Allseas has decided to build a second single-lift platform installation and decommissioning vessel.
It will be a monster… even larger than the already giant Pieter Schelte which is currently under construction at Daewoo in South Korea and scheduled for delivery next year.
The Pieter Schelte will be capable of lifting topsides of up to 48,000 tonnes; its running mate is to have a designed topsides handling capacity of up to 72,000 tonnes.
Between them these twin-hulled mega-ships will radically alter the decommissioning market in the North Sea. Indeed they will fundamentally change its shape as it should no longer be necessary to dismember the largest platform topsides offshore.
Instead it will be possible to lift and ship ashore in one piece, even the biggest of all North Sea platform topsides in either the UK or Norwegian sectors.
This should in turn greatly simplify offshore preparations of topsides, with all but the most essentially decontamination and disaggregation work carried out onshore in a decommissioning yard.
Allseas’ decision to invest in a much larger vessel than the already game-changing Pieter Schelte should also simplify the removal of even the largest steel jacket.
The second vessel will have a breadth of 160m (525ft) compared with 124m (406ft) for the PS.
The new, larger unit is expected to be ready for work in 2020. Based on an estimated one topsides removal per month the two ships could possibly handle somewhere in the range of 12-18 topsides a year depending on weather conditions.
As UK North Sea infrastructure removal peaks between 2016 and 2018, a large demand for heavy-lift vessels is expected to emerge. Demand for heavy lifters in the Norwegian sector lag the UK market.
Allseas already holds the contract for all platform-related removals from the Brent field.
Edward Heerema, founder of Allseas, told an audience at Offshore Europe that he expected this vast ship to be capable of uplifting a platform topsides (medium through large) per month in season, but that it would leave scope for other heavy lifters to secure decommissioning market share.
However, the decision by Allseas to order a second, much larger vessel seems likely to limit opportunities for the other heavy-lifters potentially available for decommissioning.
They comprise the Thialf with a twin crane (tandem) lift of 14,200t, Saipem 7000 (14,000 tandem), Svanen (8.700t), Hermod (8,100t tandem), Lan Jing (7,500t) and Balder (6,950t tandem).
Heerema did not say how long a North Season might be; Energy presumes it to be six to eight months.
It should be borne in mind that heavy lifters are in strong demand globally, both for heavy lift and, for some, pipelay operations. It is understood that the Pieter Schelte’s big sister will be similarly equipped.
Allseas has issued only the barest bones of information to the market and was recently singularly un-cooperative regarding a request by Energy for up to date images of the Pieter Schelte.
Recommended for you
