Taqa completes major decommissioning operation at Brae field

Taqa has celebrated completion of a major decommissioning project at the Brae field in the North Sea.

The Abu Dhabi-headquartered energy firm has removed the huge upper jacket of the Brae Bravo platform, as well as the west drilling rig on the Brae Alpha.

Carried out by Heerema Marine Contractors and AF Offshore Decom, more than 12,000 tonnes of material have been removed from the Brae field during the operation.

Heerema’s Sleipnir crane vessel removed the 1,000-tonne Brae Alpha rig in a single-lift on June 20.

It then removed the 11,000-tonne Brae Bravo jacket.

Both have been transported to AF’s decom base in Vats, Norway, where the materials are being processed.

Taqa said the aim is for 95% or more of the material to be reused or recycled, which is expected to be completed in 2023.

The decommissioning work at Brae follows the removal of the huge Brae Bravo topsides, weighing 36,000 tonnes, last year.

© Coen de Jong/ Taqa

Taqa managing director for Europe, Donald Taylor, said: “Taqa’s extensive late-life portfolio positions us at the forefront of decommissioning in the UK. By adopting valuable lessons learned during last year’s successful Brae Bravo topside removal campaign, we are continuing to develop our skills and capabilities supporting the transition from operations to removals and disposal.

“The coming years offers some of the most interesting challenges and opportunities for our workforce and wider industry. TAQA is proud to pioneer this change while maximising the value of our assets and playing a valuable role in the energy transition.”

Brae Bravo was installed in 1987, with first oil was achieved on 13th April 1988 reaching a peak production of 94,567 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Prior to cessation of production in December 2017, Brae Bravo produced more than 500 million barrels of oil equivalent over its 33-year life.

Brae Alpha began production in 1983 and continues through present.

TAQA operates three platforms in the Brae Area in the central North Sea, including Brae Alpha, East Brae and Brae Bravo.