Mermaid completes largest vessel-based U.K. North Sea decommissioning ever

Mermaid Subsea Services (U.K.) Ltd has successfully wrapped up what is believed to be the largest vessel-based U.K. North Sea decommissioning campaign in history.

Carried out on behalf of a North Sea operator, the project spanned two years and involved the plugging and abandonment (P&A) of 21 wells spread across the Northern and Central North Sea.

The multi-well campaign, which was delivered using the Island Valiant vessel and created six new jobs, is Aberdeen-headquartered Mermaid’s largest contract to date.

It positions the company as a leader in the burgeoning North Sea decommissioning and P&A market, with industry regulator the North Sea Transition Authority identifying nearly 1,500 UKCS wells that will be ready for decommissioning between 2026 and 2030.

“This has been a landmark project, not just for Mermaid but also for the wider North Sea decommissioning sector,” said Scott Cormack, Regional Director for Mermaid Subsea Services (U.K.).

“For a company that only entered the UK in 2020 to have carried out, what we understand to be, the largest vessel-based decommissioning campaign in the region ever is a huge achievement, testament to the Mermaid team and further proof that there is space in the market for a new player delivering innovative solutions.

“I would like to thank the whole Mermaid team for playing their part in the successful delivery of this project and to the client for putting their faith in our safe, efficient and cost-effective vessel-based well P&A offering.”

The completion of this campaign follows hot on the heels of Mermaid completing the first stage of a three-year long North Sea decommissioning contract for Shell U.K. Limited.

Delivered ahead of schedule, the first phase of the campaign for Shell involved the removal of well heads and protection covers, which were then brought ashore for disposal, with the next stage of the project scheduled to begin in 2025.

“Well P&A is the single biggest cost, most time-demanding, and incredibly technically challenging element of any campaign,” said Cormack. “Efficient and effective operations can have a big impact on the North Sea’s overall decommissioning cost. Mermaid’s vessel-based P&A approach offers clients real agility and flexibility, ensuring that projects can be delivered on time and on budget.”