For the first time in history, the world’s biggest ship has set a new record lifting a 24,000-tonne oil platform.
The Pioneering Spirit heaved the topside of the Brent Delta platform off its support legs on Friday.
The colossal structure will eventually be dismantled at a decommissioning yard in Teeside.
The Pioneering Spirit is the world’s largest ship and weighs in at more than 400,000 tonnes.
It was custom-built at a cost of around £2.2bn for the purpose of decommissioning oil platforms.
North Sea: Pioneering Spirit approaches Brent Delta 115 miles from Aberdeen. Shell
The Brent field is the first major decommissioning project in the North Sea, a sector which could be worth more than £17bn over the next decade.
Environmental groups have opposed Shell’s plans, however, saying the oil giant has not provided enough information.
More than 100 North Sea platforms will be completely or partially removed in the next ten years, with around 1800 wells scheduled to be plugged and 4600 miles of pipeline decommissioned.
The market was reportedly worth around £2bn in 2015.
Source:Stv
