Celebrate our decommissioning capabilities

SIR, – No need for your correspondent to be baffled, as he stated in his article: “Curlew strikes sour note” (Energy Voice, August 3).

The floating oil production vessel (FPSO) Curlew was never intended to be dismantled in Dundee, so its departure overseas, having undergone a significant deep clean at the Port of Dundee, was no surprise to anyone – only its destination of Norway rather than Turkey was unexpected.

We are proud of the job that Augean and the Port of Dundee did with the Curlew, taking a decadesold FPSO – only the second of its type ever to be decommissioned – and carrying out the most comprehensive cleaning process ever undertaken on these shores. Sure it took longer and was more complex than originally expected but, like I said, we were breaking new ground here.

So let’s not talk down the capabilities of the Scottish oil and gas decommissioning sector before it even gets under way.

At this time, when we need all the work we can secure for this industry, let’s celebrate what’s been achieved.

Callum Falconer, chief executive, Dundeecom, the Port of Dundee