A live oil spill response exercise will be taking place in North Harbour on 26 November. Find out more here.

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Decommissioning

Port of Aberdeen is your port-of-choice for seamless decommissioning marine logistics.

As one of the largest decommissioning facilities in Europe, our infrastructure is designed for your decommissioning operations. We have a proven track record of supporting safe, cost-effective, and sustainable decommissioning services, from well plugging and abandonment to material reuse and recycling. 

As Scotland’s largest berthage port, our quayside stretches over 7,600 metres, accommodating vessels up to 300 meters in length. We provide 2,800 metres of deepwater berths to a maximum depth of -14.8 metres (mean high water springs), ultra heavy-lift capability up to 140 tonnes / square metre, more than 692,000 square meters of flexible laydown space, and ample project areas to support your requirements.

Port of Aberdeen also holds a Waste Management Licence from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for the provision of offshore decommissioning services across both the port's North and South Harbours. The port's decommissioning facilities feature an impermeable heavy duty concrete base and quarantined areas for hazardous waste including NORM.

WHY CHOOSE PORT OF ABERDEEN?

We are a world-class port with decades of experience and excellent understanding of the complex challenges that our customers face. Our facilities, services and commitments set us apart and add value to your operations.

  • Trusted partner

    Unrivalled experience and expertise in supporting the full lifecycle of decommissioning operations.

  • Expert supply chain

    Ensure efficient operations with direct access to an unrivalled supply chain of energy engineering expertise in the North East of Scotland.

  • Strategic location

    Reduced transit times and lower operational costs due to strategic location near North Sea oil and gas fields.

  • Specialised infrastructure and facilities

    Optimal berthing solutions with access to more than 7,600 metres of quayside, expansive laydown areas, heavy-lift capability, deep-water berths, large-scale cargo handling equipment, and warehousing.

  • Efficient waste management

    Licensed hazardous waste handling capabilities ensure the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible management of waste.

  • Swift connections

    Excellent marine, road, rail, and air connectivity provides swift access to both domestic and international destinations.

  • Strong safety focus

    Protecting people across the port estate is our priority. Our robust safety culture, performance, and processes help to reduce the potential for accidents.

  • Delivering decarbonisation

    Significant commitments for investment in green infrastructure will reduce the carbon footprint of both the port and its customers.

  • Skilled workforce, safe operations

    Our people have the skills, knowledge, and experience to identify and deliver flexible, customer-centric solutions. Solutions that are delivered within a robust quality framework with a strong safety focus.

UNLOCKING VALUE THROUGHOUT THE DECOMMISSIONING LIFECYCLE

We provide a targeted range of facilities and services to support decommissioning operations, backed by decades of sector experience.

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    Well plugging and abandonment

    Jack-up rigs, drillships, well intervention vessels

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    Waste management and disposal

    Licensed hazardous waste handling capabilities ensure the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible management of waste

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    Topsides and subsea infrastructure removal

    Pipelayers, dive support vessels, crane barges, offshore construction vessels 

Decommissioning Heavy Lift

Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour was the port of choice for supporting a major decommissioning project in July 2024.

DeepOcean’s Edda Freya offshore supply vessel returned to Port of Aberdeen where ASCO supported in the offload of a 440-tonne Subsea Isolation Valve (SSIV) from the Miller field on to Castlegate quay. This was the North Sea’s biggest SSIV and marked the completion of this decommissioning project.

With ample heavy lift quayside capacity and 125,000sqm of project space at South Harbour, this multi-call project has brought in over 10,000 tonnes of subsea material.

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Subsea Infrastructure Decommissioning

Aberdeen South Harbour provided ample laydown space for Phoenix Decom, contracted by DOF Subsea, to support landside decommissioning. The project included the onshore receipt, offload, and safe preparation of approximately 10km of flexible flowlines and umbilicals from one of DOF Subsea’s decommissioning projects for a North Sea client prior to recycling.

This operation was completed with zero HSE recordable incidents, and the offloading method adopted reduced the anticipated timeline by nearly one-third.

"Port of Aberdeen’s new South Harbour facility offered ample space for subsea decommissioning and we have undertaken a number of jobs there this year including the flexible offload."

SIMON DAVIES
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER, PHOENIX DECOM

 

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“Port of Aberdeen’s expansion will position the city to compete for its fair share of the decommissioning portfolio and help to bring new, diverse business to Aberdeen.”

Jinda nelson
Jinda Nelson
Chair, Decom Mission

Schedule your call with our decommissioning expert

Our decommissioning specialists will reach out to you to unlock valuable opportunities to safely optimise costs and enhance efficiency.