Another round of layoffs is coming to the local offshore industry as Suncor prepares to take the Terra Nova FPSO quayside.

The company confirms that about 100 contractors will be laid off effective November 1, as they wrap up a round of preservation work. This follows news of layoffs at Husky Energy earlier this week.

Suncor has awarded a six-month contract to DF Barnes to keep the FPSO and its systems in working order at the Bull Arm facility, with an option to extend.

The Terra Nova was supposed to be refitted this year, but those plans were routed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Suncor says the life-extension project would allow the FPSO to continue work for another decade and extract another 80-million barrels of oil.

Suncor says it is now evaluating its options to return to the Terra Nova field. However, until an “economically viable” option is identified for a safe and reliable return, the vessel will remain quayside.

The Terra Nova FPSO is expected to arrive in Bull Arm this December.