Veolia begins North Sea decommissioning project
5 Apr 2011
Tyneside, UK – Veolia Environmental Services (UK) has started work on a project to decommission offshore North Sea gas steel platforms at the former Swan Hunter shipyard on the River Tyne owned by North Tyneside Council.
The first gas rig steep platform arrived at the shipyard 30 March (see video clip). The 17-storey high structure arrived on a barge from the Shell UK Indefatigable gas field, 75km offshore in the southern North Sea. It is the first of eight barges scheduled to arrive at the shipyard over four months.
Veolia Environmental will dismantle these structures with its offshore decommissioning partner, Peterson SBS, which will provide logistics support, marine management and load-in services. The work is set to directly create 35 jobs and contribute at least £1 million to the local economy.
The plan is to safely decommission 10,500 tonnes of redundant gas platform parts from April to October this year with a target recycling rate of 98%. This includes scrap metal, wood and even turning the marine growth attached to the structures into compost, a Veolia spokesman said.
Veolia Environmental will operate the facility under an Environment Agency permit with a bespoke health and safety and environmental management system and comprehensive environmental reporting.
The project brings the Swan Hunter shipyard, which was established in 1860 and ceased shipbuilding last decade, back into service. Swan Hunter still continues to operate in the marine, design and engineering field.
