Allseas appoints ABL for 60,000-ton Statfjord A topside removal

Allseas has appointed energy and marine consultancy ABL as marine warranty surveyor for the removal of Equinor’s Statfjord A topside on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, Offshore Energy reported. The project calls for the 60,000-ton topside to be removed in one lift, with ABL providing independent technical review and operational oversight for the decommissioning work.

The Switzerland-based offshore contractor is responsible for engineering, preparation, removal and disposal of the North Sea concrete gravity-base production platform. Its construction vessel Pioneering Spirit will lift the complete topside and carry it to a yard for disposal and recycling. According to Offshore Energy, the vessel’s motion-compensated topsides lifting system has been upgraded from a capacity of 48,000 tons to 60,000 tons for the Statfjord A assignment.

ABL Norway will manage the marine warranty surveying work, supported by the consultancy’s broader team of North Sea decommissioning specialists. Its remit includes helping to minimise risks during the critical operation and checking that execution follows agreed procedures and local regulatory requirements. ABL is part of Oslo-listed consultancy group Aqualis, and the appointment falls under its existing framework agreement with Allseas in Norway.

The consultancy’s detailed scope covers an independent assessment of procedural documents and marine assurance checks on whether the proposed fleet is suitable for the operation. ABL personnel will also attend offshore to observe and approve execution. Subbi Nookala, ABL’s country manager in Norway, described the removal as technically and operationally challenging, while highlighting the company’s established working relationship with Allseas in the country.

The Statfjord A work adds to Allseas’ North Sea decommissioning assignments. Offshore Energy also cited Pioneering Spirit’s recent removal of the 17,200-ton North Cormorant topsides in the UK North Sea. That operation likewise used a single lift, with the topsides destined for Dales Voe in Shetland.