THE giant Hutton tension leg platform, a landmark in the North Sea oil industry, has made its final journey today.
The 25,000-tonne platform, which is 48 metres high, was towed five miles across the Cromarty Firth to Queen’s Dock in Invergordon where it will be recycled over the next 12 months.
The Hutton platform was in operation for 20 years in the Hutton oilfield between Shetland and Norway, before being decommissioned and returning to the Cromarty Firth in 2009.
Jonathan Townley, managing director of Nerida, said: “We are delighted to have cleared all the regulatory hurdles and to move ahead with the dismantling of the structure. Queen’s Dock was the natural choice because of its outstanding facilities and experience in this field. One of our key priorities was to ensure the jobs created from this process would remain in the UK.
“This is a good example of the circular economy as the hull was built at Highland Fabricators in Nigg and the deck section was built at the McDermott yard in Ardersier. The two sections were assembled in the Moray firth off Findhorn, so it is fitting that the platform should finish its life in Invergordon.”
Hutton was the world’s first tension leg platform (TLP) permanently moored to the sea bed, a design that offers vertical stability and greater control over production.
The process of lifting the 500 tonnes of chains and anchors and towing the platform five miles to Invergordon is expected to take 24 hours and will involve six tugs accompanied by a rescue boat.
Bob Buskie, chief executive of the Port of Cromarty Firth, said: “This is a memorable time for everyone at the Port as the Hutton TLP – known as the Pillars of Cromarty Firth – prepares for the final leg of its journey after being a unique fixture of our landscape for the past 12 years.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here