will be reported as part of its third-quarter order intake.

The deal is significant for the more than 150 Aker Solutions workers in Kristiansund, it added.

Aker Solutions executive vice-president and head of life cycle Paal Eikeseth said: "This contract will be included in our already strong backlog built on long-term customer relations. We are pleased that Shell is giving us renewed trust to be its main contractor on this significant facility, and look forward to continuing the successful collaboration.

"This extension secures work for our employees on-site at Nyhamna, our engineering office in Kristiansund, and it will provide ripple effects to local subcontractors and others."

In June this year, Equinor selected Aker Solutions to provide a subsea production system and control umbilical for the Eirin field development offshore Norway.