Subsea 7 invests in Leith spoolbase

Global specialist in seabed-to-surface engineering and construction, Subsea 7, has strengthened its already strong pipeline fabrication and installation capabilities in the North Sea market, with the opening of its new, bespoke spoolbase facility, at the Port of Leith, Edinburgh (owned by Forth Ports Limited).

Subsea 7 invests in Leith spoolbase

During the last 12 months Subsea 7 has invested over £7m in the Leith-based facilities including the development of fabrication and storage facilities making it an integral part of their North Sea portfolio. The facilities at the site are of a very high specification and covers an area of over 30,000m2 including a 170m long fabrication building, 14 production line stations, a pipe storage area with a fully automated pipe handling system. The Leith base will employ up to 75 people when working at normal capacity.

Warren Preston, the Spoolbase Manager for Subsea 7 said: “Since restarting operations earlier this summer, the prime location of our Leith spoolbase has further enabled us to deliver cost-effective pipeline fabrication solutions to our clients. Our new field joint coating and welding stations will also enable Subsea 7 to handle a wider range of bespoke and specialist pipeline material. The base at the port in Leith allows us to utilise the nearby quay areas, enabling Subsea 7’s pipelay vessels to simultaneously spool pipelines and load project equipment which minimises vessel time in the port.”

Commenting on the investment at the port, Fiona Doherty, Port Manager of Leith said: “We are thrilled that Subsea 7 has committed further to Leith with this significant investment. The port team in Leith played a major part in the engineering activities to develop the spoolbase and we have worked with the other businesses in the port to ensure that the port operated as normal during the redevelopment.

Leith is ideally located for Subsea 7’s North Sea Oil and Gas customers as we have the land, water capability and expertise to accommodate Subsea 7’s expanding business. Our location on the east coast of Scotland allows short transit to the North Sea offshore projects making the port the idea base for Subsea 7.”

The investment in Leith follows Subsea 7’s £10million spend on its Global Pipeline Welding Development Centre near Glasgow which opened in 2013. Leith also adds capacity to and complements Subsea 7’s existing Vigra spoolbase in Norway which opened in 2008 following an investment of £20million. Both investments reflect Subsea 7’s continued commitment to Scotland and the North Sea.

Subsea 7 in Leith has worked on many significant projects this year including Dana Petroleum’s Western Isles Development where they fabricated 11km of their thinnest and smallest diameter carbon steel pipe.

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Press Release, July 28, 2014