Perenco UK successfully decommissions Gawain subsea infrastructure

Perenco UK on Tuesday announced a decommissioning milestone with the successful completion of the plug and abandonment of three subsea wells at the Gawain field in the UK Southern North Sea, including the removal of the associated subsea infrastructure. 

With a strong focus on health, safety and the environment, the project was completed without incident, despite the challenging conditions encountered when operating in winter in the Southern North Sea, Perenco said in a statement.

The company attributed this to working in collaboration with its specialist contractors and utilising a jack-up vessel equipped with an air-based diving and ROV spread to allow for rigbased diving. 

“The completion of this significant project shows the commitment Perenco has to effective and efficient decommissioning of our SNS assets. It highlights the expertise of our specialist teams, with a mindset of developing innovative approaches, while maintaining a strong focus on health, safety and the environment,” Jo White, Perenco UK SNS Managing Director, said in a statement.

The campaign lasted more than 160 days and included more than 340 air dives, with the completion of this project marking a key moment for Perenco UK and the wider Perenco group. Works will continue throughout the year with post decommissioning surveys to ensure the seabed is left clear and clean, the company said.

As a leading provider of energy, Perenco UK has been present in the UK Southern North Sea Basin (SNS) since 2003 and has operated Europe's largest onshore oil field at Wytch Farm since 2011. In the North Sea, Perenco UK processes almost 15% of the UK national gas production, and owns and operates the largest infrastructure on the UKCS – comprising 45 offshore platforms, 14 subsea wells, and a network of more than 2,400 km of pipelines connected to its two onshore terminals at Bacton and Dimlington.

With a strongly interconnected energy system in the North Sea becoming critical, the focus in recent months has moved to ensuring the condition and quality of the subsea infrastructure in the area.