Lerwick Harbour is fulfilling a key hub role in servicing major onshore and offshore gas developments underway by operator, Total E&P UK Limited.
Various contractors are using Lerwick’s comprehensive services and facilities, including extensive laydown areas and deep-water quays and anchorages, to support subsea installation work on the Laggan-Tormore fields, West of Shetland, and construction of the associated Shetland Gas Plant next to the Sullom Voe oil terminal, being undertaken by Total E&P UK Limited and its joint venture partner, Dong E&P (UK) Limited.
Lerwick is the location for:
- Bibby Maritime’s refurbished 213-room floating accommodation coastel, Bibby Stockholm, which berthed today (Tuesday 26 March) under charter to Shetland Gas Plant’s principal contractor, Petrofac, for the rest of the year.
- Delivery by heavy lift vessels of Gas Plant modules to Holmsgarth from where they will be transhipped by Mammoet on a barge to Sullom Voe over the next 10 months.
- Marine support for Subsea 7 vessels installing subsea infrastructure for Laggan-Tormore.
Earlier this month, modules from Northern Ireland were delivered on board the vessel, Arklow Moor for discharge at Dales Voe and onward transportation by road to Brae where the new 100-bedroom Moorfield Hotel is being constructed. Being provided by BDL Management, it will be partly occupied by workers at the new Shetland Gas Plant.
Captain Calum Grains, Harbourmaster, Lerwick Port Authority, said: “Around 40 years after the harbour first supported field developments in the Northern North Sea, not only is it still servicing new projects, including Total’s, but can also still look forward to making an ongoing, long-term contribution in a buoyant industry.
“The involvement with Total and their contractors is another demonstration of the value of our proactive investment in deep-water infrastructure, a strategy we continue to follow in evolving to meet the industry’s changing requirements.”
In the latest investment, a 75-metre deep-water quay extension at Greenhead will be built this year, extending a 100-metre-plus quay, brought into use ahead of schedule in early 2012 to support an offshore project.
