Petrojarl Banff FPSO reaches UK port ahead of recycling

UK’s Kishorn Port has welcomed the Petrojarl Banff FPSO for temporary mooring while its owner is looking for a suitable location for recycling.

Kishorn Port announced the arrival of the FPSO in a social media post on Monday.

Colin Ortlepp, Director of Kishorn Port, commented: “We’re pleased Teekay has chosen Kishorn to moor the Banff FPSO. This is the port’s third significant project in 2020 following on from the downsizing and recycling of the casualty vessel, the MV Kaami, and the ongoing preservation of the Voyageur Spirit FPSO.”

During the anchorage period, port services and support will be provided by KPL partners Ferguson Transport and Shipping.

Ferguson’s Operations Director, Jack Ferguson, commented: “We very much look forward to providing KPL, Teekay and its partner Altera infrastructure with marine, logistics and support services whilst she remains with us in the port”.

The Banff FPSO will remain moored at Kishorn Port until a suitable location is selected by Teekay for the appropriate recycling of the unit.

The Banff FPSO is a floating production, storage and offloading vessel built in 1997. It has an overall length of 120 metres and a width of 42 metres.

During its final operational phase, the vessel was located within CNR International’s Banff and Kyle fields situated within Central North Sea approximately 190km off Peterhead.

CNRI filed its Banff and Kyle fields decommissioning programs for an FPSO and FSO float-off with the UK authorities in March 2020.

The document contained the decommissioning programs for the removal of the Petrojarl Banff FPSO and the Apollo Spirit FSO and the associated risers and mooring systems from the Banff and Kyle fields.

The Banff field is located in blocks 29/2a and 22/27a in the UK Sector of the Central North Sea some 200km due east of Aberdeen in approximately 95m water depth.

UK authorities approved CNRI’s decommissioning plan in late May 2020.