Decommissioning Insight 2018

DECOMMISSIONING INSIGHT 2018

PRACTITIONER PROFILE

BP, Petrofac, Saipem – Miller Decommissioning Located 270 km north east of Aberdeen in the Central North Sea, the Miller platform produced 345 million barrels of oil during its 15-year operating life, before ceasing production in 2007.

Decommissioning preparations began in 2016, under contracts awarded by BP to Petrofac and Saipem. BP appointed Petrofac as duty holder of the installation in support of the late life management and decommissioning, whilst Saipem was awarded the engineering, preparation, removal and disposal (EPRD) contract. Improving efficiency before decommissioning Petrofac is well versed in the management of operations on an asset and, as duty holder, was successful in reducing operational spend, whilst Saipem focused on preparatory and removal works. Miller lifts off Saipem’s established presence in the North Sea using the SSCV S7000 crane vessel formed a strong base for resolving the technical challenges posed by such a removal. The vessel is one of only three in the world that can carry out such a lift and its team is experienced in its use for decommissioning scopes. Three trips and 12 lifts were required to remove Miller’s topsides modules, and one trip for the jacket. Minimising environmental impact With the project now complete, the Saipem team is aiming to achieve a 97 per cent recycling rate from the Miller sections. Overcoming safety challenges From a safety perspective, the project’s safety record was exemplary, with no significant accidents or incidents throughout. Key decisions were made to define the engineering methods used in order to eliminate major safety risks. For example, a ‘just-in-time’ approach towards electrical isolations was implemented after the team decided that this was the safest and most efficient approach to power down. Instead of attempting to install temporary systems or isolating the system, the team waited until the arrival of the SSCV S7000 to cut the electrical transit systems between modules. Sharing lessons and experiences BP, Petrofac and Saipem gained valuable experiences through their innovative, collaborative and safety- focused approach and are now looking to inform the industry and share learnings.

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