Wireline Magazine Autumn 2020 Issue 49

at Shell U.K.’s Curlew FPSO, William says COVID-19 has resulted in deferral of activity at Brent Charlie, mainly due to reductions in personnel on board (POB) impacting the amount of work able to be executed. Shell U.K. and its partners’ ability to execute work, even throughout a disruptive year such as this, is testament to the collaboration and co-operation visible in the decommissioning space. In William’s view, it is also proof that this kind of flexibility leads to better outcomes for all: “We have demonstrated on Brent that if you have long-term contracts and a series of concurrent projects, you can improve over time significantly. We’re not talking a few percentage points, we’re talking tens of per cent overall, and everyone wins.” Progress through technology Chrysaortooisworkingonanextensivedecommissioning and removals campaign in the southernNorth Sea (SNS). This multi-year project is spread across 38 platforms, 145 wells and over 2,000 km of pipeline, all tied back to an onshore gas terminal at Theddlethorpe, which is also in

achieved largely with more staff hours on site, but also through increased mechanisation, as Able invested in new mechanical elements which sped up the process whilst maintaining social distancing. “We had a highly choreographed schedule and we were very transparent about that – what we try and do on Brent is be transparent in our planning and open about what our challenges are. If you’re open about this then other parties are not surprised,” he explains. The effect of this flexibility, and the longstanding relationships between Shell U.K. and its contractors, have enabled the reductions in time and cost mentioned above. William notes that the time Pioneering Spirit spent at the field for each lift has reduced from two and half days for Delta to less than 24 hours for Alpha. The topsides preparation work for those lifts has also reduced, with Bravo it was 60% less than Delta and Alpha 30% less again. “These are not incremental changes; they are significant reductions in offshore exposure,” he adds. While Alpha has progressed well, along with work

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