Mermaid Subsea Services (UK) has successfully concluded what is believed to be the largest vessel-based UK North Sea decommissioning campaign in history.
Carried out on behalf of a North Sea operator, the project spanned two years and involved the plugging and abandonment (P&A) of 21 wells spread across the Northern and Central North Sea.
The multi-well campaign, which was delivered using the Island Valiant vessel and created six new jobs, is Aberdeen-headquartered Mermaid’s largest contract to date.
Mermaid says the project positions the company as a leader in the burgeoning North Sea decommissioning and P&A market, with industry regulator the North Sea Transition Authority identifying nearly 1,500 UKCS wells that will be ready for decommissioning between 2026 and 2030.
Scott Cormack, Regional Director for Mermaid Subsea Services (UK), said: “This has been a landmark project, not just for Mermaid but also for the wider North Sea decommissioning sector.”
The company entered the UK in 2020.
The completion of this campaign follows on from Mermaid completing the first stage of a three-year long North Sea decommissioning contract for Shell U.K. Limited.
Delivered ahead of schedule, the first phase of the campaign for Shell involved the removal of well heads and protection covers, which were then brought ashore for disposal, with the next stage of the project scheduled to begin in 2025.
Cormack said: “Well P&A is the single biggest cost, most time demanding, and incredibly technically challenging element of any campaign. Efficient and effective operations can have a big impact on the North Sea’s overall decommissioning cost. Mermaid’s vessel-based P&A approach offers clients real agility and flexibility, ensuring that projects can be delivered on time and on budget.”