Motive Offshore opens subsea contractors fabrication facility in Dundee

Oil and gas services firm Motive Offshore Group has made a six-figure investment in a quayside fabrication facility in Dundee Port, Scotland.

Motive said it launched Motive Fabrication in Dundee after negotiating a takeover of a deepwater quayside facility with a 12,000 square feet workshop and a 2,000 square feet office block.

The base allows Motive Fabrication to reinstate the fabrication service at the port for subsea contractors and vessel owners.

The move by Motive Offshore coincides with the firm securing a £1.5 million ($1.8 million) contract to manufacture and mobilize a 5,000-tonne carousel loading tower complete with a tensioner and other deck equipment for Swan Hunter UK.

The equipment for Swan Hunter will be operated by Motives Offshore’s technicians offshore Ghana and will be loaded out from Dundee port in the second quarter of 2017.

Gary Mitchelson, Motive Fabrication’s operations director, said: “Dundee is a thriving city and with continued investment in the port facilities it is fast becoming a preferred option for heavy loads and decommissioning projects, as well as fabrication for North Sea firms.

“The Dundee facility has come at the right time to capitalize on the current upgrade on port facilities which will place Dundee as a leader in the industry.”

James Gregg of Motive Offshore Group said: “We are continuing to invest and diversify into new areas and securing the facility in Dundee with the launch of Motive Fabrication is a positive move for us. We already manufacture heavy equipment at our base in Aberdeenshire, but the addition of a quayside facility in Dundee will significantly add to our capacity.”

The Port of Dundee’s owners, Forth Ports Limited, invested $12.4 million in extending the quay and developing a new 25-acre yard, as well as a landing pad for a permanently installed 1,500-tonne crane to support decommissioning projects only 300 meters from Motive’s new facility.

The aim of the investment is to set the port at the forefront of the oil and gas decommissioning and offshore renewable sectors. Construction is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.

David Webster, Port Manager at Dundee, said: “We warmly welcome Motive Fabrication to the Port of Dundee. It is great to see further investment in the port to further strengthen Dundee’s position as a hub for specialist North Sea oil and gas and decommissioning projects.

“Motive brings specialist skills and services to the port, and through our partnership, this will create a unique offering for our existing and future customers.”