SEA, a Cohort plc company, and North Sea oil and gas producer Spirit Energy have teamed up to promote the recycling of valuable subsea production equipment.
SEA said that the team would promote subsea equipment recycling under its Legacy Locker program.
The initiative enables the offshore industry to re-use higher value legacy equipment. The two companies are working together to recycle two redundant but fully operational Aker third generation subsea control modules (SCM), following the decommissioning of Spirit Energy’s Ann field.
SEA’s planned refurbishment of the equipment means the modules will be fully functional and available for re-use through Legacy Locker, which comprises a repository of new and refurbished equipment that can be purchased, rented, or merely used to ensure operators maintain production.
The company said that SCMs were widely used in the UKCS and beyond, and there was demand for support. According to SEA, the industry is actively considering refurbishment, recertification, and reuse of this type of equipment for smaller, shorter life developments.
“As de-commissioning of infrastructure in the North Sea continues, demand for the Legacy Locker brokerage service has grown considerably with operators looking to increase cost-efficiency to combat the downturn. The scheme also supports the Zero Waste Scotland Program, encouraging the reuse of equipment and materials, where possible,” the company said.
Equipment is either owned by Aberdeen-based SEA or its clients and is tested, refurbished, recertified, or reverse-engineered by SEA’s subsea engineering experts.
SEA subsea engineering director Matt Blair said: “Our knowledge and experience of key components and systems enables us to selectively source valuable equipment and components which unfortunately many operators are sending directly for scrap because it is easier.
“Legacy Locker enables the offshore industry to re-use higher value equipment and helps operators overcome the supply and support problems that have challenged the industry over many years. This shared resource model is being adopted more widely throughout the industry, and we are delighted to work with Spirit Energy, who recognize the value of Legacy Locker.”
Spirit Energy’s Will Black added: “The A fields decommissioning project is committed to minimizing the waste returned to landfill. Returning these SCMs back to the oil and gas industry for other operators to receive their benefit is a great outcome for the project.”