A mammoth oil rig dominates the Teesside line as it is docked in the harbor for dismantling

A huge oil rig has arrived in Teesside for dismantling.

Weighing 31,000 metric tonnes, the Brent Charlie was delivered to Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool. The arrival is part of a long-running contract, which began in 2011, signed with Shell in 2013 to decommission the Brent Field rigs.

The Brent Charlie platform is the largest single-piece topside offshore that will be lifted, transported and delivered onshore and will be broken down and recycled over the next 18 months.

As with the previous platforms – Brent Delta, Brent Bravo and Brent Alpha – it was transported by the giant heavy lift vessel Allseas Pioneering Spirit. The final leg saw the cargo barge, Iron Lady, being towed into Able Seaton Port before landing at Able Seaton Port wet dock.

Peter Stephenson, founder and chief executive at Able UK, said: “Able UK is very proud to be an integral part of the Brent Field decommissioning project. Shell Charlie’s arrival at Able Seaton Harbor comes through a well-coordinated effort with our partners Shell and Allseas to deliver this “first in engineering” to receive a single 31,000 Te piece.

“Able UK Port Infrastructure has helped make this long-term contract a success and we look forward to providing this service for future large-scale projects.”

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