Shell UK Ltd has signed a contract with Mermaid Subsea Services Ltd to utilise the offshore company's services for a multi-year engineering, preparation, removal and disposal (EPRD) well head severance (WHS) project in the North Sea.
Planned in three annual batches, the first phase of the decommissioning project is scheduled to begin later this year. The WHS solution will be delivered by a bespoke vessel for which Mermaid will be accumulating key stakeholders accross the supply chain.
The initial campaign will involve the removal of well head protection covers from the sea floor, before lifting them to the surface for transportation onshore.
The well head flow base structures will then be retrieved using specialist tooling.
The final activity will cover well head severance and recovery operations, for which bespoke underwater cutting tooling and techniques will be deployed by Mermaid.
Each stage of the project will be followed by clearance of debris, as well as seabed and over trawl surveys where necessary. All the recovered materials from the project will be put to reuse and recycling.
Milestone contract
Scott Cormack, Regional Director for Mermaid Subsea Services (UK), said, “This a milestone contract for Mermaid and we are very grateful to Shell for putting their faith in our team. We look forward to kicking off work this year.
“The North Sea is on the cusp of a multi-decade decommissioning boom and Mermaid plans to be front and centre of that with our bespoke solutions and leading expertise.”
