Within the last 2 years Mobil North Sea Limited (MNSL) has removed from the Beryl field:-

  • 7 kilometres of abandoned untrenched Coflexip flowline, and

  • 2300 tonnes of steel and concrete debris from a failed single point mooring – SPM1.

The Coflexip flowline was refurbished, tested and is being reused in the field this year. Recovery of SPM1 debris represents the first practical experience of large scale removal operations in the Northern North Sea.

With the passage of the Petroleum Bill the future removal of abandoned pipelines and structures is likely to be a major offshore activity. It is hoped that the experience presented herein will be of interest to operators, companies and legislative bodies.

Keywords:
safe regalia, beryl, upstream oil & gas, flowline corrosion, materials and corrosion, tank, riser corrosion, end termination, gravity base, pipeline corrosion
Subjects:
Pipelines, Flowlines and Risers, Materials and corrosion
Copyright 1987, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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