Norwegian company Aker Solutions has said it has signed a "sizeable" letter of intent with Dutch offshore services firm Heerema Marine Contractors for the decommissioning and recycling of Norwegian offshore platforms.
Heerema has, as the main decommissioning contractor, won the contract with Equinor and Gassco for removal, dismantling, and recycling of the topsides and jackets of the Heimdal riser platform, Heimdal main platform, and Veslefrikk A platform in the North Sea, off Norway.
In addition to the platforms, the contracts will also include removal, dismantling and recycling of the gangway connecting the two Heimdal platforms, as well as a subsea pre-drill template connected to Veslefrikk A.
The Heimdal riser platform will be removed in 2024, at the earliest, while the Heimdal main platform and the Veslefrikk A platform will be removed no earlier than in 2025.
The topsides and jackets of the three platforms have a combined weight of approximately 68,000 tonnes. The removal method has been adapted to each individual platform and Heerema´s heavy lift vessels “Sleipnir” and “Thialf”. Each topside will be lifted on board the heavy lift vessel in one or several parts.
Aker Solutions' scope includes reception, dismantling, and recycling of three offshore installations from the Heimdal and Veslefrikk fields. The total weight of these installations is around 68,000 metric tons, and the objective is to recycle about 98 percent of all the materials. Interestingly, the announcement comes on March 18, Global Recycling Day.
Also, Aker Solutions defines a sizeable contract as being between NOK 200 million ($23,7 million) and NOK 700 million ($82,9 million).
The Heimdal field in the North Sea. (Photo: Øyvind Hagen)
Growing market
"Decommissioning is a growing market, and in tonnage, this will be our largest decommissioning project since we recycled the Frigg oil and gas platforms about 15 years ago," said Sturla Magnus, executive vice president and head of Aker Solutions' topside and facilities business. "We are pleased with this new award which demonstrates that our strong focus on safe operations and capability to deliver a high degree of recycling is being recognized in the market."
Heimdal is an Equinor-operated gas and condensate field in the Northern part of the North Sea, which has been in operation since 1985. The plan is to decommission the field, including removing, dismantling, and recycling the main platform topsides and jacket.
Heerema will be the main contractor for the decommissioning offshore, with Aker Solutions as the subcontractor for the recycling work when the installations arrive to shore.
Aker Solutions’ scope includes the topsides, jacket and bridge of the Heimdal riser platform for which Equinor is the technical service provider on behalf of the operator Gassco. Assignment of the riser platform part of the scope is subject to Heerema being awarded the riser platform contract after the expiry of a mandatory standstill period required prior to contract award.
100 employees
Veslefrikk is an Equinor-operated oil field in the Northern parts of the North Sea which has been in operation since 1989. On the Veslefrikk field, Aker Solutions’ scope is to dismantle and recycle the wellhead platform Veslefrikk A as well as a subsea pre-drilling template.
The Heimdal and Veslefrikk platforms will be recycled at Aker Solutions’ decommissioning facilities at Eldøyane in Stord, Norway. Early-phase engineering will begin in 2022 and the structures are currently anticipated to arrive at Stord between 2024 and 2026, with project completion in 2027. At peak, the project is expected to involve around 100 employees in Aker Solutions.
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