The removal of the Brent Delta topside by the Pioneering Spirit operated by Allseas was a ground-breaking project. (Photograph: Allseas)
DUTCH CONTRACTORS VERY ACTIVE ON EMERGING DECOMMISSIONING MARKET by Paul Schaap, PAS Publicaties
Just as in the offshore installation market, Dutch contractors have also acquired a leading role in the emerging market for the decommissioning and re-use of offshore oil and gas structures. Above all the willingness to invest in special heavy-lift vessels that have pushed boundaries ever further has earned them global respect. And there is still no end in sight. Over the past few years, Allseas has attracted most attention to itself with its innovative, single-lift installation/ decommissioning and pipelay vessel Pioneering Spirit, the largest of its kind in the world. This attention reached a milestone in 2017 when a new world lifting record was established in the British sector of the North Sea during the removal of the 24,000-tonne topside from the Brent Delta platform operated by Shell UK. This project is part of a major decommissioning programme that also includes removing a jacket and three other topsides from the Brent field, ranging in weight from 16,000 to 30,000 tonnes. For this year, the decommissioning of the Brent 14
NETHERLANDS SUPPLIERS CATALOGUE 2019
Bravo topside is scheduled. Using the Pioneering Spirit, topsides weighing up to 48,000 tonnes can be removed or installed at sea. The same applies to jackets weighing up to 20,000 tonnes, in a single section. Also for this vessel, Schiedam-based Huisman has now built a large crane with a lifting capacity of 5,000 tonnes. This crane is to be mounted on the aftership, and will be suitable for deployment in decommissioning work. Later this year, the Pioneering Spirit will be carrying out a decommissioning project on behalf of Aker BP in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. This project involves removing the topside and bridge from the Valhall QP living quarters platform,
