Well-Safe picks Port of Dundee as marine base

New Aberdeen-based subsea well abandonment firm Well-Safe Solutions has picked the Port of Dundee as its onshore marine base, it announced at the Offshore Decommissioning Conference in St Andrews today. 

Well-Safe has secured two acres of quayside facilities with access to 40,000sq ft of covered space at the Port of Dundee for its marine assets.  

Well-Safe launched itself is a first-of-its-kind “Tier 1” company with complete plugging and abandonment (P&A) capability, from front-end engineering and design to project execution.

The Port of Dundee, which is seeking to establish itself as a North Sea Decommissioning hub, will provide Well-Safe Solutions with direct access to deep water quaysides, heavy lifting capabilities, significant dedicated warehouse space and unconstrained access into the established and operating Augean North Sea Services (ANSS) decommissioning facilities.

Phil Milton, chief executive of Well-Safe Solutions, said. “This marine support base in Dundee will play a crucial role in supporting our rapidly growing business. We have chosen the Port of Dundee because of the critical mass of decommissioning companies already based here and the facilities on offer. We are looking forward to fostering a strong partnership with Forth Ports."

At the port, Well-Safe Solutions will work alongside decommissioning industry leaders such as AF Offshore Decom, as part of the soon to be formed AF Dundee, waste management specialist ANSS, and other decommissioning specialists.

Stuart Wallace, Chief Operating Officer of Forth Ports, which owns and operates the Port of Dundee, said: “Decommissioning activity in the North Sea basin is increasing and we are excited to welcome Well-Safe Solutions, who are bringing innovation and expertise to the challenges of well abandonment.”

Formed in July this year, Well-Safe Solutions provides a new approach to P&A. The firm was set up by industry veterans including Alasdair Locke, Paul Warwick and Mark Patterson. The company has a commitment to invest £200 million in bespoke assets and grow its workforce to 400 in the next three years.

Last week, Well-Safe secured its first contract with TAQA and the firm is on track to have 30 employees by the end of this year.