Offshore contractor Allseas has been selected by TAQA UK to carry out the complete removal of the Brae Alpha platform, located more than 270 kilometers northeast of Aberdeen in the central waters of the North Sea. North Sea. The agreement provides for a comprehensive engineering, preparation, removal and disposal (EPRD) operation of a facility that has operated for more than four decades.
A large-scale technical order around Brae Alpha
The project involves the dismantling of the upper parts of the structure – weighing approximately 33,000 tons – in addition to the 13,000-ton deck and 34 conductors that make up the operational core of the asset. This intervention will be executed between 2028 and 2032 using the heavy-lift vessel Pioneering Spiritheavy lift vessel, backed up by the construction vessel Oceanic.
The operation has been designed to achieve high environmental standards: it is estimated that at least 95% of the materials recovered will be recycled or reused, consolidating the commitment of both companies to sustainability in the end-of-life phase of offshore assets.
Part of a broader strategy in the North Sea
This contract is not an isolated event. Allseas already collaborates with TAQA on the removal of other platforms in the northern North Sea, such as Tern Alpha, Eider Alpha, North Cormorant and Cormorant Alpha. This package of projects positions the Swiss firm as one of the key players in the efforts of decommissioning efforts in the United Kingdom. decommissioning efforts in the United Kingdom.
The Brae Alpha platform, commissioned in 1983, has been one of the pillars of British energy security, with a historical production of more than 600 million barrels of oil equivalent. Its retirement marks a transition to a new phase in the management of mature assets in the region.
A process that combines innovation, logistics and efficiency
Allseas President Pieter Heerema highlighted the technical relevance of this operation, underlining that the removal in one piece of components of such magnitude represents a breakthrough in the efficiency of EPRD campaigns. The maneuver reinforces the Pioneering Spirit’s capability as the flagship of these operations.
As TAQA continues its process of asset closure and transition, the North Sea becomes a laboratory for advanced solutions for the management of offshore structures in its final phase. This new contract consolidates a strategic alliance that seeks technical efficiency and environmental responsibility on a large scale.
Source and photo: Allseas
