News / Isles firms join decommissioning group
TWO SHETLAND companies have joined a new oil industry body set up to secure business decommissioning offshore oil and gas platforms.
Peterson SBS and 60 North Recycling have both already been involved in decommissioning work at Lerwick’s Greenhead base.
Decom North Sea (DNS) chief executive Brian Nixon said there was a growing awareness of the business potentials stemming from the £30 billion workload of decommissioning work facing the North Sea over the next few decades.
60North Recycling managing director Ian Kinniburgh said joining the group gives the company ready access to the industry’s decision makers.
“60 North Recycling Ltd are a relatively small company and whilst we have participated successfully in the Frigg project and several small scale decommissioning activities it is fair to say that we remain relatively unknown to the offshore industry and its key decision makers.
“It was clear that if we wished to increase our participation in future projects we needed an effective way of promoting our capabilities and membership of Decom North Sea will go some of the way to doing that.
“It will also give us access to up to date industry intelligence and provide an opportunity to strengthen and develop the company by forging new links with other potential partners.
“The offshore industry is also looking for simpler ways to identify companies able to provide decommissioning services and I believe they will use Decom North Sea as a first port of call when pulling projects together,” Mr Kinniburgh said.
Mr Nixon added: “We have been extremely encouraged by the results of our membership drive and the welcome we have received from companies who believe we can make a significant difference to their growth ambitions both in the UK and overseas.
“The latest market projections agree that the first major lump of decommissioning activity in the North Sea is forecast to ramp up quickly within the next year or two.
“This emphasises that now is absolutely the right time for Decom North Sea to begin its work with the supply chain, and to stimulate the preparation, collaboration and innovation needed to secure this vital market opportunity.”
The industry group, which has been set up with financial help from the UK government as well as Scottish Enterprise and Highland and Islands Enterprise, will host a first decommissioning conference later this year.
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