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Remove and recycle Murchison

By using innovative methods, AF has removed one of the largest platforms in the North Sea.

Project status

    Mar 2016
    Mar 2020

    About the project

    The contract included engineering, preparatory works, removal, and recycling (EPRD) of both the decks and steel foundations. Demolition and recycling were carried out in the UK and at the Environmental Base in Vats.

      AF Gruppen

      British continental shelf east of the Shetland Islands

      A Giant Bows Out

      The Murchison field straddled the British–Norwegian boundary, with the platform located on the British continental shelf east of the Shetland Islands. One of the largest steel jacket platforms in the North Sea, Murchison had been in operation since 1980 before production ceased in March 2014.

      AF Gruppen’s wholly owned subsidiary, AF Decom Offshore U.K. Limited, together with Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland SE (forming the Heerema–AF Consortium), entered into an agreement with Canadian Natural Resources International (U.K.) Limited (CNR) for the removal and recycling of the Murchison platform.

      Heerema and AF Gruppen had a long-standing record of successful collaboration on North Sea removal and recycling projects, delivering strong HSE performance, technical excellence, and predictable execution.

       

      A Spectacular Clean-Up Operation

      With 130 offshore employees at any given time, challenging weather, costly equipment, and strict HSE requirements, the project demanded meticulous planning. Early in the process, the team proposed an innovative solution: deploying two of the world’s largest heavy-lift vessels to remove the platform more efficiently and safely—a “Two-Vessel Scenario” never before attempted.

      Summer 2016: The platform’s topside was removed and transported to the Environmental Base at Vats within just three months.
      Spring 2017: The substructure was dismantled, and recycling continued toward a target of 96% material recovery.
      The project was completed in 2020—one year ahead of schedule—and was executed without any injuries

      Project info

      Project type: Fjerning og gjenvinning offshore
      Business unit: AF Offshore Decom AS
      Customer: Canadian Natural Resources International (U.K.)