WATCH: Shell brings down the curtain on one of ‘iconic’ North Sea oil & gas giants as ‘largest single piece’ comes into UK port

UK-headquartered energy heavyweight Shell has spent years ticking off items from its decommissioning list for an asset in the North Sea, which is seen as one of the deepest offshore oil fields in the world. The arrival of the field’s fourth and final platform to Able Seaton Port (ASP) in Hartlepool marks a new milestone in this undertaking.

Shell embarked on the long-term decommissioning planning activities for the Brent field in 2006, after the field life was extended beyond expectations with the redevelopments that enabled the asset to be served by four large platforms – Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta.

Brent’s pre-eminence in the UK sector of the North Sea was such that it ended up giving its name to the oil benchmark used to price two-thirds of the world’s internationally traded crude oil.

Over £20 billion in tax revenues were generated during its lifetime for the UK government alongside a significant amount of Britain’s oil and gas since production began in 1976 off the northeast coast of Scotland, midway between the Shetland Islands and Norway.

Described as one of the largest fields in the North Sea, Brent was a cornerstone of the country’s oil and gas industry for 40 years, featuring four huge platforms’ topsides visible above the waterline, which housed the accommodation block, helipad, drilling, and other operational areas.

These topsides sat on much taller supporting structures standing in 140 meters of water to anchor the topsides to the sea bed. Able UK’s long-standing contract, which started in 2011, was signed with Shell in 2013, to decommission the Brent field platforms, enabling Able Seaton Port to provide above 97% recycled/re-use rates on the previously completed topsides Delta (24,922 Te), Bravo (25,272 Te), and Alpha (16,869 Te).

This figure is expected to be attained or bettered for the Brent Charlie topside, which arrived at Able Seaton Port over the weekend. KOTUG International has confirmed that it was in charge of towmaster services for all towage operations offshore and inshore Hartlepool, UK.

At 31,000 Te, Charlie, the fourth and final platform from Shell’s Brent field to be decommissioned at Able Seaton, is portrayed as “the largest single piece offshore topside” to be lifted, transported, and delivered to land. 

This operation involved Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit giant heavy lift vessel, with the final stage entailing the transfer to the Iron Lady cargo barge for the tow into Able Seaton Port and to be grounded onto the Able UK engineered grounding bed at the port’s wet dock. 

Peter Stephenson, Able UK’s Founder and Executive Chairman, commented: “Able UK are very proud to be an integral part of the Brent field decommissioning project. The arrival of the Shell Charlie to Able Seaton Port is happening through a well-coordinated effort with our partners Shell and Allseas to provide this ‘Engineering First’ of receiving a single piece topside of 31,000 Te.  

“Able UK’s port infrastructure has helped to make this long-standing contract a success and we look forward to providing this service on future large scale projects”

Once all safety checks are done, the 31,000 Te Charlie topside will be skidded onto Able UK’s heavy-duty Quay 6 designed to spread the weight of these large topside structures.

According to Stephenson, the Brent field is “an iconic oil and gas field” and aside from decommissioning the Brent Charlie, the firm expects the arrival of multiple platforms and structures from the LOGGS project in the North Sea for dismantling using Quay 1 on Able Seaton Port.  

Able UK’s Founder added: “This is all occurring with the backdrop of the Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm marshalling works (largest offshore wind farm in the world) at the Able Seaton Port reinforcing Able UK as the project port of choice for the largest offshore projects. We are uniquely placed to be engaged in the end of life process for parts of the oil and gas sector whilst at the same time being involved in the renewable energies of the future.  

“In many respects we have the bases covered being heavily engaged at both ends of the offshore energy sectors.  We look forward to providing more good news as we develop our Able Humber Port for further work in these industrial sectors.”