SEA and Spirit Energy Team to Recycle Subsea Production Equipment

Cohort plc company SEA and leading North Sea oil and gas producer Spirit Energy have joined forces to promote the recycling of valuable subsea production equipment under the former’s Legacy Locker programme.

The initiative enables the offshore industry to re-use higher value legacy equipment. The two companies are working together to recycle, two redundant but fully operational Aker third generation Subsea Control Modules (SCMs), following the decommissioning of Spirit Energy’s Ann field.

SEA’s planned refurbishment of the equipment means the modules will be fully functional and available for re-use through Legacy Locker, which comprises a repository of new and refurbished equipment that can be purchased, rented or merely used to ensure operators maintain production.

SCMs are widely used in the UKCS and beyond, and there is demand for support. The industry is also actively considering refurbishment, recertification, and reuse of this type of equipment for smaller, shorter life developments.

As de-commissioning of infrastructure in the North Sea continues, demand for the Legacy Locker brokerage service has grown considerably with operators looking to increase cost-efficiency to combat the downturn. The scheme also supports the Zero Waste Scotland Programme; encouraging the reuse of equipment and materials, where possible.

Equipment is either owned by Aberdeen-based SEA or its clients and is tested, refurbished, re-certified or reverse-engineered by SEA’s subsea engineering experts.

SEA Subsea Engineering Director Matt Blair explained: “We operate at the sharp end of subsea production control support and regularly deal with the problems created by obsolescence and asset transfer between operators. Our knowledge and experience of key components and systems enables us to selectively source valuable equipment and components which unfortunately many operators are sending directly for scrap because it is easier.

“Legacy Locker enables the offshore industry to re-use higher value equipment and helps operators overcome the supply and support problems that have challenged the industry over many years. This shared resource model is being adopted more widely throughout the industry and we are delighted to work with Spirit Energy, who recognise the value of Legacy Locker.”

Spirit Energy’s Will Black added: “The A Fields Decommissioning Project is committed to minimising the waste returned to land fill. Returning these SCMs back to the oil and gas industry for other operators to receive their benefit is a great outcome for the project. It helps the industry address the obsolescence issue for Subsea Controls and manage the waste generated by the A Fields Project in the best way possible.”