Ten years after completing its first commercial single-lift operation, Pioneering Spirit has safely removed and delivered TAQA UK’s North Cormorant topsides to Shetland for dismantling and recycling.

Weighing more than 17,000 tonnes, the former production topsides was removed from the northern North Sea in a single lift and transported to Dales Voe.

The achievement reflects several years of engineering and planning, culminating in a four-month offshore preparation campaign led by our skilled onshore and offshore teams.

Supported by offshore construction vessel Oceanic, activities included structural modifications, lift point installation, conductor and riser separation works, module sea-fastening and separation of the topsides from its steel jacket.

North Cormorant is the second successful topsides removal completed under our long-term Engineering, Preparation, Removal and Disposal (EPRD) contract for TAQA UK’s Northern North Sea facilities, involving the removal and disposal of more than 120,000 tonnes of offshore infrastructure.

The operation also coincides with an important milestone. On 22 August 2016, Pioneering Spirit completed its first commercial single-lift operation with the removal of the Yme MOPUstor platform in Norway, demonstrating a technology that would redefine offshore heavy lift and decommissioning.

Today, single-lift removal has become a proven solution for retiring ageing offshore infrastructure safely, efficiently and responsibly.

Following delivery to shore, dismantling and recycling activities will be carried out by Brown & Mason, supporting the TAQA-Allseas commitment to recover at least 97% of materials across the Northern North Sea programme.