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Norway’s DNO has confirmed it is in discussions to repurpose two North Sea platforms to support offshore wind developments.
The UK Government has approved the company’s plans for decommissioning the Ketch and Schooner installations in the southern North Sea.
The plans highlight that the topsides of both platforms will either be completely removed or recycled, or they will be converted into support and accommodation facilities for workers at offshore wind farms.
DNO said it is in discussions with “an offshore wind farm company” about this option with a final decision to be made next year.
Once that is done, DNO will inform the regulator Opred and vary the plan to show the final option.
If that decision is taken, then the platforms will be dismantled once that reuse option is exhausted.
According to the document, the decommissioning process is currently underway, with it expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2025.
The plans were first tabled in December by previous operator Faroe Petroleum, headquartered in Aberdeen.
The pipelines will be trenched and buried in situ while subsea mattresses will be recovered to shore for reuse or disposal.
Wells will be plugged and abandoned, along with a complete removal and recycling of the wellheads (at Schooner).
The Ketch and Schooner assets, which are normally unmanned, lie 100miles and 80miles respectively from the nearest landfall at Easington on the Yorkshire coast.
Since the plans were first submitted, Faroe Petroleum was acquired by DNO North Sea in January for £641.7million.
