Well decommissioning specialist Well-Safe Solutions has been awarded a multi-year contract by Apache North Sea Limited to execute the abandonment of wells in the historic Forties Field, one of the North Sea’s most iconic assets.
The project, scheduled to start in 2026, will cover the decommissioning of both platform and subsea wells, consolidating Well-Safe as an integral operator in all phases of the process: well engineering, project management and offshore execution.
Direct Impact on Operational Efficiency
The contract positions Well-Safe Solutions as responsible for:
Well and subsurface engineering
2. Comprehensive abandonment planning and management
3. Offshore execution on platforms and sub-sea systems
This type of project involves complex closure and abandonment (P&A) operations, including zonal isolation, cementing, pipe cutting and long-term integrity verification, essential elements to ensure environmental and regulatory safety.
Measurable increase in installed capacity
The contract will have a direct impact on the economy of northeast Scotland, especially Aberdeen, where it is expected to support hundreds of highly skilled jobs in engineering, offshore operations and associated services.
Phil Milton highlighted the strategic relevance of the agreement:
“This contract represents a turning point for our company and sends a clear signal to the entire supply chain about the need to maintain critical capabilities in the North Sea.”
Logistical constraints: availability of platforms
One of the main structural challenges in the industry is the sustained reduction in mobile offshore drilling units. Currently, there are only five operational semi-submersible rigs left on the UK continental shelf capable of both drilling and abandoning wells.
This limitation represents a significant risk to:
1. Meeting regulatory decommissioning objectives
2. Maintaining the safety of aging wells
3. Ensuring energy continuity in the energy transition.
It is estimated that thousands of wells will have to be decommissioned before the end of the decade, increasing pressure on available capacity.
Consolidation of Well-Safe in the UKCS market
This contract reinforces Well-Safe Solutions’ position as a strategic player in the decommissioning segment in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), following successful campaigns with its units:
- Well-Safe Defender
- Well-Safe Protector
In addition, it adds to other relevant contracts recently awarded, consolidating a portfolio that positions the company at the center of one of the largest offshore decommissioning markets globally.
Technical improvement implemented: the challenge of large-scale P&A
The case of the Forties field illustrates a major challenge for the industry: executing massive abandonment programs under increasingly demanding capacity, cost and regulatory constraints.
The success of these projects will depend on:
1. Standardization of P&A processes
Innovation in intervention technologies
3. Optimization of the use of platforms
4. Digital integration for tracking and verification
In this context, contracts such as the one awarded to Well-Safe represent not only commercial opportunities, but also critical pillars in the energy transition and responsible management of the offshore legacy.
Source and photo: https://www.wellsafesolutions.com/