The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Government’s £1.9m boost for decommissioning hub
The Scottish Government has invested £1.9 million in the new Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) decommissioning hub in Aberdeenshire.
The National Decommissioning Centre of Excellence in Newburgh will open later this year in partnership with Aberdeen University.
Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse made the announcement during a visit to the university’s Oceanlab facility, where the new centre will be based.
The money builds on other investment from OGTC and the university, and is being granted through the government’s Decommissioning Challenge Fund.
It will be used for facilities including an underwater cutting laser and dedicated computer lab.
The centre is aimed at reducing the cost of North Sea decommissioning by more than a third, and will be used as a training base and testing area. Mr Wheelhouse said: “Investing in the Decommissioning Centre of Excellence will expand the reach of our funding and further support sector innovation.
“This will enable advances in reducing the cost of decommissioning and confirm Scotland’s place as a global centre for decommissioning expertise. OGTC decommissioning solution centre manager Roger Esson said: “We want to transform the future of decommissioning and the funding will help create an environment that fosters innovation, and where academia and industry can work together on cuttingedge solutions.”