The dismantling of the Statfjord A platform is progressing towards a large-scale operation in the North Sea. Allseas has contracted the energy and maritime consultancy ABL to support the removal by lifting a 60,000-ton superstructure in a single operation.
The operation is part of the work on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) and will feature the Pioneering Spirit, the Allseas construction vessel in charge of removing the structure.
Pioneering Spirit will remove the superstructure from Statfjord A
Allseas is responsible for the engineering, preparation, removal and disposal of Statfjord A, an Equinor production platform with a concrete gravity base located in the North Sea.
To carry out the next phase of dismantling, the Pioneering Spirit The entire superstructure will be removed in a single maneuver. It will then be transported to a dismantling facility for further disposal and recycling.
The scale of the operation required increasing the capacity of the ship’s superstructure lifting system (TLS). This motion-compensated system was upgraded from a capacity of 48,000 tons to 60,000 tons specifically for the project.
ABL will oversee the single-lift operation
ABL, for its part, was selected by Allseas as the Marine Warranty Supervisor (MWS). ABL Norway will lead the execution of this work and contribute the expertise of its project specialists dismantling in the North Sea.
The company will be responsible for the independent technical review of the documentation and procedures planned for the operation.
ABL will also provide maritime assurance services to verify the operational suitability of the proposed fleet. Its specialists will also conduct on-site supervision to witness and approve the execution of the work.
The objective will be to keep the risks associated with this critical operation within acceptable levels and to verify that activities are carried out in accordance with established procedures and local regulations.
Statfjord A presents significant technical challenges
Subbi Nookala, ABL’s national director in Norway, highlighted the continuity of the consultancy’s relationship with Allseas and the technical characteristics of the operation.
We are pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with Allseas in Norway by supporting the safe execution of this pioneering removal and lifting operation offshore of a superstructure for Equinor.
Nookala pointed out.
The executive added that Statfjord A is a “legendary” asset and that the project presents significant technical and operational challenges.
The contract was awarded under the existing framework agreement between ABL and Allseas in Norway.
Allseas continues its decommissioning operations in the North Sea
The removal of Statfjord A is part of Allseas’ other recent work related to the decommissioning of offshore infrastructure.
These operations included the removal of the superstructure from the North Cormorant platform in the British sector of the North Sea. In that operation, the Pioneering Spirit carried out a single lift of a 17,200-ton structure. After its removal, the superstructure was transported to Dales Voe in the Shetland Islands.
Now, the Statfjord A project will scale up this type of operation to 60,000 tons and test the expanded capacity of the Pioneering Spirit’s TLS system during one of the next phases of decommissioning Norwegian continental shelf.
Source: Offshore Energy
Photo: Shutterstock
