Scotland Backs New Decommissioning Centre of Excellence

The Oil & Gas Technology Centre has been awarded grant funding of £1.9 million from the Scottish Government’s Decommissioning Challenge Fund to invest in the recently-announced National Decommissioning Centre of Excellence in partnership with the University of Aberdeen.

Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy confirmed the award during a visit to the University’s Oceanlab facility, where the new Centre will be based.

The National Decommissioning Centre of Excellence, scheduled to open in late 2018, will tackle current and future challenges with world-class research and development in partnership with the oil and gas industry in the UK and internationally.

The funding, which builds on the multi-million commitment from the Oil & Gas Technology Centre and University of Aberdeen, will be used in four key areas:

Digital collaboration environment

The OGTC is developing a collaboration environment, equipped with the latest digital technology, that will allow academics and oil and gas companies to work together in an entirely new way. The space will provide opportunities for asset and downhole visualisation, ‘digital twin’ models and virtual geology.

Underwater cutting laser

The OGTC is investing in an industrial laser to develop an underwater cutting solution that could save the oil and gas industry up to £90 million. The University of Aberdeen has a proven track record in underwater laser applications, and we’re aiming to partner with industry to create a technology solution that will be trialled on the UK Continental Shelf.

Dedicated computer lab

The OGTC is developing a computing cluster to allow the fast simulation and modelling of innovative, knowledge-based, high-value decommissioning solutions and scenarios. This dedicated IT infrastructure will enable the Centre to tackle complex projects, processing vast quantities of data quickly and effectively.

Manufacturing capability

The National Decommissioning Centre of Excellence aims to rapidly develop new technology for testing, certification and deployment. To achieve this, we’re enhancing the existing manufacturing and workshop facilities at Oceanlab with new state-of-the-art engineering resources.

The OGTC is now seeking industry partners with experience, ideas and equipment, who want to co-invest with us to deliver a step change in performance and help deliver at least a 35% reduction in the cost of decommissioning.