Repsol lets contract for Buchan and Hannay decommissioning

Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Ltd. has let a decommissioning contract for 14 subsea wells in its Buchan and Hannay fields on the UK Continental Shelf to Well-Safe Solutions Co., Aberdeen. Decommissioning is expected to start in 2022.

Well-Safe Solutions will use the Guardian unit specifically designed for subsea well decommissioning and will deploy, for the first time, its dive system and subsea modular decommissioning riser technology system onboard the semi-submersible unit. 

Buchan and Hannay field decommissioning commenced in 2017 with the off-station and onshore recycling of the Buchan Alpha platform, which was completed at Dales Voe in Lerwick Shetland, after ceasing production in 2017 after almost 150 million bbl of oil produced. Decommissioning and recycling of Buchan and Hannay subsea infrastructure commenced with pre-works in 2019 with final completion expected by fourth-quarter 2021.

Buchan spans Blocks 20/5a and 21/1 and is about 154 km northeast of Aberdeen in 115 m of water. The field was discovered in 1974 and first oil was in May 1981. Hannay spans Block 20/5c about 13.5 km northwest of the Buchan template in 123 m of water. It was discovered in 1996 and started production in 2002.