A huge oil rig, sporting legs more than 650ft in height, has become the largest ever vessel to visit Port of Aberdeen.
The Noble Innovator jack-up oil rig arrived at the Granite City’s new multimillion-pound South Harbour today, ahead of starting work for energy giant BP later this year.
Ocean GreatWhite, the world’s largest semisubmersible rig, is currently making its way to the west of Shetland area to carry out drilling for the same company.
The two rigs will deliver a much-needed boost for UK drilling contractors, amid concerns about units and equipment leaving the North Sea for other parts of the world.
Port of Aberdeen ambitions a reality
It comes just days after Port of Aberdeen bosses declared their ambition for the new South Harbour to become a leading location for jack-up maintenance.
Such vessels are common in the likes of Dundee and the Cromarty Firth.
But Aberdeen could not previously accommodate them due to water depths.
Noble Innovator will spend between 60 and 90 days at the new £400 million Aberdeen South Harbour while maintenance work is carried out.
It is destined for decommissioning work in the central North Sea.
Port of Aberdeen has said the maintenance work will benefit the region’s economy and create new jobs through a “multimillion-pound investment in local contract awards”.
Operations at South Harbour are now “well under way”, with the harbour enjoying a “very high utilisation” of berths and operational quayside areas to date, the port added.
Construction work on the facility is due to wrap up by the end of June, making Aberdeen the “largest berthage port in Scotland”.
Port of Aberdeen chief commercial officer Roddy James said: “South Harbour’s tidally unrestricted deepwater berths, extensive laydown space and heavy lift capacity make Aberdeen an attractive option for larger vessels.
“The expanded port… now offers customers even greater flexibility for their projects, with a focus on reducing risk, adding value, and minimising cost.”
First for Noble
Claus Bachmann, vice-president of operations, Noble Corporation, said: “We are excited the new South Harbour facilities have made it possible for one of our rigs to visit Aberdeen for the first time.
“Noble Innovator is stopping by for a so-called special periodic survey, which rigs must undergo every five years to ensure we are able to operate safely, and which will involve multiple local suppliers in the extensive maintenance scope.”
Meanwhile, Ocean GreatWhite is now on its way north from Kishon Port to carry out drilling operations on BP’s Schiehallion and Loyal fields.
The near-60,000-ton vessel arrived on the west coast in October.
Wells drilled by the mammoth rig will be hooked up to the Glen Lyon floating production storage and offloading vessel, helping to sustain BP’s production in the region.
It was announced last year that Ocean GreatWhite had been awarded a five-well deal, with options for another eight, over 300 days. The contract is worth about £66m.
BP’s contracting of the two rigs is a welcome pick-me-up for the North Sea drilling sector.
Contractors recently went to Westminster to make the case for stable and continued investment in the region.
Representatives from the North Sea chapter of the International Association of Drilling Contractors met MPs to underline fears that windfall taxes and a lack of UK offshore activity could spark an exodus of drilling units.
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