Decommissioning Draugen FLP awaiting further dismantling

The Draugen Floating Loading Platform has been in operation at the Draugen Field offshore Norway since 1993. Commissioned by Shell it was removed and temporarily accommodated in the Bømlafjord at the Kvaerner Stord base, Norway. Our job: Review of the decommissioning plan and cover this operation!

Before the Draugen Floating Loading Platform (FLP) could be decommissioned the contractor presented a plan how to downend and decommission the spar to Shell. As review partner Eager.one calculated what would happen during the operation.

Looking down on one riser

For a total insight our senior project engineer Hubert Boter visited the FLP.

Hubert: “It was a great decommissioning project to support. The fjords are incredibly deep and the spar looked like a little bobber in the big fjord. We have extensively studied the Draugen FLPs’ history: how the FLP was filled with ballast water and iron ore and how the FLP was constructed. By climbing the spar I noticed damage, which we certainly had to include in our calculations. After this research we concluded that reverse installation wasn’t possible as the plan suggested.”

Eager.one handed over a comprehensive report advising against the proposed plan. The contractor’s plan did not take into account the structural integrity, how the spar was installed originally and the damage in the spar-middle. We produced a full report with notes, comments and possible solutions to Shell. One of the ideas was a lifting frame, like a bucket, at the bottom end of the spar.

Decommissioning of the Draugen FLP

After a contractor switch, Scaldis got the job with its HLV Rambiz. Eager.one positively assessed Scaldis’ plan which included our previous recommendations. First the Rambiz lifted the helideck and topside from the spar. A subsea lifting frame was installed at the bottom end of the spar. Subsequently, the Rambiz lifted the bottom end, while a tug controlled the heading of the top of the spar coming down. After completion of the down ending into the horizontal floating position, the spar was transported to the Kvaerner dry-dock, suspended in the Rambiz cranes. Finally, the spar was laid down in the dock for further dismantling.

Check this nice video from Scaldis: