Mermaid Subsea ahead of schedule with ‘major’ decommissioning campaign for Shell

Mermaid Subsea Services (UK) has ahead of schedule wrapped up the first phase of what it says is a major North Sea decommissioning contract for Shell UK.

Mermaid announced in June that it had been awarded an engineering, preparation, removal and disposal (EPRD) well head severance (WHS) contract by Shell UK, set to be carried out in three annual batches.

The initial phase of the campaign saw the removal of well heads and protection covers to a vessel, which were then brought ashore for disposal.

For the next stage, due to begin next year, Mermaid will use specialist tooling equipment to retrieve well head flow base structures, followed by well head severance and recovery operations in 2026.

According to the company, after each project stage associated debris will be cleared and removed, and seabed and over trawl surveys carried out where necessary, with all of the recovered materials from the structures to be managed to ensure maximum reuse or recycling.

“I am immensely proud that we have been able to complete the first stage of this campaign ahead of schedule and I would like to thank our teams onshore and offshore for their hard work. We aren’t resting on our laurels though, and work is already going on in partnership with Shell UK to prepare for the next phase of the campaign, scheduled to get underway early next year,” said Scott Cormack, Regional Director for Mermaid Subsea Services (UK).