Gas plant hots up

WORK at Scotland’s biggest single construction project will enter its busiest phase later this spring when 1,400 workers come on site to build Total’s gas plant on Shetland.

In a brief presentation to councillors on Monday, Total representative Rhonda Miller said large modules that had been pre-constructed abroad were starting to arrive at the Sullom Voe construction pier.

She also confirmed that the floating accommodation barge Bibby Stockholm would be arriving in Lerwick harbour in early April to house some of the staff employed on the construction site.

Modules for the BDL hotel in Brae, which is being pre-constructed in Ireland, would start being shipped to Shetland by the end of this month, she added.

Meanwhile Petrofac’s site project services manager Chris Bain confirmed that the Sella Ness accommodation block now had 722 residents, and was almost filled to capacity.

The company was also occupying 72 hotel beds across Shetland on medium term contracts, Bain added.

Shetland Islands Council planning chairman Frank Robertson received assurances that committee members would be able to visit the site this spring.

A previously arranged visit to the gas plant in April 2011 was cut short when elected members could not get on site.