Offshore assets to arrive at Vats for decommissioning

The assets will generate activity at the base for several years and form part of day-to-day operations. Two of the assets, the floating production unit FPF-1 and the storage and offloading vessel FSU Alba, both from the UK sector of the North Sea, have arrived at AF Environmental Base Vats for dismantling and recycling over the coming years.

In the initial phase, the two assets will remain moored at the quay at the base for preparatory work and later marine operations before being brought ashore at the end of 2027. Load-in will be carried out using the same method applied when an FPSO was brought ashore in 2022, with a submersible barge and modular trailers. This is known as the float-on load-in method.

Both assets were previously used in petroleum production in the UK sector of the North Sea. At AF Environmental Base Vats, the work will include preparatory activities, dismantling and recycling, and will be carried out in stages towards planned completion in 2028.

"This is the third time we have received vessels at AF Environmental Base Vats. Both assets will be brought ashore for sorting and recycling using the same method applied previously. End-of-life production vessels are a market where our expertise is in demand internationally. Operations like these shows that our offshore and engineering expertise is helping to set the standard for safe and environmentally sound solutions, says Alice Andreassen, Managing Director of AF Offshore Decom.

On projects of this kind, well over 95 per cent of the materials are normally recycled. Steel makes up the largest share and is either remelted or reused directly in new products.

AF Environmental Base Vats is one of only a few facilities in Europe approved to receive and recycle large marine structures and floating offshore units, with more than 20 years of experience in offshore decommissioning.