The arrival of Brent Charlie Topside at Able Seaton Port this weekend demonstrates Able UK’s position as a world leader in an industry that brings jobs and investment to Teesside for many years to come.
The Brent Charlie platform, weighing 31,000 tonnes, is the largest single offshore topside to be lifted, transported, and delivered to land. This arrival is part of a long-standing contract that began in 2011 and was signed with Shell in 2013 for decommissioning the Brent Field platforms.
Able UK has achieved over 97% recycling/re-use rates on previously completed topsides Delta (24,922 tonnes), Bravo (25,272 tonnes), and Alpha (16,869 tonnes), and aims to match or exceed this figure for the Charlie Topside using its well-established supply chain.
Brent Charlie is the fourth and final platform from the Shell Brent field to be decommissioned at Able Seaton. As with the previous platforms—Brent Delta, Brent Bravo, and Brent Alpha—the operation involved the giant heavy lift vessel, the Allseas Pioneering Spirit.
The final stage involved transferring the topside to the Allseas cargo barge, the Iron Lady, for the tow into Able Seaton Port.
It was then grounded onto the Able UK engineered grounding bed in the Able Seaton Port wet dock. Once all safety checks are complete, the 31,000-tonne topside will be skidded onto Able UK’s heavy-duty Quay 6, designed specifically to distribute the weight of these large topside structures.
In addition to decommissioning the Brent Charlie, several platforms and structures from the LOGGS project in the North Sea will arrive for dismantling at Quay 1 of Able Seaton Port.
This activity takes place alongside the Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm marshalling works, the largest offshore wind farm in the world, further establishing Able UK as the preferred port for major offshore projects.
