Brent Field Decommissioning
The Brent oil and gas field, lying north east of the Shetland Islands, has been a cornerstone of the UK's hugely successful oil and gas industry. The next step in the life cycle is to decommission the Brent Field's four platforms and their related infrastructure.
The North Sea is one of the UK’s greatest energy assets. For decades, oil and gas produced here has been the backbone of the country’s energy system. As the UK transitions towards net zero, the next step is to decommission four platforms in the Brent Field and their related infrastructure. This is an enormous undertaking involving:
10 years of planning and research
300+ scientific and technical studies
180+ organisations consulted
1 panel of independent scientists
Watch: The story of the Brent Field platforms and their decommissioning
Brent Charlie: Bringing Brent Home
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
Title: Brent Charlie_58831
Duration: 13:14 minutes
Description:
A film about the decommissioning and removal of the Shell Brent Charlie platform.
Brent Charlie_58831 transcript
[Background music]
Dramatic beats
[Visuals]
Speeded-up wide-angle shot of a platform in the sea against a cloudy sky.
Closer shot panning around the platform’s legs in the sea. A yellow sign on the side reads “Shell Brent-C”.
Close-up shot of the platform’s legs as the sea crashes against them.
[Rob Armstrong]
These platforms weren’t designed to be out in the North Sea for as long as they have been.
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of underneath the platform, showing metal poles going into the sea.
Waves crash violently against the poles.
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man in a red high-vis jacket and yellow Shell-branded hard hat (Rob Armstrong) as he speaks to camera.
Wide-angle shot of dark sea with a platform to the left of frame.
[Background music]
Shell brand mnemonic with a dramatic beat
[Visuals]
Shot from above showing steps down the side of a platform.
Wide-angle shot of the sea showing platforms stretching into the distance.
Low-angle shot of a platform.
Head-on shot of a platform.
Low angle shot of a platform.
[Rob Armstrong]
And they weren’t really designed to be removed.
[Visuals]
Panning shot of a platform.
Wide shot of the sea showing platforms on the horizon.
Head-on shot of a platform against a grey sky.
Close-up shot of waves crashing against platform legs.
[Voiceover]
After half a century at sea, the Brent oil and gas platforms are being dismantled.
[Visuals]
Speeded-up night-time shot of Brent Delta platform.
Close-up shot of underneath a platform as it is raised off its legs.
Speeded-up footage of two cranes on a platform in the sea against a sunny sky.
Two men silhouetted against a window with a view of a platform in the sea.
Panning shot of a platform and a crane against a mountainous background.
Close-up shot of a man on a winch against a rusty platform leg as it is cut.
Overhead shot of a man walking along a large pipe underneath a platform.
[John Gillies]
All four platforms in the Brent field were challenging from a decommissioning perspective.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man with white hair and a blue shirt (John Gillies) as he speaks to camera.
[John Gillies]
But Brent Charlie is in a class of its own.
[Visuals]
Speeded-up shot of Brent Charlie. The camera zooms in to show a yellow sign that reads “Shell Brent-C”.
Panning overhead shot of Brent Charlie with a green helipad at the bottom.
[Voiceover]
Charlie is Brent’s heaviest and largest platform.
[Visuals]
Overhead shot of a man on a winch rappelling down the platform towards the sea.
Side-on view of the man standing on a rusty metal structure under the platform. The camera pans down to the sea below.
Close-up shot of a jet of water spraying from the platform leg, as a red boat sails behind it.
Overhead shot of a jet of water spraying from the platform leg.
[Voiceover]
But it’s the platform’s unique construction which will really test Shell’s crack decommissioning team.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of a dark-haired woman (Penny Ward) as she speaks to camera.
Side-on head shot of Penny Ward.
[Penny Ward]
I feel like we saved the toughest for last.
[Visuals]
A man in orange overalls and a yellow hard hat points a torch at a water jet as he shouts.
A man kneels next to a control panel.
A jet of water sprays from the leg of the platform.
[Man]
George, can I have you drive forward, please?
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man in red overalls and a green Shell-branded hard hat (Ameya) as he speaks to camera.
Closer shot of Ameya as he laughs.
[Ameya]
Are we allowed to laugh? (laughs)
[Visuals]
Full-screen panning shot of Brent Charlie.
Panning overhead shot of Brent Charlie
Head-on panning shot of Brent Charlie.
Wide-angle shot of the sea showing platforms stretching into the distance.
[Voiceover]
This is the final chapter in the legacy of the iconic Brent field.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Side-on head shot of Penny Ward.
[Penny Ward]
What we do matters. How we do it matters.
[Visuals]
Wide-angle shot of cranes on a large barge with Brent Charlie in the background.
Wide-angle shot showing the barge and Brent Charlie side-by-side.
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man in an orange high-vis jacket and white hard hat (Andrew Jacques) as he speaks to camera.
Over-the-shoulder shot as Andrew looks out to sea at Brent Charlie.
Shot of Brent Charlie against a blue sky.
Speeded-up shots of cranes around the platform on dry land.
A crane topples from the rusty platform and crashes to the ground.
[Andrew Jacques]
Wow! This has been out in the North Sea for 47 years. And now it’s our challenge to work out how we dismantle it.
[Visuals]
Wide-angle shot of Brent Charlie in a calm sea against a blue sky.
White text appears centre frame.
The Brent Charlie platform disappears from view, leaving an empty sea.
[Text displays]
Brent Charlie: Bringing Brent Home.
[Visuals]
Speeded-up shot of a platform against a dark sea.
Orange and white text appears top of frame.
[Text displays]
Brent Field
North Sea
[Visuals]
Upper-body shot of a man in a blue polo shirt (Alan Lawrie) as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears to the left of frame.
[Text displays]
Alan Lawrie
Brent Facility Manager
[Alan Lawrie]
Brent field is located approximately 300 miles from Aberdeen, about 150 miles north of Shetland Isles.
[Visuals]
Archive panning footage of tall platform legs with black-and-white ships in the foreground.
Archive overhead footage of a platform in the sea.
Wide-angle shot of a platform in the sea.
Closer shot of the platform.
Panning overhead shot of the platform.
[Alan Lawrie]
It was found in the early ‘70s and, basically, the development of the field was to help provide oil and gas for the British economy.
[Visuals]
Wide-angle shot of the sea showing platforms stretching into the distance.
Speeded-up shot from the platform out to sea as the sun sets.
Wide-angle shot of the sea with platforms on the horizon.
Close-up shot of a white hand-written sign reading “Decommissioned” attached to a rusty lever.
A man stands on the edge of the platform in orange overalls and a white hard hat as he guides metal poles being lifted on ropes.
Four men in red overalls and helmets use flame tools to cut old metal at a scrap heap.
[Voiceover]
Having contributed over £20 billion in UK taxes over their working lives, the Brent platforms must be safely decommissioned, dismantled and recycled.
[Visuals]
Wide-angle shot of the platform next to the barge.
The platform is carried through the sea on the barge.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears to the left of frame.
Wide-angle shot of a beach, with the platform sitting on the shore to the left of frame.
[Text displays]
Penny Ward
Project Manager, Brent Decommissioning
[Penny Ward]
The most effective way to do this is by bringing the entire upper section of the platform, knows as the topsides, back to shore in one piece.
[Visual transition]
Screen turns blue to reveal the next shot.
[Visuals]
Overhead shot of four platforms in the sea.
The platforms disappear one by one.
The camera zooms in to a side-on view of Brent Charlie.
[Voiceover]
In 2017, Shell removed the topsides of Brent Delta, in 2019 Brent Bravo, in 2020 Brent Alpha, and now it is the turn of Brent Charlie.
[Visual transition]
Screen turns blue to reveal the next shot.
[Visuals]
Panning shot of Brent Charlie in the sea.
Side-on view of Brent Charlie.
Shot looking up at Brent Charlie against the rolling sea.
Wide-angle shot of the sea with platforms on the horizon and a small boat sailing across centre frame.
[Voiceover]
Charlie stopped producing oil and gas in 2021.
[Visuals]
Wide-angle shot of men sitting at tables eating food.
White text appears top left of frame.
Men in masks stand in a control room as a man to the left of frame speaks into a tannoy.
Shot from below the man looking up as he speaks into the tannoy.
[Text displays]
March 2021
[Man]
Attention all personnel. For your information, Brent Charlie will shortly sign off.
[Visuals]
Speeded-up shot of cranes moving on the platform against a dusky sky.
Panning wide-angle shot of Brent Charlie in the sea with a red vessel to the right of shot.
Metal bars are lifted from the platform.
Wide-angle shot of the bars as they are lifted in the air by a large crane.
[Voiceover]
And the decommissioning team have developed an ambitious plan to take the platform apart.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Side-on head shot of Penny Ward.
Panning shot of Brent Charlie in the sea.
[Penny Ward]
The risks are real. It’s a huge undertaking.
[Visuals]
A man walks along a walkway underneath the platform, silhouetted against the sea.
Speeded-up shot of the platform against a rainy sky.
Speeded-up shot of a red and yellow vessel anchored next to the platform.
Speeded-up shot from on the platform as a crane moves from side to side.
[Voiceover]
But before dismantling can begin, Charlie’s 38 wells must be capped on the sea floor.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Speeded-up footage of cranes moving around on the platform.
Wide-angle shot of the platform in the sea.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Speeded-up shot from on the platform as a crane carries a container.
[Penny Ward]
On Delta, Bravo and Alpha, the onboard drill rigs were used to seal the wells. But Charlie’s drill rig was at the very end of its usable life, so the decision was taken to remove the rig.
[Visuals]
Speeded-up footage of the platform as cranes move around.
Shot looking up as a pipe is lowered.
Head-on shot of a pipe being lowered onto the platform.
[Voiceover]
Two portable drill units are installed to seal the wells and retrieve the well piping.
[Visuals]
Speeded-up shot of the platform as cranes and men move around.
Side-on head shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Close-up shot of a man in orange overalls as he turns the end of a metal pipe.
Head-on shot of the man as he rolls the pipe onto a pile.
[Penny Ward]
This was the first time it had ever been trialled in the industry and was ultimately a major success.
[Visuals]
Overhead shot of a container in the sea.
Overhead shot of a man winching down a rusty conductor towards the sea.
Close-up shot of large metal conductors standing in the sea.
A man winches down one of the conductors towards the sea.
[Voiceover]
So with capping safely completed, cutting Charlie’s conductors can begin.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Side-on head shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
[Penny Ward]
One of the unique challenges in decommissioning Brent Charlie is that it has 40 external conductors.
[Visuals]
Overhead panning shot of Brent Charlie in the sea.
Orange and white text appears centre of frame.
[Text display]
The Conductors
November 2022
[Visuals]
Head-on shot of Brent Charlie.
Close-up shot of the conductors in the sea as the waves crash against them.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Rob Armstrong as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears to the left of frame.
[Background music]
Dramatic beats
[Text displays]
Rob Armstrong
Senior Project Engineer
[Rob Armstrong]
Essentially, the conductor contains the pipe work that brings the hydrocarbons from the reservoir up to the platform.
[Visuals]
Panning shot underneath the platform showing the conductors.
The conductors are outlined in yellow neon.
[Visual transition]
Screen turns blue to reveal the next shot.
[Visuals]
CG shot of the bottom of the platform, showing white lines travelling up the legs and conductors, stopping a third of the way up and lighting up.
Shot pans to a wide-angle CG shot of the platform and the top of the platform lifts into the air, separating from the lower section.
[Voiceover]
The plan is to cut the conductors and the legs at five metres above the sea surface and lift the upper sections off with the topsides lift. The remaining lower sections of the conductors will be removed afterwards.
[Visual transition]
Screen turns blue to reveal the next shot.
[Visuals]
Panning shot of Brent Charlie in the sea.
Close-up of the conductors as waves crash against them.
[Voiceover]
But Brent Charlie’s unique construction makes cutting the conductors more complicated.
[Visuals]
Shot of the interior of a leg, with metal pipes and walkways.
White text appears top left of frame.
Shot pans up to show a red conductor pipe, circled in neon yellow.
[Text displays]
Brent Bravo leg interior
[Rob Armstrong]
On Brent Charlie, the conductors are between the legs. On Brent Bravo and Brent Delta, they were inside the legs.
[Visuals]
Close-up of the conductors as waves crash against them.
Upper-body shot of Alan Lawrie as he speaks to camera.
[Alan Lawrie]
Charlie’s are open in the environment, so the conductors are subjected to all the winter storms and everything else that we see over the life of the platform.
[Visuals]
Close-up of the conductors as waves crash against them.
Close-up of the leg of the platform as waves crash around it.
[Alan Lawrie]
That gave us a completely new challenge.
[Visuals]
Upper-body shot of a woman in red overalls and a green Shell-branded hard hat (Genevieve Martin) standing on the platform as she speaks to camera. She is wearing goggles and ear defenders.
A yellow and white text box with black text appears to the left of frame.
Shot looking down at the conductors with waves crashing against them.
[Text displays]
Genevieve Martin
HSSE Manager, Brent Decommissioning
[Genevieve Martin]
The conductors themselves, they’re tens of tonnes each, and if one of those was to fall into the sea, we could have a fracture and maybe an environmental event, which is an intolerable risk.
[Background music]
Dramatic music
[Visuals]
Shot of the conductors in a raging sea.
[Visual transition]
Screen turns blue to reveal the next shot.
[Background music]
Gentle music
[Visuals]
A CG shot of the legs and yellow conductors underwater. White lines travel halfway down the conductors, then above the line turns black as the camera pans above the water and the conductors turn black all the way up to the platform. The conductors then shine white and the top of the platform and conductors lift into the air, separating from the lower section.
[Voiceover]
The solution? Cut the weakest conductors underwater… and strengthen those to be cut above sea level.
[Visual transition]
Screen turns blue to reveal the next shot.
[Visuals]
Wide-angle shot of men walking on the platform.
Lower shot of men in high-vis jackets on the platform.
Rear shot of a man wearing orange overalls reading “WellGear” standing in front of a control panel.
Close-up shot of a screen showing four different CCTV angles of the platform legs.
Close-up shot of a water jet cutting through a conductor.
[Genevieve Martin]
The hydraulic workover team, they’re here looking at removing the first conductors.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of the man in orange overalls looking at the control panel as he speaks.
Overhead shot of a water jet cutting through a conductor.
Close-up shot of the CCTV screen as the conductor is cut.
Overhead shot of a water jet cutting through a conductor.
Wide-angle shot of the platform at dusk with lights glowing.
[Man]
We just gotta find the sweet spot and let the blade do the work.
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of a sawn-off conductor.
A man in orange overalls writes on a conductor pipe as it is lifted.
Shot from behind the man as the pipe lifts.
Close-up shot of WellGear containers as a conductor is lifted in front.
A man guides a conductor off the ground as another man stands by a control panel.
Close-up shot of the conductor as it lifts off the platform.
[Rob Armstrong]
What we’ve learned on Brent Charlie is that every conductor is unique. They’re all different and they’ve all got to be treated differently and with care.
[Visuals]
A man removes a sling from a conductor laying on the platform.
The conductor lays on the platform as men work around it.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
[Penny Ward]
I think external conductor decommissioning is one of the areas that’s emerging across the industry and Brent Charlie is one of the players at the forefront of that.
[Background music]
Pulsating music
[Visuals]
Panning shot of Brent Charlie in the sea as a seagull flies past.
Orange and white text appears centre of frame.
[Text displays]
The Legs
July 2023
[Visuals]
Panning close-up shot of the platform legs in the sea.
Wide-angle shot of Brent Charlie, zooming in on the legs.
Panning close-up shot of the platform legs in the sea.
Close-up shot of one of the legs.
[Voiceover]
With the conductor removal underway, next the team must turn their attention to Charlie’s four 162-metre-long legs. These also need precise cutting so that the topsides can be lifted free.
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of the platform legs and conductors in the sea, with a red vessel in the distance.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Close-up shot of pipe joints and taps, covered in red tags.
[Penny Ward]
Compared to Bravo and Delta, Charlie’s legs are quite different. They’re considerably narrower and packed full of process equipment.
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of a network of old pipes and levers.
A red and yellow crane moves slowly on a platform.
Overhead shot of a container being lowered by a crane arm.
[Penny Ward]
We had to remove 26 tonnes of steel before we could start cutting.
[Visuals]
Panning shot of Brent Charlie in the sea.
Overhead shot as a man in a green hard hat climbs down a narrow ladder.
Close-up shot of breathing equipment hanging on a wall.
Close-up shot of a man’s hands as he climbs down a ladder.
Wide-angle shot of a man in orange overalls as he reaches the bottom of the ladder.
Overhead shot of five men in orange overalls and green hard hats standing on a wooden deck.
[Voiceover]
And because Charlie’s legs are being cut from the inside, the team must climb down almost 50 feet from the platform surface, carrying specialist breathing equipment in case of an emergency.
[Visuals]
A man in orange overalls and a green hard hat with a ginger beard kneels next to a rusty metal wall with metal columns as he speaks to camera.
Close-up shot of daylight coming through a horizontal cut in the metal wall.
The man kneels as he speaks to camera.
[Man]
We’re in column three. We’re on cut 258 out of 263.
[Visuals]
A man in orange overalls and a yellow hard hat points a torch at a water jet as he shouts.
A man kneels next to a control panel and turns a knob.
The water jet cuts through the metal wall.
[Man 2]
George, can I have you drive forward, please?
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Rob Armstrong as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears to the left of frame.
Close-up shot of one of the platform legs as a jet of water shoots from the wall.
Close-up shot of a high-pressure water jet attached to the inside wall of the leg.
[Text displays]
Rob Armstrong
Senior Project Engineer
[Rob Armstrong]
On Brent Bravo and Brent Delta, the legs were cut with a diamond wire, whereas on Brent Charlie, we’re using high-pressure abrasive water jets.
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of one of the platform legs as a jet of water shoots from the wall.
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man in a black suit and glasses (Steven Jordan) as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears to the left of frame.
Two men in orange overalls kneel by the inside wall of the platform leg as the jet cuts through the metal.
Close-up shot of one of the platform legs as a jet of water shoots from the wall.
[Text displays]
Steven Jordan
Project Director, Brent Decommissioning
[Steven Jordan]
The water was used, one, because it’s a highly efficient cutting medium, but also because it’s safer and doesn’t present any ignition source to any flammable gas that could be in the vicinity.
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of a man watching the water jet cut through the metal wall.
Close-up shot of one of the platform legs as a jet of water shoots from the wall, with a red vessel in the background. A neon yellow CG line appears on the platform leg in the shape of a castle.
Upper-body shot of Genevieve Martin standing on the platform as she speaks to camera.
Overhead shot looking down at one of the platform legs as waves crash against it.
[Genevieve Martin]
And we’re doing what’s called castellation cuts, which is just as it’s described, shaped like a castle. And the reason we do this is that those castle cuts, they act as a really good locking frame. So once we’re cut, the platform won’t move.
[Background music]
Pulsating music
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of a flashing red light against the backdrop of a choppy sea.
Orange and white text appears centre frame.
[Text displays]
Total Platform Shutdown
October 2023
[Visuals]
Two men walk down staircases on the outside of the platform.
[Voiceover]
Having finished preparations for the topsides lift, the team must bid farewell to the platform for the final time.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Rear shot of a worker in a yellow high-vis jacket standing on the platform looking out to sea.
[Penny Ward]
One of the last things we have to do is get everyone off the platform.
[Visuals]
A man walks along the edge of the platform wearing red overalls and a yellow hard hat.
Upper-body shot of Alan Lawrie wearing a blue polo shirt as he speaks to camera.
Rear view of two men in overalls and hard hats chatting on the platform.
Side view of the two men as they chat on the platform.
Wide-angle shot of a canteen, with men queuing at a counter in the background, and men sitting at tables eating and chatting in the foreground.
Close-up shot of an orange lifebuoy with black text reading “Brent Charlie”.
[Alan Lawrie]
For those of us that have been working and kind of living in that family environment of the offshore teams, it’s very emotional, because you’re basically doing away with what has been their home from home.
[Visuals]
A man in red overalls and a yellow hard hat (Evander MacRae) stands on the helipad of Brent Charlie as the camera pans around him.
Wide-angle shot of Evander standing on the helipad against a dark sea.
Upper-body shot of Evander standing on the helipad as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears left of frame.
Evander walks along a walkway on the platform towards the camera.
Rear shot of Evander walking along the platform.
Head-on shot of Evander walking along a walkway towards the camera.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Evander as he speaks to camera.
Upper-body shot of Evander standing on the helipad as he speaks to camera.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Evander as he speaks to camera.
Upper body shot of Evander as he speaks to camera.
[Text display]
Evander MacRae
Offshore Installation Manager, Brent Charlie
[Evander MacRae]
So of my 38-year career with Shell, I’ve spent 17 years in the Brent field in total. All my life-changing events happened while I was a crew member in the Brent field – getting married, the birth of my three kids. And the people I started with and also the people we lost. So there’s a huge amount of emotions that I personally feel. I’m terrified, yeah, about stopping working. I’m excited. I feel proud.
[Visuals]
Wide-angle shot of Evander McRae in a locker room as he puts on his hard hat and walks towards the camera.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Steven Jordan as he speaks to camera.
Panning shot of a network of walkways and pipes on the platform.
Closer shot of large green and yellow rusty pipes on the platform.
Zooming in shot of a small room containing two bunks and a wall of lockers.
[Steven Jordan]
One of the last things that you need to do on the platform is to isolate all the electrical systems and operate a switch called TPS, which is Total Platform Shutdown, to make it safe before the last person leaves.
[Visuals]
A man in yellow and black overalls (Willy) stands in a control room next to a bank of computer screens and controls as Evander speaks behind the camera.
Willy reaches over and turns a red knob, which lights up and beeps.
[Evander MacRae]
Right, Willy, this is it, mate. We get to put her to sleep. Now, I should be turning the buttons, but she’s been your home for a lot longer than me, so proceed with SPV.
[Willy]
OK.
[Audio]
Long beep.
[Visuals]
Zooming in shot of a wall of metal hatches with levers. Signs on the doors read, “Danger 440 Volts”.
[Evander MacRae]
OK. SPV. TPS?
[Willy]
TPS.
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of Willy’s hand as he turns a red knob which lights up and beeps.
[Audio]
Long beep.
[Visuals]
Panning shot of inside the empty platform.
Panning shot of a network of pipes inside the platform.
Close-up shot of Willy’s hand as he turns a red knob and the overhead lights go out.
[Evander MacRae]
And UPS.
[Audio]
Beeping.
[Visuals]
Willy walks towards the camera through the dark control room.
[Evander MacRae]
Thanks, Willy. A sad moment. We’ll wait on Liam and head up for the flight.
[Visuals]
A man in orange overalls and a yellow high-vis vest walks towards the open door of a helicopter as the blades spin above.
Men in yellow overalls climb a staircase on the platform.
Wide-angle shot of a helicopter on the helipad as men in yellow overalls walk towards the open door.
Rear view of a man as he pulls the helicopter door closed and locks it.
Wide-angle shot of the helicopter taking off from the helipad.
Overhead panning shot of the green helipad with white text reading “Brent Charlie”.
Wide-angle shot from the helipad as the helicopter flies into the distance.
[Evander MacRae]
I really do feel privileged at being one of the last to leave Brent Charlie and that Brent field.
[Visual transition]
Shot fades to black.
[Visuals]
Wide-angle shot of Brent Charlie in the sea.
Orange and white text appears centre of frame.
[Text displays]
The Lift
July 2024
[Background music]
Dramatic pulsing music
[Voiceover]
With the last person off, the challenge now is to remove the 31,000-tonne topsides.
[Visuals]
Panning overhead shot of Brent Charlie in the sea.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Side-on head shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Panning shot of a large grey and red construction vessel (Pioneering Spirit) in the sea next to Brent Charlie.
[Penny Ward]
To lift the topsides of Brent Charlie, we need the largest construction vessel on the planet – the Pioneering Spirit.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Steven Jordan as he speaks to camera.
[Steven Jordan]
It’s the only vessel that can remove a topsides in a single lift.
[Visuals]
Panning overhead shot of the Pioneering Spirit in a foggy sea.
Wide-angle shot of Brent Charlie and the Pioneering Spirit side by side in the sea.
[Penny Ward]
Brent Charlie is set to be a record-breaking lift for the Pioneering Spirit.
[Visuals]
Panning shot of the Pioneering Spirit in the foreground and Brent Charlie in the background.
Side-on shot of the Pioneering Spirit moored next to Brent Charlie.
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man in a purple striped shirt (Edward Heerema) as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears left of frame.
[Text displays]
Edward Heerema
Founder & President, Allseas
[Edward Heerema]
The lift is over 30,000 tonnes and that’s the biggest she’s ever done.
[Visuals]
Rear shot of a silhouetted man look through binoculars out of a window at Brent Charlie.
Two men in orange overalls and hard hats look across the sea at Brent Charlie as they chat.
Panning overhead shot of the Pioneering Spirit.
[Voiceover]
And at 80 metres, Charlie is also the widest platform, meaning even the giant Pioneering Spirit needed modifying.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Rob Armstrong wearing red overalls and a yellow hard hat as he speaks to camera.
Overhead shot of the Pioneering Spirit with the bows around the legs of Brent Charlie.
Close-up shot of a computer screen showing CCTV of one of the legs of Brent Charlie.
Four men stand looking up at CCTV screens.
Three men sit and look at a bank of screens showing different views of the Pioneering Spirit and Brent Charlie.
Two people look out of a window at Brent Charlie.
Two men look at a bank of screens.
Three men sit in front of a bank of screens and chat.
Close-up shot of CCTV screens showing different views.
A man looks up at a bank of screens.
[Rob Armstrong]
The vessel was widened so that the bows would fit around the legs of Brent Charlie. And it’s gonna be a very tight fit. We’re gonna have to be very careful about manoeuvring around the platform and into position under the support frame.
[Visuals]
Panning shot of Brent Charlie and the Pioneering Spirit.
Speeded-up footage of the Pioneering Spirit bows moving either side of Brent Charlie.
Three men sit in a room looking up at screens.
Panning shot of the Pioneering Spirit surrounding Brent Charlie.
Two men sit in office chairs as a standing man looks up.
Panning shot of the Pioneering Spirit surrounding Brent Charlie.
[Male voice on overhead announcement]
All stations, S2 completed. We’re gonna initiate fast lift.
[Visuals]
Edward Heerema stands at a control panel and speaks to workers as they look on.
Close-up shot of Edward Heerema’s hand as he pushes a button on a control panel.
[Edward Heerema]
End of the great Brent era.
[Background music]
Dramatic pulsating music
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of Brent Charlie’s legs as the Pioneering Spirit lifts the topsides up.
Wide-angle shot of Brent Charlie as it is lifted.
Side view of Brent Charlie as it is lifted.
Close-up shot of Brent Charlie’s legs as it is lifted.
View through the railings of the Pioneering Spirit as Brent Charlie is lifted.
Close-up shot of Brent Charlie’s legs as it is lifted.
Edward Heerema and the workers in the control room smile and clap.
Rear view of workers in another part of the Pioneering Spirit as they clap.
[Penny Ward]
Unbelievable. Fantastic moment.
[Visuals]
Edward Heerema stands in front of windows and shakes hands with a woman and a man.
Upper-body shot of a man in a black t-shirt (Allard Brugma) standing in front of windows as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears left of frame.
Side view of Allard Brugma as he chats to workers and smiles, and a man pats him on the back.
[Text displays]
Allard Brugma
Project Engineer, Allseas
[Allard Brugma]
The last Brent platform is right now nicely on our vessel, on our way to Hartlepool.
[Visuals]
Panning shot of Brent Charlie straddled by the bows of the Pioneering Spirit.
Close-up shot of the bow of the Pioneering Spirit as it sails through the water.
View through a rusty porthole of the dark sea.
[Visual transition]
Screen fades to black.
[Background music]
Uplifting piano music
[Visuals]
Wide-angle shot of a vast sea with Brent Charlie on the horizon.
Orange and white text appears centre of frame.
[Text displays]
The Final Journey
July 2024
[Visuals]
Wide-angle view from a dock looking out to sea, with the silhouette of Brent Charlie in the middle right of frame. A small boat sails away from the camera.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Steven Jordan as he speaks to camera.
Drone shot of Brent Charlie moored near the dock, with wind turbines in the distance.
Closer shot of Brent Charlie with a small boat in front of it.
[Steven Jordan]
As soon as you complete a major milestone, you get a huge high in terms of the success that you’ve just achieved, but you quickly need to reground and focus on the next milestone. Certainly in decommissioning, it’s always one challenge after another.
[Visuals]
Wide-angle panning shot of Brent Charlie entering a dock.
Closer shot of Brent Charlie on a barge being pulled by a small boat.
Panning side shot of Brent Charlie sitting on a large barge at the entrance to a dock with several small boats around it.
Overhead panning shot of Brent Charlie part-way into the docks.
Close-up shot of the side of the barge, reading “Iron Lady Valletta”.
[Voiceover]
The 31,000-tonne topsides must be transported into Able’s Seaton Port atop the Iron Lady barge. Due to its weight, Charlie can only be towed in at high tide, and the team have a very narrow four-and-a-half-hour window to moor the platform.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man in red overalls and a green Shell-branded hard hat (Ameya Abhyankar) as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears left of frame.
Speeded-up footage of Brent Charlie being towed by small boats into the dock.
[Text displays]
Ameya Abhyankar
Senior Project Engineer
[Ameya Abhyankar]
The draft of the Iron Lady barge was larger, thus the tidal requirements were quite precise for bringing it into the quay.
[Visuals]
Speeded-up footage of cranes and trucks on the quayside, as Brent Charlie is towed in in the background.
Drone footage of Brent Charlie next to the quay, with fields and industrial chimneys in the background.
View from the quay of Brent Charlie.
Side view of Brent Charlie next to the quay.
[Voiceover]
Once the barge is next to Able’s quay, it needs to be grounded and secured so that it doesn’t move during the topsides transfer to dry land.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man in orange overalls and a white Allseas-branded hard hat (Wouter van Berkum) in front of Brent Charlie as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears left of frame.
[Text displays]
Wouter van Berkum
Assistant Project Manager, Allseas
[Wouter van Berkum]
It takes quite some effort to make everything line up.
[Visuals]
A man and woman stand on the quay looking at the barge.
Overhead shot of Brent Charlie to the right of frame and red tracks leading onto the quay.
Side view of Brent Charlie next to the quay.
Close-up shot of the red metal tracks leading from the barge onto the quay.
[Wouter van Berkum]
It’s millimetre precision for a 31,000-tonne topsides, so it’s a very, very delicate operation.
[Visuals]
Close-up shot of red hydraulic units moving slowly.
Wider shot of hydraulic units moving Brent Charlie slowly.
Wide-angle shot of Brent Charlie against a grey sky.
[Voiceover]
Slowly, using 40 push-pull hydraulic units, Charlie is rolled onshore at just 15 metres an hour.
[Visuals]
Panning shot of Brent Charlie touching the quay on hydraulic tracks.
Zooming-out head-on shot of Brent Charlie halfway on the quay.
Rear drone shot of Brent Charlie with a backdrop of fields.
Shot of Brent Charlie fully on the quay.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Ameya Abhyankar as he speaks to camera.
[Ameya Abhyankar]
So it is fully onshore. First time in last five decades, Brent Charlie is onshore.
[Visuals]
Panning drone shot of Brent Charlie on the quay.
Ground-level shot of Brent Charlie on the quay.
Speeded-up shot of Brent Charlie moving onto the quay.
Closer shot of the legs of Brent Charlie on the dusty ground.
[Voiceover]
Charlie’s reached its last decommissioning stage. Over the next 18 months, this giant will be reduced to scrap, ready for recycling.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Andrew Jacques standing on the quay as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears left of frame.
Zooming-out shot of Brent Charlie on the quay.
[Text displays]
Andrew Jacques
Operations Director, Able UK
[Andrew Jacques]
We’ve been at the forefront of single-piece destruct over the last 12 years and this is our opportunity to dismantle the fourth and last Brent structure safely and successfully.
[Visuals]
Head-and-shoulders shot of Penny Ward as she speaks to camera.
Wide-angle shot of the Brent field platforms in the sea stretching out into the distance.
[Penny Ward]
It’s the end of an era. Bringing Brent home has been a phenomenal team effort.
[Visuals]
Close-up of a man’s hands lighting a blowtorch.
Head-on shot of a man in orange overalls holding a blowtorch.
Wide-angle shot of a group of men and women in yellow and black overalls standing in front of a red helicopter.
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man in red overalls and a yellow hard hat walking on a platform with the sea in the background.
Head-and-shoulders shot of a man in a black suit and white shirt (Alistair Hope) as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears left of frame.
A woman in red overalls and a yellow hard hat walks along a platform in the sea.
A man in orange overalls, ear defenders and goggles stands against a grey sky as helicopter blades spin to the left of frame.
Wide-angle shot of a man on a winch rappelling down the rusty leg of a platform towards the sea.
Men and women in red overalls and hard hats embrace on the quay.
[Text displays]
Alistair Hope
SVP, Projects and Engineering
[Alistair Hope]
I’m tremendously proud of what the team have done, the team of Shell, but all our contractors and all the people who’ve been involved in this.
[Visuals]
Upper-body shot of Genevieve Martin standing on the platform as she speaks to camera.
Workers stand on the quay and look up at Brent Charlie while chatting.
[Genevieve Martin]
It’s a very surreal experience, but an absolutely amazing one. It’s emotional, as well.
[Visuals]
A man in red overalls and a yellow hard hat dances on the deck of a vessel.
A group of four men wearing ear defenders stand on a platform and give thumbs up as they smile at the camera.
Head-and-shoulders shot of Steven Jordan as he speaks to camera.
Panning shot of the faces of men in hard hats.
Head-and-shoulders shot of a smiling man wearing goggles and a green hard hat.
A man with a ginger beard and a white hard hat gives a thumbs up.
Four men in yellow and black overalls stand on a platform in the sea and smile.
[Steven Jordan]
The success of any project is its people, and I’m privileged to work with such an amazing group of talented individuals.
[Visuals]
Upper-body shot of a man in a black suit, white shirt and red tie (Simon Roddy) as he speaks to camera.
A white and yellow text box with black text appears left of frame.
[Text displays]
Simon Roddy
Senior Vice President, Shell UK Upstream
[Simon Roddy]
The North Sea, its people and its skills is a national asset.
[Visuals]
Archive footage of workers in hard hats walking down steps.
Archive footage of two men in white hard hats chatting under a large green pipe.
Slowed-down overhead shot of a man in orange overalls and a green hard hat walking up steps on a platform.
Head-on shot of the man listening to a walkie-talkie as he walks along the platform.
Three men sit at a table chatting in front of a bank of lockers.
Four workers in orange overalls and green hard hats and goggles chat inside the platform.
Upper-body shot of Simon Roddy as he speaks to camera.
[Simon Roddy]
Those people and those skills will ensure we continue to supply the energy the UK needs and, at the same time, decarbonise and deliver net zero.
[Visuals]
Drone shot of a man standing on the Brent Charlie helipad looking out to sea as the camera flies over him.
[Graphics]
A cut-out of the Shell logo zooms in to turn the screen white. A red and white Shell logo emerges from centre frame as text appears underneath it.
[Audio]
Shell brand mnemonic played on keys.
[Text display]
Powering Progress
© Shell International Limited 2024
Brent Charlie: End of an Era
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
Title: Brent - End of an Era
Duration: 15 minutes 54 seconds
Description: A video detailing Brent history and all that has been achieved there before Brent Charlie is decommissioned
Accessibility script Brent - End of an Era
[Music]
Bright and melancholic tune plays
[Video footage]
Over the shoulder shot of a Shell worker looking at one of Brent’s platforms out at sea
[Voice of Narrator]
300 km off the tip of Scotland lies the Brent oil and gas field
[Video footage]
Aerial footage of the Brent oil and gas field
[Voice of Narrator]
This is the story of Brent’s four iconic platforms
[Video footage]
Four different shots of each Brent platform throughout the years
[Video footage]
Montage of archive footage of the Brent platforms been built
[Voice of Narrator]
From the world firsts of construction
[Video footage]
Video footage of Deirdre Michie being interviewed
[Voice of Deirdre Michie]
It was comparable to putting a man on the moon
[Video footage]
Split screen of archive of the platforms under construction, switches to a split screen of rockets taking off
[Voice of Narrator]
Life onboard
[Video footage]
Archive shot of a Shell worker in a blue jumpsuit kicking an exercise bag. Split screen of archive footage of Shell workers on board the platform, one side they are playing pool and on the other they are working in hard hats.
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
You're reliant on each other. It’s very much like a family
[Video footage]
Video footage of Alistair Hope talking to camera
[Voice of Narrator]
And finally, the end of production
[Video footage]
Timelapse of foot traffic on one of the platforms, followed by a timelapse of a view of the sea from one of the platforms. Footage of a piece of equipment with a ‘Decommissioned’ sticker on it
[Voice of Shell worker]
Attention all personnel, Brent Charlie will shortly sign off
[Video footage]
Close up shot of a control room and somebody’s hand using the buttons. Shot changes to a wider view of the control room where you can see a Shell employee making the announcement and other crew members around in masks
[Voice of Narrator]
Told with historic archive
[Video footage]
Split screen on archive footage of Shell workers walking on the platforms
[Voice of Archive Narrator]
Out here we’re doing what’s never been done before
[Video footage]
Montage of archive footage of various Shell workers in hardhats and jumpsuits working on the Brent platforms
[Voice of Narrator]
And by those who were there
[Video footage]
Footage of Genevieve Martin talking to the camera
[Voice of Genevieve Martin]
It's an absolute privilege to have been part of this team
[Visual]
Title over a shot of a helipad on one of the platforms
[Text displayed]
Brent
End of an era
[Video footage]
Shot of a bus passing in front of a helicopter on the ground
[Text displayed]
Aberdeen, UK
March 2021
[Video footage]
Footage of Derek looking at the helicopter from a waiting area. Shot of helicopter seen through the glass of the waiting room, followed by footage of a helicopter landing.
[Voice of Narrator]
For 33 years, Derek 'Deek' Child has commuted, by helicopter, to one of the most hostile places on the planet - the Brent field
[Video footage]
Footage of a team of employees putting on flight gear. Then footage of the team walking to the helicopter and boarding. Close up shot of Derek on board followed by footage of the helicopter taking off
[Voice of Narrator]
The Brent field is being decommissioned and Deek will be closing the last operational platform – Brent Charlie
[Video footage]
Four different shots of the Brent platforms
[Voice of Narrator]
These iconic engineering structures have helped transform Britain
But their story starts half a century earlier
[Video footage]
Footage of the helicopter slowly coming in to land
[Voice of Narrator]
In the early 1970s Britain faces an energy crisis
[Video footage]
Split screen montage of archive footage - a black and white image of a candle been lit, colourised footage of people walking across a busy road, a black and white image of a newspaper headline, colourised footage of group of women waiting
[Voice of Narrator]
Tensions in the Middle East mean oil supply to the UK is under threat.
[Visual]
Old film effect is visible in the cross over to the next shot
[Video footage]
Archive footage of cars at night driving through dark streets. Black and white video of people in a pub drinking under candlelight. Archive shot of an old power station
[Video footage]
Footage of William Lindsay talking to the camera
[Text displayed]
William Lindsay
Decommissioning Director, Brent Project
[Voice of William Lindsay]
When I was a child, we had power cuts. My children now don't even know what a power cut is.
[Video footage]
Black and white archive footage of two children playing a football board game at candlelight
[Video footage]
Footage of Professor Paul de Leeuw talking to the camera
[Text displayed]
Prof. Paul de Leeuw
Robert Gordon University, Energy Transition Institute
[Voice of Paul de Leeuw]
So, people wanted to have far more dependency on security of supply
[Video footage]
Archive footage of a worker looking at a diagram on an old computer with paper underneath
[Voice of Narrator]
The key to security lies with the recently discovered Brent oil field in the North Sea
[Video footage]
Close up of the archive footage of diagrams on an old computer followed by a close-up archive shot of the sea
[Visual]
Archive still of an old map of the UK, zooms into the Shetland Islands
[Voice of Narrator]
Developing it requires one of the greatest feats in engineering history
[Video footage]
Archive footage of an old boat in rough screens, split screen into two shots of boats during rough seas
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
It was a frontier location
[Video footage]
Video of Alistair Hope talking to camera
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
Much harsher conditions; bigger waves, higher wind speeds, really remote locations
[Video footage]
Archive footage of a boat in the North Sea followed by archive of a diver preparing to enter the water with a small submarine
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
The task was to how can we develop this field as quickly as we possibly can
[Video footage]
Archive footage of the diver entering the water with the submarine. Cuts to a split screen of close ups of the people in the submarine working underwater
[Voice of Narrator]
The undertaking is too costly for one company alone - what’s needed is an unlikely partnership
[Video footage]
Archive of underwater footage taken by submarine. Video of three flags blowing in the wind; the Shell flag, the Scottish flag and an Esso flag
[Video footage]
Video of John Gillies talking to the camera
[Text displayed]
John Gillies
Projects and Technical Manager ExxonMobil
[Voice of John Gillies]
Shell and Esso, which was part of Exxon, are competitors, in the course of their normal business. Entered a 50/50 joint venture a relationship, that's probably unprecedented in corporate history
[Video footage]
Montage of archive footage showing people working for the Shell and Esso joint partnership
[Video footage]
Footage of Paul de Leeuw talking to camera
[Voice of Paul de Leeuw]
The terminals, all the offshore infrastructure, all the capabilities. This needed big organization with big management capability, with big engineering capability to do so
[Video footage]
Montage of archive footage showing people working for the Shell and Esso joint partnership - people working together to design oil platforms
[Voice of Narrator]
Within a year Shell and Exxon draw up an audacious plan. Building four giant oil platforms
[Video footage]
Footage of William Lindsay talking to camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
And there was no one place where you could do that all together. So, pieces of the platforms were made in different yards
[Video footage]
Three different archive shots are shown of the platforms initial building phase
[Video footage]
Footage of Deirdre Michie talking to camera
[Text displayed]
Chief Executive of OGUK
[Voice of Deirdre Michie]
Shell had to reach out to Norway, as well as to Scotland, to enable the platforms to be built
[Video footage]
Archive footage of people looking as the platforms are being built at sea
[Audio]
Sound of seagulls can be heard
[Music]
Rhythmic and rocky tune plays
[Video footage]
Archive footage of Scottish road full of cars, and an aerial view over a housing estate. Picture cuts to John Gillies talking to camera
[Voice of John Gillies]
I grew up in in the north of Scotland, between two of the big fabrication yards and I remember seeing these colossal structures taking shape.
[Video footage]
Archive footage of metal structures being built behind houses. Followed by archive of metal workers working on the rigs.
[Voice of John Gillies]
You would see them basically grow on the skyline
[Voice of Narrator]
Towering over 200 meters. The rigs push engineering prowess to the limit
[Video footage]
Archive montage of people in PPE working on building the rigs, as well as shots of cranes being used
[Voice of Paul de Leeuw]
These are absolutely incredibly large platforms.
[Video footage]
Video footage of Paul de Leeuw talking to camera
[Voice of Paul de Leeuw]
Some are made of concrete, again never done before. They were kind of world first at the time
[Video footage]
Archive footage of the Brent platforms as concrete structures out at sea
[Video footage]
Video footage of John Gillies talking to camera
[Voice of John Gillies]
The Brent’s were amongst the heaviest objects that had moved on the surface of the Earth
[Video footage]
Archive footage of tug boats trying to harness the Brent concrete structures in place. Cut to Sir Ian Wood talking to camera
[Text displayed]
Sir Ian Wood
Former Wood Group Chairman
[Voice of Sir Ian Wood]
I remember watching on TV, the tugs were trying to harness this big offshore jacket into place and every single one of the managers had their fingers crossed
[Video footage]
Archive footage of the Brent platforms in transition at sea
[Video footage]
Video of Alistair Hope talking to the camera
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
If something goes wrong the platform can sink to the bottom of the sea, and the whole thing is lost and you're back to square one
[Video footage]
Split screen of archive footage of the metal structures being transported at sea by boats. Archive of a crane putting something in place.
[Voice of Narrator]
Incredibly, just 6 years after the discovery of North Sea oil, the Brent Platforms Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta are ready to start drilling
[Video footage]
Four separate aerial shots of each of the Brent platforms completed. Followed by a close up of waves crashing into one of the platforms legs
[Video footage]
Video of Deirdre Michie talking to camera
[Voice of Deirdre Michie]
In terms of putting Brent out there and what that achieved. It was comparable to putting a man on the moon
[Video footage]
Split screen archive footage of NASA sending a rocket to the moon
[Video footage]
Time lapse footage of feet walking across one of the Brent Platforms
[Text displayed]
Brent Charlie
2 weeks to shutdown
[Video footage]
Video of a helicopter in the sky. Close up shot of Derek inside the helicopter
[Voice of Narrator]
Derek Childs has been coming to the Brent field for most of his working life
[Video footage]
Video montage of the helicopter landing and the team boarding the platform
[Voice of Narrator]
This is his last 2-week stint before Charlie ends production
[Video footage]
Video footage of Derek entering his working station and looking at some equipment
[Voice of Narrator]
For over 40 years tens of thousands have worked here, living on a platform not much wider than a football field
[Video footage]
Video montage of different employees in different departments working at Brent Charlie - control room, kitchen and engineers all doing their daily tasks. Time lapse footage of Brent Charlie is shown as it changes to nighttime, followed by a shot of all four Brent Platforms at night. Then footage of the platforms in daylight is shown, followed by video footage of a Shell employee in a hard hat walking on the platform
[Video footage]
Video of William Lindsay talking to camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
Brent is very often described as a town. It’s doing different jobs, different roles, but all dependent on each other at the same time
[Video footage]
Archive montage of workers on the platform in old Shell overalls, turning pipes and working away
[Video footage]
Video footage of Alistair Hope talking to camera
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
It is like a family, you're working together very closely. So it's a very much a home away from home, a family away from family
[Video footage]
Archive footage of Brent workers sitting down and socialising. Cut to video of Alan Lawrie talking to the camera
[Voice of Alan Lawrie]
You are obviously, leaving your family at home. Now you will end up missing key events. So, you miss birthdays, you miss births. There’re various things that you accept, that you're likely to miss
[Text displayed]
Alan Lawrie
Operations Manager, Brent Project
[Video footage]
Archive montage of Brent workings socialising and playing pool. One worker takes out a photo frame and puts it by the side of his bed. Cuts to footage of Genevieve Martin talking to camera
[Voice of Genevieve Martin]
So, if something's not going quite so right at home, then that can be very difficult to mentally deal with and to assist your loved ones at home, when actually you're on a platform
[Text displayed]
Genevieve Martin
HSSE Manager, Brent Project
[Video footage]
Archive montage of Brent workings socialising and playing pool, they can be seen drinking hot drinks and eating food
[Voice of William Lindsay]
You need to be happy. You also have to be able to be comfortable living away from home
[Music]
Bright and choppy tune plays
[Voice of Narrator]
Ask any crew member what’s the key to happiness on a rig and you’ll hear the same answer
[Video footage]
Archive montage of kitchen staff preparing food in the kitchens, cuts to archive footage of Shell employees working on the rig
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
It really is the quality of the food having something nice to eat, especially if you've been out in the cold all day, physically working. That really makes your day
[Video footage]
Video montage of archive footage of people eating and cooks serving up food
[Voice of Cook in Archive]
Chap came along and had four t-bone steaks, and came back and had another two with all the trimmings and he devoured the lot
[Video footage]
Modern day video montage of food available on the Brent platforms
[Voice of Narrator]
Get the recipe wrong and you could face a mutiny
[Video footage]
Video footage of William Lindsay talking to camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
There's one particular time, when the brand of ice cream changed. There was such an uproar from all of the workforce -
[Video footage]
Montage of archive footage of Brent workers sitting down and talking. Cuts back to William Lindsay talking to camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
- and some considerable diplomacy was required to ensure that people didn't down tools
[Video footage]
Montage of archive footage of Brent workers sitting down and eating
[Voice of Narrator]
The canteen may provide some comfort, but outside. It’s a different story
[Audio]
Sound of wind and waves crashing
[Music]
Melancholic and slow tune plays
[Video footage]
Montage of the rough seas around one of the Brent platforms
[Video footage]
Video footage of Alan Lawrie talking to camera
[Voice of Alan Lawrie]
In the winter, you can be stepping off into 55, 60 mile an hour winds
[Video footage]
Archive footage of a person standing on the helipad of a platform using an anemometer, cuts to an archive shot of waves
[Video footage]
Video footage of John Gillies talking to camera
[Voice of John Gillies]
When a big wave hits one of these platforms, it actually causes it to move
[Video footage]
Video of the waves crashing around a leg of one of the oil platforms. Video footage of William Lindsay talking to camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
You get the bang and the shudder from the wave. But you also get the sway as well. Takes a bit of getting used too
[Video footage]
Video of the waves crashing around a pipe from one of the oil platforms. Archive footage of to Shell workers in hard hats looking at the rough seas
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
It does feel like man against the elements
[Video footage]
Split screen of archive footage of two boats in rough seas. Modern footage of somebody in a speedboat heading towards Brent Charlie
[Text displayed]
Brent Charlie
1 week to shutdown
[Voice of Narrator]
Working on a platform demands a heightened awareness of health and safety
[Video footage]
Close up shot of Brent Charlie from the speedboat
[Voice of Shell Worker]
Attention all personnel, attention all personnel
[Voice of Narrator]
Today the team practice a worst-case scenario
Fire on the rig
[Video footage]
Montage of Brent Charlie workers during a fire drill making there way to muster points
[Voice of Shell Worker]
All personnel please report to your muster stations
[Video footage]
Montage of Brent Charlie workers at their muster stations. Some people put on specialist equipment and are practicing searching for people during a fire
[Voice of Narrator]
The crew practice techniques for locating trapped colleges in smoke filled corridors
Today’s drill is a critical reminder of how dangerous life out here can be
[Video footage]
Montage of different workers around the platform around different hazards, people at height, people using equipment, a person is stood near a helicopter
[Voice of Genevieve Martin]
When you're working offshore, you're not just working on your normal construction site or building site. You've got many hazards all around you such as jet fires to fires, dropped objects, ship collisions, helicopters and explosions
[Video footage]
Video footage of somebody operating a crane, footage of a helicopter taking off. Slow motion shot of the helicopter in the skies with the Brent platform in the foreground
[Voice of William Lindsay]
One of the big things that people need to realise is we are so far away from a hospital
[Voice of Genevieve Martin]
So you need to be switched on
[Video footage]
Video of large metal pipes all stacked up and being lifted by a crane
[Voice of Narrator]
The dangers aren’t just on the rig– the North Sea can be equally unforgiving
[Video footage]
Video footage of the sea followed by a shot of somebody walking under the platform
[Voice of Alan Lawrie]
The mass of water is at about 6 degrees in the winter. So, if you end up in the waters, it doesn't take very long if you don’t have any sort of protection for you to be into a hypothermic state
[Video footage]
Video footage of Alan Lawrie talking to the camera, cuts to shots of the waves around the Brent platform and a close up of Brent Charlie. Video footage of WIlliam Lindsay talking to the camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
In the 40 years that Brent has been offshore, 20 people have lost their lives in work related accidents
[Video footage]
Montage of archive footage of exterior parts of the platform, and a person standing alone. Video footage of Alistair Hope talking to camera
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
That's just such a God-awful thing to go through that that stays with you. You really learn, it sounds dreadful, but you really learn a lot from those things
[Video footage]
Archive video of workers using a crane to put equipment in place. Video of Genevieve Martin talking to camera
[Voice of Genevieve Martin]
So we have an ultimate goal and a duty to protect everybody and make sure that our systems and practices are as strong as they can be
[Video footage]
Split screen of archive footage of workers on the rig using pipes and machinery
[Voice of William Lindsay]
And that's really been a big development over the decades, working on Brent
[Video footage]
Archive montage of drilling equipment followed by footage of workers using equipment on Brent
[Voice of Narrator]
As the film archive shows – safety considerations were very different in the 1970s
[Video footage]
Archive montage of workers in shirts and plain overalls, workers seen climbing down large ladders to the bottom of the platform. Archive footage of regular dressed people leaving a helicopter
[Voice of Genevieve Martin]
When I look back at the film - you feel shocked as to how people are coming to work back then. You know you’ve got your OIM, sitting with a shirt and tie on, in the helicopter and he almost is wearing just a mac
[Video footage]
Archive footage of a person on the helicopter in a shirt and tie. Modern day footage resumes of workers in specialist flight gear heading to the helicopter
[Voice of Narrator]
Today every worker is equipped with state-of-the-art survival equipment. And safety is the concern of everyone
[Video footage]
Video of the crew boarding the helicopter. Video of the view of the sea with a crane in the foreground
[Voice of Genevieve Martin]
We work at every single level, from the ground all the way up, through the management and everybody has a voice. Everyone is empowered
[Video footage]
Video of Brent workers standing and discussing work near some pipes wearing PPE and hard hats. Video of Genevieve Martin talking to camera
[Voice of Genevieve Martin]
Everyone is empowered
[Video footage]
Video footage of the waves crashing against Brent - fade to black. Time lapse footage of Brent Charlie
[Text displayed]
Brent Charlie
3 days to shutdown
[Voice of Narrator]
Back on Brent Charlie the decommissioning is gathering pace
[Video footage]
Montage of the decommissioning of Brent Charlie is shown. Video of Barry and his team organising huge pipes. Close up shot of the pipes
[Voice of Narrator]
Barry Meldrum and his team are responsible for recovering and dismantling Charlie’s kilometres of well piping
[Video footage]
Video footage of Barry Meldrum talking to the camera in his PPE
[Text displayed]
Barry Meldrum
Drilling Supervisor, Brent Charlie
[Voice of Barry Meldrum]
Some of the wells that have been down there for a long period, and they are not, and the tubing is not in such a good condition
[Video footage]
Video of the pipes being moved using specialist equipment
[Voice of Narrator]
Buried deep within the well for decades takes its toll on the pipes
[Video footage]
Video of Barry talking to the camera
[Voice of Barry Meldrum]
So that makes our jobs a lot more difficult in the recovery
[Video footage]
Video footage of the pipes, including a time lapse of crane being used to lift the pipes out of the sea
[Voice of Barry Meldrum]
But this one is, touch wood, relatively textbook and it is in good condition
[Video footage]
Video montage of workers moving the piping
[Voice of Narrator]
With Brent, it’s not just well piping that’s proved critical to keeping the UK’s oil and gas flowing
[Video footage]
Archive footage of Brent platforms followed by an archive shot of a boat at sea. Split screen into two archive shots of large boats
[Voice of Narrator]
By the late ‘70s Brent has become a victim of its own success – producing more oil and gas than it can bring ashore
[Video footage]
Video of John Gillies talking to camera
[Voice of John Gillies]
Brent was producing more than 500,000 barrels a day, Well, that's filling a large oil tanker every day
[Video footage]
Archive footage of tankers at sea, cut to split screen archive of different elements of production on Brent, followed by archive of oil tankers
[Voice of Narrator]
With production ramping up, tankers alone can’t keep up with delivery
[Video footage]
Archive video of pipes being laid
[Voice of John Gillies]
So, you know, pipelines had to be laid fast
[Video footage]
Video of Deirdre Michie talking to camera
[Voice of Deirdre Michie]
We were going into the most hostile of territories, into the deepest of waters
[Video footage]
Archive montage of pipes being laid. Video of William Lindsay talking to camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
This was done at a time before computers
[Video footage]
Archive footage of workers solving engineering problems with models and pens and paper. Video of William Lindsay talking to camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
People use things like slide rules and pieces of paper and written calculations as well
[Video footage]
Archive montage of pipes being laid. Archive footage of the SEMAC ship - followed by workers aboard it
[Voice of Narrator]
Laying the pipes requires one of the largest engineering vessels of its day – the SEMAC
[Video footage]
Video of William Lindsay talking to camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
I had the good fortune of being shown around the SEMAC and I was absolutely staggered at how big this vessel was
[Video footage]
Another archive shot of the SEMAC ship is shown. Video of Alistair Hope talking to camera
[Voice of Alistair Hope]
That was a huge piece of infrastructure to put in this sort of relatively deep-water pipeline
[Video footage]
Split screen archive of the SEMAC ship at work
[Voice of Narrator]
The 121-metre-long ship lays over 12,000 sections of piping – in under 2 years.
[Video footage]
Archive montage of pipes getting laid and pipes being worked on. Video of William Lindsay talking to camera
[Voice of William Lindsay]
So, with the advent of the ability to lay a large diameter pipelines, that really opened up the opportunity of producing more for Brent
[Video footage]
Archive footage of pipes getting welded together by large machinery. Video of Deirdre Michie talking to the camera
[Voice of Deirdre Michie]
And in terms of the contribution it has made to the UK economy, it’s been fundamental
[Video footage]
Archive panning shot of one of the Brent Platforms from the view of a helicopter. Cuts to modern day footage of Brent Charlie
[Text displayed]
Brent Charlie
31st March 2021
[Video footage]
Video footage of workers sitting down to eat and getting food from the canteen. Cuts to video of the control room and Alan is making an announcement over the tannoy
[Voice of Alan Lawrie]
Attention all personnel, attention all personnel, for your information Brent Charlie will shortly sign off
[Video footage]
Various shots are shown of the operations room
[Voice of Narrator]
In Charlie’s operation room, Alan Lawrie and his team are about to bring 40 years of operations to a close
[Video footage]
Video of Alan giving a speech in the operations room
[Voice of Alan Lawrie]
We’re here to mark the end of an era and celebrate the Cessation of Production on Brent Charlie. I have to say that I stand here with very mixed emotions, all great things do have to come to a natural end
[Video footage]
Video footage of a house at dusk lit up by fairy lights
[Voice of Narrator]
Onshore William Lindsay, joins an online call with other Brent colleagues past and present, to witness the event
[Video footage]
Video footage of William Lindsay in his home using a laptop
[Visual]
We can see Williams computer screen of the ongoing zoom call
[Video footage]
Video footage of William Lindsay talking to camera
[Text displayed]
William Lindsay
Decommissioning Director, Brent Project
[Voice of William Lindsay]
We’ve been thinking and planning for this event for a very, very long time. So, in that respect it’s not really a surprise, but I think the magnitude of the event - it’s now really coming to an end
[Video footage]
Video footage of Alan Lawrie speaking in the operations room
[Voice of Alan Lawrie]
I’ll now hand you over to Derek Childs, who is the longest serving shell ops tech member on Brent Charlie and he has the honour of shutting down the topside processing facility, for the last time. Derek…
[Video footage]
Video footage of Derek turning off Brent Charlie. Equipment is shown stopping and various screens are shown shutting down. A worker makes an announcement over the tannoy
[Voice of Worker]
All stations, all stations, this is the Brent Charlie gas export shutdown. This marks the end of Brent Charlie’s production
[Video footage]
Video of William Lindsay at home showing the camera his quaich
[Voice of William Lindsay]
I thought I’d get my quaich out and I’d toast Brent for all the production people
[Visual]
We can see Williams computer screen of the ongoing zoom call
[Video footage]
Video footage of waves crashing around Brent. All four Brent platforms are shown followed by a timelapse of Charlie being dismantled. Various shots are shown of Brent Charlie
[Voice of Narrator]
Dismantling Brent Charlie will take another 2 years. But Brent’s legacy lives on
[Video footage]
Video of Sir Ian Wood talking to camera
[Voice of Sir Ian Wood]
There's no doubt at all that oil and gas went a long way to save the UK's economy
[Video footage]
Split screen montage of Brent on one side of the screen. On the other a time lapse of London, it’s busy streets and people walking, trains around the UK
[Voice of Deirdre Michie]
Brent has given us tens of thousands of jobs over the years. A contribution to the UK's infrastructure, to schools, to hospitals, to roads being built
[Video footage]
Split screen montage of Brent on one side of the screen. On the other a school is show, a hospital and also a busy flyover
[Voice of John Gillies]
It fuelled our cars, it provided gas that heated their homes
[Video footage]
Split screen montage of Brent on one side of the screen. On the other a housing estate from above is shown. Video of Paul De Leeuw talking to camera
[Voice of Paul De Leeuw]
It has been a true, true diamond in terms of its contribution to the UK, its economy and the well-being of the people in the country
[Video footage]
Montage of cities across the UK. Video of some of the Brent team stood in front of a helicopter
[Voice of Narrator]
And for those who worked there it’s changed their lives forever
[Video footage]
Video of a Shell worker in PPE moving along the platform, footage of a tug boat approaching a Brent platform. Archive montage of workers smiling.
[Video footage]
Video of Alan Lawrie talking to camera
[Voice of Alan Lawrie]
I think a lot of the people I worked with significantly influenced who I am now today
[Video footage]
Video montage of workers on the platform enjoying themselves, dancing, smailing and talking
[Voice of William Lindsay]
People have built strong bonds, strong friendships with each other
[Video footage]
The screen is split into 4 with various shots of workers on the platform, smiling and enjoying themselves
[Voice of Genevieve Martin]
The thing I'm most going to miss are the people. It's an absolute privilege to have been part of this team
[Video footage]
Time lapse of the clouds passing by the helicopter pad. Fades to white
[Text displayed]
The makers of this film would like to extend their sincere thanks to all who contributed.
Thanks to:
Alan Lawrie
Alistair Hope
Allan Maxwell
Barry Meldrum
Deirdre Michie
Derek Childs
Dominic Challinor
Evander MacRae
Genevieve Martin
Sir Ian Wood
John Gillies
Liz Paddon
Marc Brankin
Paul Buchan
Prof. Paul de Leeuw
Penny Ward
Robert Maxwell
Scott Fraser
William Lindsay
Special thanks to ExxonMobil
[Text displayed]
Archive sources
The Brent Effect, 2007
Offshore, 1999
The New Frontier, 1987
Brent Pipeline, 1982
A Town Called Charlie, 1981
Flags Under the North Sea, 1981
Brent Log, 1979
Engineering – North Sea, 1976
Associated Press
STV
Pond5
Getty Images
[Visual]
Graphic of stick people with an arrow in between them
[Text displayed]
This film include material shot during Covid-19
Covid-19 measures were maintained at all times during filming
Material shot on Brent Charlie were done within a Covid-19 bubble with regular testing in place
[Visual]
Shell pecten on white background
[Text displayed]
©Shell International Limited 2021
[Music]
Shell pneumonic
How to deconstruct a 27,000 tonne giant
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
Title: Brent Alpha MASTER
Duration: 13:05 minutes
Description:
The Brent oil and gas field, lying north east of the Shetland Islands, has been a cornerstone of the UK's hugely successful oil and gas industry. The next step in the life cycle is to decommission the Brent Field's four platforms and their related infrastructure.
This video describes the single-lift removal of the Brent Alpha platform topside and jacket, as well as the jacket’s removal to a Norway for recycling.
Brent Alpha MASTER Transcript
[Video footage]
Close-up of gently rolling ocean swell.
[Background music plays]
The Sound of Shell orchestral adaptation plays as an intro, and adaptations of The Sound of Shell continue to play throughout the video
[Voiceover]
186 kilometres off Scotland’s Shetland Islands stands Shell’s Brent Alpha platform.
[Video footage]
Slow zoom-in on a Brent platform in deep water, cloudbank visible low on the horizon. Cut to a closer view, on level with the topside, of the platform. Another view, in moody lighting, of the platform on level with the topside.
[Voiceover]
After almost half a century, this giant structure is being dismantled.
[Video footage]
Low-angle view looking up at the Brent Alpha platform, followed by a view of two lifeboats suspended on the side of the platform just below a sign reading Shell/Esso Brent A. Next, we see a distant aerial view of the platform, with two small ships close by. Time-lapse footage of the platform in the distance as seen from the bows of a vast, twin-hulled construction vessel Pioneering Spirit. Then reverse-angle view of three men in the bridge, looking out across the water to the nearby platform. One of the men is using binoculars. Cut to footage looking directly down through an out-of-focus grate at four huge tube-like structures surrounded by a network of rusty pipes and a choppy sea.
[Voiceover]
It’s an epic engineering challenge ten years in the planning...
[Video footage]
A series of close-up angles of a man in full safety gear lighting an acetylene torch and then cutting through a huge metal tube, a spray of bright sparks flying as he works. Next, we see footage of the man now crouched low working beside the now sawn-through tube. Other men in safety harnesses and gear stand by. The ocean swell rises and falls just a few feet below the temporary scaffolding platform on which they work. Cut to footage of two men using acetylene torches to cut through dismantled tubes on the deck. Interior footage of a man closely observing a bank of screens.
[Voiceover]
Safely lifting almost 30,000 tonnes from the North Sea, one of the most hostile environments on earth.
[Video footage]
Low-level cloud clears to reveal aerial footage of the Pioneering Spirit, two helipads visible. Cut to high-level aerial footage of the Iron Lady barge and the Sleipnir in turn, each moving across deep, dark open ocean, leaving a pale blue wake. A bird’s-eye view of vast open ocean and low cloud cover, with the Sleipnir in the foreground, enormous twin cranes on the ship’s bows bearing a massive steel structure of pipes and beams. Next, aerial footage as the camera pans slowly along the length of the Sleipnir in a quiet harbour flanked by steep hills. Next, we see a small vessel, dwarfed by the Sleipnir, leaves a wake that trails from the Sleipnir’s aft as it makes its way across the glassy-surfaced harbour. Then, from deck level, looking down into rough sea between the Pioneering Spirit’s twin hulls.
[Engineer]
Whoa! Man, that’s something!
[Video footage]
Waves battering two massive semi-submerged pipes on the vessel’s side. Next, a close-up of a grinning engineer in safety gear, standing in front of a forest of rusty pipes, speaking to camera.
[Text displays]
Brent Alpha
How to deconstruct a 27,000 tonne giant
[Video footage]
Dramatic footage of Brent Alpha platform in a choppy dark-grey sea, cloud obscuring any blue sky.
[Text displays]
May 2020 – Brent Field
The North Sea
[Voiceover]
Brent Alpha…
[Video footage]
Low-level aerial view across a moody seascape, patches of sunlight breaking through the low cloud cover to create bright silver patterns on the flat sea.
[Voiceover]
It’s the third of four Brent Field oil and gas platforms being removed by Shell.
[Video footage]
Close-up of a Brent platform against a shimmering sea and a pale blue sky. Extreme wide-angle footage of the four Brent platforms faintly visible as pinpoints stretched across the horizon where cloudy blue skies meet dark blue ocean.
[Voiceover]
Built during the 1970s energy crisis, Alpha’s construction is unique among the Brent platforms.
[Video footage]
A series of clips of archival footage of a Brent platform in its heyday. First, from a helicopter passenger’s viewpoint, as we fly slowly by, we see the platform in operation below, a massive flame issuing from a gas flare on its side. Another platform without the topside on it can be seen in the water just metres from the first platform. Next, from sea-level, a hazy scene of a platform in the foreground, with various other platforms and structures receding towards the left of the frame. Flames are visible issuing from the gas flares of two of the structures. Next, from a helicopter passenger’s viewpoint, as we fly slowly by, we see a close-up of the aft of a huge construction vessel alongside a platform. A large crane and lowered ramp are visible at the vessel’s aft. Cut to a sea-level close-up of framework of steel pipes under a platform.
[Voiceover]
Its sister platforms Bravo, Charlie and Delta each sit on concrete legs buried deep in the seabed.
[Animated sequence]
Computer-generated imagery allows us to see both the platform topsides, as well as the support system underneath each of the four Brent platforms. Bravo, Charlie and Delta platforms each has a massive submerged concrete gravity structure as its foundation. Alpha has a massive submerged splayed steel frame surrounding a huge central tube.
[Text displays]
Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
[Voiceover]
But Alpha sits on a giant steel frame, presenting its decommissioning team with both a challenge and opportunity.
[Animated sequence]
Computer-generated image of a close-up of the cutaway of above and below sea view of Brent Alpha’s topside and support structure.
[Video footage]
Camera pans right in time-lapse bird’s-eye-view footage of Brent Alpha in deep, dark ocean against a cloudy sky, with two large vessels anchored close to the platform. Cut to a different angle of the same scene, now viewing the platform and ships from the opposite angle. Next, from just above sea-level, a close-up of the Brent Alpha platform in calm, dark-grey water, grey skies in the background.
Interview with William Lindsay
[Title]
Brent Decommissioning Project Director
[William Lindsay]
For Brent Bravo and Brent Delta, we lifted the topsides...
[Text displays]
William Lindsay Brent Decommissioning Project Director
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurred background.
[Text displays]
June 2019 Brent Bravo Decommissioning
[Video footage]
Close-up footage of a lift system lifting the Bravo platform free of its platform legs. Cut to reverse-angle view of William Lindsay, in full safety gear, observing from behind a railing the platform being lifted. He turns to camera, looking pleased. Cut to crew applauding from behind the railing.
[William Lindsay]
There we go.
[William Lindsay]
We brought them shore and we recycled the topsides. The construct of Alpha is slightly different. It sits on a steel structure called a jacket. That allowed us not only to lift the topsides and bring to the shore for recycling, but also that steel structure.
[Video footage]
Camera zooms slowly across red dunes towards the Brent Bravo platform in a small, quiet harbour, fluffy white clouds and bright blue sky in background. Next, we briefly see a closer view of the platform topside aboard a massive barge lying in harbour. The sunlight flashes briefly through a gap in the superstructure as the camera pans slowly left and down. Cut to a large marine salvage yard where men in red jumpsuits and safety gear are using acetylene torches to cut up steel parts from the platform. Close-up of the acetylene torch cutting through a curved metal sheet, sprays of red-hot sparks bursting from it. Cut back to a close-up of William Lindsay talking to an offscreen interviewer, and then a medium view of him talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Cut back to a close-up of William Lindsay talking to an offscreen interviewer, and then a medium view of him talking to camera, seen against a blurry background.
[Voiceover]
The team plan to cut Alpha’s legs in two places…
[Animated sequence]
Computer generated imagery depicts a zoom in on technical drawing on a blue grid of a cutaway of a square of ocean, topside visible above the ocean surface and steel framework below it. A small, basic map in the top right shows the position of Brent Alpha in the Brent Field, relative to Norway and Scotland.
[Text displays]
Topside
Brent Alpha
[Voiceover]
First, just above sea level, allowing its topside to be lifted.
[Animated sequence]
Computer generated imagery shows the platform topside being raised from the ocean surface. The camera pans slowly down.
[Text displays]
Topside
Brent Alpha
[Voiceover]
Then, 85 metres below the waves, to allow the removal of the upper section of its jacket.
[Animated sequence]
Computer generated imagery shows the upper half of the steel framework lifting neatly off the bottom-most section.
[Text displays]
Upper Jacket
Brent Alpha
Topside
[William Lindsay]
Bravo and Delta sit on three very large legs. We had the opportunity of going inside the legs and cutting from the inside.
[Video footage]
Close-up footage of William Lindsay speaking to camera, seen against a blurred background. Next, we see high-angle close-up footage of waves pounding against a concrete platform leg.
[Animated sequence]
Computer-generated video of three large semi-submerged platform legs. A bright blue laser-like line cuts horizontally through the circumference of each leg. The camera zooms out a little.
[William Lindsay]
With Alpha, it's a smaller platform which sits on six narrower legs. We're not able to cut it from the inside, so we had to figure out a way of how we were going to cut the legs.
[Video footage]
Medium view of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Close-up of William Lindsay talking to an offscreen interviewer, and then cuts back to medium view of him talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Rapid zoom-in on the few metres of Brent Alpha’s steel legs showing above a dark-grey sea, grey skies in the background. Extreme close-up of a forest of barnacle-encrusted, semi-submerged pipes, sea surging around them. Next, a close-up of an acetylene torch being lit by a man in full safety gear, seen against a dimly-lit background of platform infrastructure.
Interview with Finlay McPhail
[Title]
Shell Company Representative
[Finlay McPhail]
To get to the legs of the Brent Alpha Jacket and cut them, we use rope access techniques. Jon and the team will gear up and abseil down over the North Sea.
[Text displays]
Finlay McPhail Shell Company Representative
[Video footage]
Medium footage of Finlay McPhail, clad in safety gear, talking to camera, against a sunny seascape. Then, a close-up of a man in safety gear, donning a climbing harness, underneath his feet a metal grate through which the sea can be seen just metres below. A close-up as the man tugs hard on a strap on the harness to secure and tighten it. Close-up of two men in safety gear and climbing harnesses, one of whom climbs over a railing on the metal grate above the sea. Looking up, we see a close-up of ropes and pulleys and a man’s hands clipping rope into a carabiner. Camera pans to the right, past a rusty metal column, to show sea swirling around the platform frame just above the waves. Next, looking directly down through a gap in the steel frame, we see a man suspended in harness just above the lowest portion of steel frame above the swirling sea.
Interview with Jon Morgan
[Title]
Rope Access Technician
[Jon Morgan]
This is the boring bit you’ve got to do. It’s coming back up that’s the worst part.
[Text displays]
Jon Morgan Rope Access Technician
[Video footage]
Medium footage of a grinning Jon Morgan, clad in safety gear, talking to camera, seen against a background of infrastructure on a level beneath the topside. Then, first-person footage of feet rappelling down a rusty steel column which disappears into the blue swell below. Next, a scene from a distance away of two men rappelling rapidly down one of the four enormous corner columns of the platform steel frame, dark-blue ocean swirling metres below.
[William Lindsay]
Even on a flat day there’s swell of 1.5 metres. It’s never flat calm out there, so you need real nerve to abseil on top of sea which is moving.
[Video footage]
Close-up of William Lindsay’s face as he talks to an offscreen interviewer, followed by medium footage of him talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. He makes a dipping and rising motion with his hands to indicate the ocean swell. Next, looking directly down, we see swirling dark-blue ocean, followed by footage of two men in abseiling gear about on the lowermost part of the steel frame just metres above the surging swell. One of the men kneels on a scaffolding board suspended across a part of the platform’s steel frame, while the second man, clipped to belaying rope, swings past him and lands on the pipe.
[Finlay McPhail]
Rope access is a very technically challenging specialised skillset which allows us safe access to some very hard-to-reach places.
[Video footage]
Reverse-view close-up looking directly down on the back of a man in abseiling harness as he kneels on a narrow scaffolding plank next to a huge steel column, shimmering black sea below him. Rapid zoom-in downwards to show the two men in abseiling gear suspended by ropes as they work on flimsy scaffolding around the huge steel column, swirling sea metres below. First-person view of a gloved hand clipping a belay clip onto a rope encircling a huge steel column, swirling sea just below. Next, from a short distance away, looking across a framework of metal columns and pipes, we see the two men in abseiling gear still setting up, surging swell just below where they work. Then, looking directly down through a gap in metal girders, following belaying rope dangling through the gap and attached to a man making his way along a large steel pipe below, swirling sea just below him.
[Tristin]
We’re down the bottom of the leg, about nine or ten metres down. Warren is watching Jon’s back whilst he’s doing the hot work.
[Video footage]
Close-up of a man in safety gear and abseiling gear lighting an acetylene torch, ocean surface just below and behind him. Then, from a distance, looking past a huge metal column, we cut back to the two men working on scaffolding just metres above the sea, followed by footage from directly above of the two men working at the bottom of the huge metal column just above sea-level. Medium footage of Tristin first peering down the platform leg and then turning to talk to camera. Cut back to footage, looking directly down at them, of the two men working on the scaffolding just above the sea. Next, a close-up of one of the men applying an acetylene torch to the steel column, sprays of bright sparks flying as he works. A first-person close-up of the acetylene torch cutting through the steel column, leaving a scorched black incision, while the second man seen swings past to land on a pipe just above the sea.
Interview with Genevieve Martin
[Title]
Brent Health, Safety and Environment Manager
[Genevieve Martin]
I personally wouldn't want to be hanging five metres from the North Sea. It's very cold. You're looking at about five degrees. So, if someone does fall into the sea, we need to get to them within a matter of minutes and get them out safely.
[Text displays]
Genevieve Martin Brent Health, Safety and Environment Manager
[Video footage]
Medium footage of Genevieve Martin talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. A short distance away we see the platform’s steel frame, surging black sea swirling around its legs. Medium footage of Genevieve Martin talking to camera, seen against a blurry background, followed by a close-up of her talking to an offscreen interviewer. Close-up of the choppy ocean surface. Cut back to the two men in abseiling gear working on the large steel column just above sea-level. First-person footage, looking past rope and rappelling device, of the man using an acetylene torch to cut through the steel column.
[Finlay McPhail]
We have an emergency response-and-rescue vessel on standby at all times. If someone falls in the water, they’re able to pull them out in under four minutes.
[Video footage]
From just above the helipad of a ship, we see a small craft approaching rapidly across open ocean, cloudy grey sky in the background. Medium footage of Finlay McPhail talking to camera, small emergency craft in the distance, cloudy blue skies and deep, blue ocean beyond. Cut back to footage of the men working on the steel column just above the ocean surface. Close-up of rusty metal pipe surrounded by swirling black sea. Cut back to a close-up of the man using an acetylene torch to cut through the huge steel column. Next, a first-person view as we lean in to peer through a gaping, charred hole in the column to see a fiery, hazy view of the acetylene torch cutting through the opposite side of the column. The image blurs, leaving a red-hot, glowing patch in the inky blackness of the column’s interior.
[Voiceover]
It’s not just the chill of the North Sea posing a risk to the decommissioning team.
[Video footage]
Looking directly down through an out-of-focus grate at four huge tube-like structures surrounded by a network of rusty pipes and a choppy sea. Cut back to close-up footage of the man cutting through the steel column with an acetylene torch. Next, from a distance, across the water, we see the Brent Alpha platform in heavy swell, low cloud cover in the background.
[William Lindsay]
When there’s a big storm comes through, there's very large waves, up to 50 feet. So, if we cut the legs straight, then if a wave hits the platform, we could have some catastrophic outcomes.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Next, from a distance, across the water, we see the Brent Alpha platform in rough dark-grey seas, grey sky in the background. Looking directly down onto black, surging, rough sea.
[Voiceover]
Simple horizontal cuts don’t provide enough resistance against the force of storm waves.
[Animated sequence]
Computer generated imagery depicts a zoom in on the platform, shown in white against a blue-and-white grid depicting the ocean surface. As we zoom-in further to the legs, blue arrows showing the direction of travel of storm waves travel under the platform. The points at which the legs would be cut are highlighted in red, and red arrows travel from them in the same direction as the blue arrows.
[William Lindsay]
We have to develop another way of cutting the legs so that it can be lifted without it moving in the horizontal direction.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Cut back to footage of the two men in abseiling gear working on the flimsy scaffolding at the bottom of the steel column just metres from the sea surface.
[Finlay McPhail]
We’ve made what’s called a castellated cut. These castellations ensure that the topsides cannot slip off the legs.
[Video footage]
Reverse-view close-up of one of the men cutting through the steel column with an acetylene torch. First-person view of the acetylene torch cutting into the metal, bright sparks flying. First-person view of the back of the man cutting through the steel column, a blackened, smoking incision visible to his right.
[Voiceover]
Cutting interlocking notches and slots increases resistance, preventing the topside from sliding, while allowing it to be lifted vertically.
[Animated sequence]
Computer-generated footage zooms in on a pale blue depiction of one of the platform’s steel legs just above a grid depicting the ocean surface. Another animation shows us the cutting pattern in the leg. White arrows travel under the platform, and behind the leg a fan-shaped area glows white to show the deflected force. Then, an upward-pointing white arrow appears on the leg as the animation shows the upper section of the leg being lifted off.
[Voiceover]
For two weeks the team work around the weather...
[Video footage]
Close-up of waves battering two steel columns on the platform’s frame. Looking down from a little way off, we see crew rappelling down the steel legs of the platform, rolling swell below them.
[Finlay McPhail]
We’ve got a storm moving in. And it’s snowing again.
[Video footage]
View across the helipad to the Brent Alpha platform in the distance, dark choppy sea and low, heavy cloud cover in the background. The name Oceanic is emblazoned on the helipad, as well as an indication of 15.8t. View from alongside the legs of the Brent Alpha platform, heavy swell swirling around it.
[Voiceover]
Until each leg is cut below the plaform.
[Video footage]
First-person footage of the man cutting through the large steel column, blue sea just behind and below him. From a short distance away and alongside, we see a man rappelling down one of the four huge steel legs of the Brent Alpha platform.
[Finlay McPhail]
We finished cutting all six legs. It’s been a really tough campaign, very changeable conditions.
[Video footage]
Looking directly up towards the operator’s box on a crane. The name Safeway is emblazoned on the structure. View from across the water of the Brent Alpha platform in deep sea, grey skies in the background. Medium footage of Finlay McPhail talking to camera, the Brent Alpha platform, grey skies and dark sea slightly out of focus behind him. Next, looking out through a wet window at the choppy seas and grey skies, the helipad rises and falls dramatically with each swell. Fade to black.
[Voiceover]
It’s an historic moment in the life of Alpha. With cutting complete, the final personnel leave the platform.
[Video footage]
A series of scenes of Brent Alpha moored in vast open ocean. View from alongside the Brent Alpha platform of a crew member entering a covered walkway spanning the gap between the platform and an offscreen vessel.
[Finlay McPhail]
That’s the last man off Brent Alpha forever.
[Voiceover]
The challenge now is to lift the platform, using the largest construction vessel on the planet.
[Video footage]
Aerial view of the Brent Alpha platform some way off, a large vessel to the right beyond it, as well as a low cloudbank on the horizon to the right. Looking through the railings of a flight of stairs on a ship’s deck, the Brent Alpha platform stands moored centre-screen in deep ocean a little way off, seen against a blue sky. Time-lapse footage of the Brent Alpha platform visible a little distance away, a low cloudbank visible on the horizon to the right, as seen from the aft of the twin-hulled Pioneering Spirit construction vessel.
[Text displays]
June 2020
[Voiceover]
At almost 400 meters long Pioneering Spirit is a giant.
[Video footage]
Aerial footage as the camera pans slowly across the top of the Brent Alpha platform to show the immense bulk of the Pioneering Spirit anchored close by. Cut to slowly-panning aerial footage of the Pioneering Spirit anchored in a deep water, shafts of pale light breaking through low cloud cover on the horizon, followed by a slow, slight zoom-in above her deck, showing the twin hulls.
[Voiceover]
Designed to retrieve decommisioned platforms, she’s capable of lifting 48,000 tonnes.
[Video footage]
Aerial footage alongside Pioneering Spirit, smoke issuing from the chimney stack on the superstructure. Time-lapse footage from upper deck height of the twin hulls of the Pioneering Spirit as the vessel approaches the Brent Alpha platform from a way off, grey skies in the background. Next, footage from sea level of one of Pioneering Spirit’s twin hulls cutting through blue water, cloud-filled blue sky beyond.
[Voiceover]
But Brent Alpha presents a unique engineering problem.
[Video footage]
Slow zoom-in on the Brent Alpha platform framed between Pioneering Spirit’s twin hulls, grey sky in the background, followed by a close-up of the steel structure under the Brent Alpha’s topside. Then reverse-angle view of three men in the bridge, looking out across the water to the nearby platform. One of the men is using binoculars. Low-angle view looking up at the Brent Alpha platform, followed by a view of two lifeboats suspended on the side of the platform just below a sign reading Shell/Esso Brent A.
[William Lindsay]
With Bravo and Delta, we lifted the topsides by lifting underneath the deck. Alpha's different because we're cutting the legs much nearer the sea level and we're using the legs to lift the whole topsides.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera against a blurry background.
[Text displays]
June 2019 Brent Bravo Decommissioning
[Video footage]
Close-up, from under deck vantage-point, of a series of scenes showing a heavy lifting vessel lifting the Brent Bravo platform topside off its concrete legs. The topside rises steadily and straight up from the four massive legs. Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurry background.
[Voiceover]
To lift the 17,000-tonne platform, Pioneering Spirit is equipped with these, a giant set of clamps designed to clasp Alpha’s legs at newly installed lifting points.
[Video footage]
Slowly-panning aerial footage showing Pioneering Spirit’s deck, followed by footage of the twin hulls as seen from an upper deck, white water foaming as the hulls cut through the water. Then a series of close-ups of the large lift system carried on the twin hulls, as seen from a deck above and alongside, with water churning below as the vessel cuts through the deep water. Close-up from under the platform, showing lifting points clamped onto the stops of the four steel legs of the Brent Alpha platform.
[Animation sequence]
A computer-generated outline clearly points out each lifting point on the closest of the platform’s legs.
Interview with Rob Armstrong
[Title]
Shell Company Representative
[Rob Armstrong]
I’m standing between the bows of the Pioneering Spirit. Behind me you can see the topside lift system with the grey horseshoes inside the red lifting levers which will extend, grip onto the Brent Alpha platform and lift.
[Text displays]
Rob Armstrong Shell Company Representative
[Video footage]
The Brent Alpha platform framed between Pioneering Spirit’s twin hulls, blue sky in the background. Medium footage of Rob Armstrong talking to camera, behind him the lift system on the Pioneering Spirit. Close-up of the enormous clamps held between the red lifting levers, churning ocean below. A view almost from directly above of the lifting system with water churching between the twin hulls. Medium footage of Rob Armstrong talking to camera, with the lift system behind him. Reverse-view footage of a man looking out from the Pioneering Spirit’s bridge, across the twin hulls, to the Brent Alpha platform just in front of the bows. Four men in the Pioneering Spirit’s bridge, followed by a close-up of the control panel on the bridge.
Interview with Pieter Hendricks
[Title]
Shell Project Manager Brent Alpha
[Pieter Hendricks]
The most challenging part of the lift will be connecting all the horseshoes with the platform. That’s an operation which has not been done before. And then, obviously, the lift itself will be the moment of truth.
[Text displays]
Pieter Hendricks Shell Project Manager Brent Alpha
[Video footage]
Close-up of Pieter Hendricks talking to an offscreen interviewer, a lifesaver visible on the wall behind him. Time-lapse footage of the Pioneering Spirit manoeuvring its twin hulls into position on either side of the Brent Alpha platform. Close-up of two men in the Pioneering Spirit’s bridge. View from an upper deck of the Brent Alpha platform positioned squarely between the two hulls which make up the lifting system. Reverse view of a man standing in front of a control console on the Pioneering Spirit’s bridge, as seen through a window to the rear of the bridge.
[Genevieve Martin]
As the pioneering spirit comes in around Brent Alpha, if you can imagine, with the swell going on in the North Sea, it's just a small margin of error, a couple of centimetres, to make sure that we're coming in and slotting into the lifting points.
[Video footage]
Time-lapse footage, as seen from between the bows, of one of the arms of the lifting system on the left sliding towards the steel support frame of the Brent Alpha platform. Medium footage of Genevieve Martin talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Close-up of Genevieve Martin talking to an offscreen interviewer, followed by medium footage of her talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Time-lapse close-up footage of the clamps positioning themselves on the legs of the Brent Alpha platform. Time-lapse footage from an upper deck, looking down onto the lifting system as a series of clamps move in to clasp the legs of the Brent Alpha platform.
[Voiceover]
With the clamps in place, the team are ready to lift.
[Video footage]
Slow aerial zoom-in from behind the platform, showing the clamps firmly grasping the platform’s legs, calm sea surrounding it. Reverse-view footage of a busy bridge, a bank of screens in the foreground. Crew members at a control console in the bridge. Close-up of the legs of the Brent Alpha platform being held firmly in place by Pioneering Spirit’s lifting system clamps. Looking up at a bright yellow name plaque on the rusty Brent Alpha platform. High-level bird’s-eye-view, through sparse cloud cover, of Brent Alpha platform clasped in Pioneering Spirit’s lifting system.
[Rob Armstrong]
The technology on display from Allseas was just incredible. It was awesome to see such a heavy lift executed with such control, a real career highlight for me.
[Video footage]
Close-up of the red levers on the lifting system lifting the Brent Alpha topside from the points on the legs that had been cut through. Medium footage of Rob Armstrong talking to camera from on-deck the Pioneering Spirit, the Brent Alpha platform in the background. Camera pans in and down towards the Brent Alpha platform between the twin hulls of the Pioneering Spirit, glassy sea glistening below. Aerial panning footage of the bows of the Pioneering Spirit, the topside of the Brent Alpha platform held aloft between the two sides of the lifting system, with the platform’s steel support frame remaining below and just visible above the sea surface.
[Voiceover]
Successfully aboard Pioneering Spirit, Alpha’s topside is transported back to the UK, placed on a giant barge, and towed into dock to be recycled.
[Video footage]
From the upper deck of the Pioneering Spirit, looking across the lifting system to the topside of Brent Alpha platform, cloudy blue sky beyond. Close-up, from sea-level, of the hull of Pioneering Spirit cutting through the deep, blue water, cloudy blue sky beyond. Extreme close-up of an anchor hole through which calm blue sea can be seen. Night-time time-lapse footage, from an upper deck of the Pioneering Spirit, of a barge positioning itself under the Brent Alpha topside suspended between the twin hulls. Next, a level night-time close-up of the topside being lowered onto the barge. Daytime aerial footage of the barge resting on a glassy sea between Pioneering Spirit’s twin hulls, underneath the Brent Alpha platform, low cloudbank on the distant horizon. Time-lapse footage, from between the twin hulls of the Pioneering Spirit, of the Brent Alpha topside being borne away by the withdrawing barge. Aerial footage of the low, flat barge entering a harbour, the Brent Alpha topside tall and massive on its deck. Bird’s-eye-view footage of three small tugboats manoeuvring the barge through the harbour mouth.
[Voiceover]
Now attention turns to the team’s final challenge, cutting and lifting the upper section of its giant steel jacket. Attempting it requires another record-breaking ship.
[Video footage]
Quayside footage of crew disembarking from the barge. The name Iron Lady Valletta and vessel registration number IMO9665140 are emblazoned on the barge’s side. Looking directly down onto the remaining steel support framework of the Brent Alpha platform surrounded by swirling sea. Low-level footage of the remaining steel support framework of the Brent Alpha platform just metres above the sea. From across the sea, in the near distance the massive bulk of the Sleipnir rests on a calm blue sea, two enormous cranes on one end of the vessel, with blue sky and sparse clouds beyond.
[Text displays footage]
July 2020
[Voiceover]
The Sleipnir is the largest crane vessel in the world.
[Video footage]
Slowly-panning aerial footage of the Sleipnir anchored in deep, blue sea alongside the remaining Brent Alpha support framework. The names Heerema and Sleipnir are emblazed on her side. Sea-level view of the bow of the Sleipnir, looking up at the two giant cranes. The names Heerema and Sleipnir are visible on its bow.
[Voiceover]
Her 114-metre-long cranes hold the record for the heaviest single jacket removal, a staggering 8,100 metric tonnes.
[Video footage]
Time-lapse footage of the foredeck of the Sleipnir, cranes swivelling, clouds scudding by. Looking directly up the length of one of the Sleipnir’s cranes, the camera pans along its arm. Looking up at Sleipnir’s cranes from deck level, cloudy blue sky beyond.
[Pieter Hendricks]
It’s pretty amazing. Behind me you see two 10,000-tonne cranes which we’ll use to lift the jacket.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of Pieter Hendricks on-deck the Sleipnir, a crane and the sea just out of focus behind him. Footage from the Sleipner’s deck of the two cranes.
[Voiceover]
Alpha’s jacket weighs in at around 10,000 tonnes, meaning, with a successful lift, Sleipnir will beat her own record. But before the team can lift, they need to cut.
[Video footage]
Slowly downward-panning footage of the twin cranes on the Sleipnir’s bow, blue sky and seas beyond. Aerial footage pans slowly downward following an array of cables dangling from one of Sleipner’s cranes, blue sky and seas beyond. Aerial footage draws slowly upwards and away from Sleipnir anchored in a vast, glassy blue ocean, blue skies beyond. Aerial footage pans towards Sleipnir’s bow and cranes, blue sea and grey skies beyond.
[William Lindsay]
It’s not just the six legs that we have to cut. There are a large number of supporting bracings which keeps the structure strong. And there's conductors and there's risers as well. So there’s in total 43 subsea cuts to be done.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Looking over a ship’s railing, we see a reinforced steel cage housing cable and other equipment being lowered into the sea alongside. First-person close-up of a steel frame hitting the water’s surface and submerging amidst a flurry of bubbles. Three onscreen displays fill the frame, each showing a different underwater aspect of Alpha’s steel support framework, fish swimming slowly by in one screen, with various readings and indicators displayed on each screen.
[Pieter Hendricks]
It’s a really exciting part of the project, because we’re going to use the world’s largest diamond wire-cutter. And, basically, we’re going to position it around the legs, and the diamond wire will slice through the leg.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of Pieter Hendricks, clad in safety gear, on the Sleipnir’s deck, talking to camera, seen against a backdrop of infrastructure. Looking up from the Sleipnir’s deck towards one of her cranes, we see a metal contraption, the diamond wire-cutter, being lifted slowly above the deck. Looking up at the diamond wire-cutter suspended by cables against an overcast sky. Medium footage of Pieter Hendricks talking to camera from the Sleipnir’s deck. Underwater footage of the diamond wire-cutter positioned against one of Alpha’s legs, then a close-up of the wire-cutter and the leg, followed by a close-up of a spinning belt on two pulleys.
[Voiceover]
In place, 85 metres under water, the cutter loops a thin steel wire over seven metres long around each segment. Encrusted with industrial diamonds, one of the toughest synthetic substances known, the cutter sets to work slicing.
[Animated sequence]
Computer-generated image depicting a section of Alpha’s legs, shown in white and pale blue, where the leg joins a horizontal bracing pipe. Slow zoom-in on an animation of a pincer-like device encircling the leg, just before the diamond wire-cutter positions itself just above the device. Two white arrows indicate the direction of movement as the arrows and diamond cutter slide forward, forcing the wire-cutter’s wire through the leg, and the top of the leg lifts up leaving the bottom half still clamped by the wire-cutter and pincer-like device.
[Video footage]
A monitor’s onscreen display fills the frame. On it we see three different aspects of the diamond wire-cutter working underwater as it cuts through the barnacle-encrusted Alpha platform leg.
[Engineer]
Move down box in five metres.
[Video footage]
In a dimly-lit control room, we see a side view of a seated man manoeuvring two joysticks as he closely observes the underwater vehicles displayed on a bank of monitors in front of him. Side view of the control room showing the underwater vehicle operator, while a colleague holding a telephone handset to his cheek issues directions for movement of the underwater vehicles. Side view of the underwater vehicle operator glancing at a screen to his left and moving the joysticks. Reverse-view footage of the underwater vehicle operator making small adjustments to move the arm on the underwater vehicle.
[Voiceover]
The team monitor the delicate procedure with underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles.
[Video footage]
Reverse-view footage of a man pointing out something on the computer monitor in front of him to his colleague. Close-up of a bank of screens showing various angles and data of the Remotely Operated Vehicles.
[Engineer]
Francisco, you can open the clamps.
[Francisco]
Opening clamps.
[Video footage]
Close-up profile of the engineer in the control room, talking into a telephone handset, the operator seated on his far left. Cut back to the reverse-view footage of the operator and the bank of screens.
[Voiceover]
But with four cuts remaining, they must call a halt.
[William Lindsay]
We have a hold point because it is a point of no return. We have what’s called a green cut and a red cut. So the green cuts means that if you cut through, then the jacket still has structural integrity, it will still sit there by itself.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Cut back to the control room with the controller, the engineer and the bank of computer screens. Close-up of William Lindsay talking to offscreen interviewer, followed by medium footage of him talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Aerial night-time footage of the twinkling lights on the Sleipnir and her cranes, light reflecting off a glassy ocean. Cut back to reverse-view footage of the controller focusing intently on the bank of screens.
[Genevieve Martin]
The red cuts are essentially the point of no return. So once you’ve undertaken the red cuts, you must lift. We need to make sure that all the equipment, the people, everyone, is absolutely in the right place and ready to press the button.
[Video footage]
Close-up of Genevieve Martin talking to an offscreen interviewer, followed by medium footage of her talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Time-lapse footage of the sun just breaking over the horizon of a vast dark sea, a vessel just a pinprick on the horizon to left of frame. Aerial footage pans slowly right, showing the Sleipnir on a smooth, dimly-lit ocean, the sun just peeping through the low cloudbank on the horizon. Medium footage of Genevieve Martin talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Men in safety gear on a ship’s deck. Then, looking out along the length of one of Sleipnir’s cranes in the direction of the second crane, we see crew moving about on the levels of gangway around the crane’s legs. Looking across the Sleipnir’s upper deck to the superstructure and the front of the crane arm. Looking down from onboard the Sleipnir towards the hook of the crane suspended on the end of an array of cables, below it Alpha’s steel support framework just sticking out of the sea.
[Finlay McPhail]
This morning we had the no-go meeting, and the decision was all systems are go, and we’re ready to lift.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of Finlay McPhail talking to camera, seen on-deck against a backdrop of the bottom part of one of Sleipnir’s cranes, blue sky beyond. Crew around a boardroom table.
[Crew]
Done? Yes? Yes. All right.
[Video footage]
Looking down at the dark sea swirling around Alpha platform’s steel support structure. From a distance away, looking up at crew making their way along metal gangways on the side of one of Sleipnir’s cranes. Looking up at a crew member leaning over a gangway railing on the crane’s base.
Interview with Alistair Harcombe
[Title]
Offshore Installation Manager
[Alistair Harcombe]
The final four red cuts have now been complete. The jacket is now completely severed. We’re in position. The two cranes will now line up. They will get ready to lift the jacket clear of the water.
[Text displays]
Alistair Harcombe Offshore Installation Manager
[Video footage]
Medium footage of Alistair Harcombe talking to camera as he leans against the railing of the Sleipnir, infrastructure and blue sky and sea beyond. Time-lapse footage of Sleipnir’s two cranes, the one on the left swinging around to line up with the one on the right. The crane’s massive hook, dwarfing the crew on the Alpha support framework below, begins to slowly lift, raising immensely thick cable as it does. Close-up profile footage of William Lindsay, in safety gear, watching from the deck. Time-lapse footage of the crane’s immense cables being positioned by crew on Alpha’s jacket. Crew, in safety gear, leaning against the railings, watch from Sleipnir’s deck.
[Voiceover]
As Sleipnir begins the historic lift, all eyes are on its 550-tonne hooks.
[Video footage]
Aerial footage of Sleipnir’s two cranes in place to lift Alpha’s jacket from the ocean surface, calm blue sea framing the scene. View over a man’s shoulder as he holds up a small digital camera to film the crane being positioned, an emergency vessel anchored a little way off in a calm, glistening sea. Close-up profile of Alistair Harcombe leaning over Sleipnir’s railings to watch the activities. Reverse-view footage of the men leaning over the railing, the crane’s hook and the emergency vessel visible in the background. Close-up of the immense four-pronged hook, cables dangling from it, against a sparkling, blue sea. Footage of crew positioning the cables on Alpha’s jacket, the Sleipnir’s hull visible behind it, other vessels barely distinguishable against the blue horizon. A crew member speaking into an intercom system in Sleipnir’s bridge, the crane visible through the windows.
[Crew member]
Great, we can actually speed up those cranes to two metres a minute.
[Voiceover]
Submerged for 44 years, Alpha’s rusted jacket inches into the sunlight.
[Video footage]
Time-lapse footage looking out across the deck to Sleipnir’s two cranes, the sun high in a blue sky, calm, blue sea stretching to the horizon. From an upper deck vantage point, the camera pans slowly up from the crew positioning the crane’s cables on Alpha’s jacket. Slowly-panning aerial footage of the cables spanned taut as the cranes prepare to lift Alpha’s jacket from the sea, the water being churned white around the vessel. Time-lapse footage, from the deck behind the cranes, shows Alpha’s jacket slowly rising from below deck level. Various angles of aerial footage of Alpha’s jacket very slowly being hoisted out of the ocean by the cranes. Time-lapse footage, from the deck behind the cranes, shows Alpha’s jacket continuing to be hoisted high. Crew on Sleipnir’s bridge looking out at the cranes.
[William Lindsay]
80 metres is a staggeringly high structure. So to watch that come out the sea, and it only took about two hours to do it, was incredible. I'm used to scale, but even then, it’s like, wow, this is really, really big.
[Video footage]
Aerial footage of Alpha’s jacket lifted and being held almost clear of the water by Sleipnir’s giant cranes, blue water all around. Looking up, from deck level between the two cranes, at Alpha’s steel support framework. Looking directly up Alpha’s steel support framework and the two cranes. Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Close-up of the Alpha’s rusty support framework suspended just clear of the ocean surface. Looking across the deck at crew milling about in front of Alpha’s suspended steel framework. Looking down at the deck below and across to Alpha’s suspended steel framework, ocean visible through its network of steel columns. Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurry background.
[Alistair Harcombe]
Very exciting to see just over 10,000 tonnes lifted cleanly out of the water.
[Video footage]
Looking almost directly down between the steel structure that is Alpha’s jacket, sparkling blue sea below. Looking across and down at the sparkling blue sea seen through the steel structure of Alpha’s jacket. Medium footage of Alistair Harcombe talking to camera, leaning against a railing alongside Alpha’s steel framework, blue sea and sky beyond.
[Genevieve Martin]
If I could sum up in three words how I feel, happy, excited and proud.
[Video footage]
From sea-level, footage of Sleipnir sailing away, leaving a pale wake on a dark ocean, with grey skies in the background. Aerial footage of Sleipnir’s starboard and prow as she sails across the deep, dark ocean, her two cranes holding Alpha’s jacket aloft above the ocean surface, grey skies beyond. Close-up of Genevieve Martin talking to an offscreen interviewer, followed by medium footage of her talking to camera, seen against a blurry background.
[William Lindsay]
Pride, satisfaction, but also relief.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay talking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Close-up of him talking to an offscreen interviewer, followed by more medium footage of him talking to camera, seen against a blurry background.
[Voiceover]
Safely held aloft by Sleipnir’s cranes, Alpha’s upper jacket makes its final journey, sailing from the Brent Field to Norway to be recycled.
[Video footage]
Aerial footage looking directly down at Sleipnir as she churns across the ocean, leaving a turquoise wake in the inky ocean. Aerial footage pans across Sleipnir’s starboard and prow as she sails across the deep, dark ocean, her two cranes holding Alpha’s jacket aloft above the ocean surface, grey skies beyond. View from sea-level of Sleipnir’s prow leaving a pale wake in the dark ocean. Portside footage of Sleipnir sailing across the flat, dark ocean, Alpha’s jacket held well clear of the water. Looking directly down through Alpha’s rusty steel framework at the swirling ocean below.
[Text displays]
August 2020 Vats, Norway
[Video footage]
Aerial footage pans slowly right showing the Sleipnir in a fjord flanked by low mountainside, silhouetted against a pale sun and low cloud cover. Sleipnir’s dark bulk silhouetted against a misty backdrop of the dark mountain flanking the fjord. The camera pans slowly downward from the top of Sleipnir’s cranes silhouetted against the pale, hazy light. High-level footage pans slowly right as the Sleipnir makes slow progress between the low mountains either side of the fjord.
[William Lindsay]
Sailing up the fjord was amazing as the sun came up.
[Video footage]
Five people standing atop a high platform on the Sleipnir, dark mountainside and pale cloudy sky in the background. Medium footage of a smiling William Lindsay speaking to camera, seen against a blurry background. Slowly-panning aerial footage of the Sleipnir in the fjord, Alpha’s jacket suspended in front of it. Shot of the Sleipnir in a small quiet harbour flanked by verdant countryside and low, dark mountains.
[Finlay McPhail]
There’s a huge sense of satisfaction for everyone involved when we see something successfully completed like this.
[Video footage]
Looking directly down as the camera pans slowly above the quayside alongside which Sleipnir has positioned Alpha’s jacket. Time-lapse footage of Sleipnir manoeuvring Alpha’s jacket to hover above the quayside.
[Voiceover]
Over the coming year, more than 97% of this vast edifice will be dismantled and recycled, a fitting end to an engineering legacy.
[Video footage]
Footage of Alpha’s massive support framework being very, very slowly lowered onto the quayside. A man in safety gear stands observing, dwarfed by the huge structure. Looking directly down through the cranes’ arms at Alpha’s jacket on the quayside. Aerial footage pans slowly downward showing Sleipnir, cranes now retracted and at rest, berthed at the quayside on which Alpha’s jacket now rests. Slowly-panning aerial footage of Sleipnir berthed in the little harbour, the jacket bathed in sunlight.
[Rob Armstrong]
So that’s it. Three down, one to go. Bring on Brent Charlie.
[Video footage]
Close-up of Rob Armstrong, wearing hardhat and safety goggles, talking to camera, seen against a blurry backdrop of harbour infrastructure. Slow zoom-out of aerial footage of Sleipnir berthed at the quayside on which Alpha’s jacket now rests, green wooded land flanking the quiet fjord.
[Audio]
Shell jingle
[Graphic]
Shell Pecten centred on the backdrop of Sleipnir in the fjord harbour
[Text displays]
www.shell.co.uk/sustainability/decommissioning/brent-field-decommissioning
Copyright, Shell International Limited 2020
There We Go’ – Lifting 25,000 tonnes in 9 seconds: Brent Bravo Lift.
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
Title: Brent Bravo Lift MASTER (youtube)
Duration: 11:46 minutes
Description:
This video describes the single-lift removal of the Brent Bravo platform topside, including the transport, towing, dismantlement and recycling of the topside.
Brent Bravo Lift MASTER (youtube) Transcript
[Background music plays]
The Sound of Shell orchestral adaptation plays as an intro, and adaptations of The Sound of Shell continue to play throughout the video.
[William Lindsay]
40 years ago, no one really thought about how they were going to be dismantled.
[Video footage]
We open on close-up aerial footage of the ocean as the shot tracks over the face of the waters.
[Voiceover]
After decades of service, the four Brent Field platforms are being decommissioned.
[Video footage]
The shot rapidly tilts up to a bird’s eye view of one of the concrete-legged Brent platforms in deep water, below a cloudy blue sky. The shot slowly zooms in, then we cut to a closer view of the topside, then back to a wider view of the platform.
[Kenny Thomson]
We got NASA to come and give us a hand, and they were blown away with what we were doing.
[Video footage]
High angle reverse view footage of an operator in a control room, seated in front of a bank of screens, his left hand on a joystick as he watches the footage and data displaying on screens facing him. This cuts to an extreme close-up in reverse view of a man watching footage displayed on one of the control room’s screens. Then we see aerial footage of a yellow inspection vehicle being lowered into the water. Next, close-up of Kenny Thomson speaking to an off-camera interviewer; in the background, we see the ocean and a deepwater platform topside is partially visible at frame-left. We cut back to high angle reverse view footage of an operator in a control room, seated in front of a bank of screens, his hands operating controls as he watches the footage and data displaying on the screens.
[Bethan Vasey]
We needed to be able to lift the platform up from underneath. It was never designed to be lifted in that manner.
[Video footage]
Close-up footage of Bethan Vasey speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against a blurred background. Next, we rapidly pull back on low-angle panning footage of the underside of a platform topside. Then we see high-angle close-up footage of waves pounding against concrete platform legs, followed by wide angle footage of the Brent Delta platform in deepwater below blue skies.
[Voiceover]
In 2017, Shell set a world record when Brent Delta was lifted intact…
[Video footage]
Panning bird’s eye view of the Brent Delta platform in deep water below cloudy blue skies. Next, we see alternating low-angle and high-angle time-lapse footage by night of the vast, twin-hulled Pioneering Spirit moving into position around the Brent Delta platform. We then see front-view wide-angle footage of the Pioneering Spirit moving through the ocean with the topside straddled aboard.
[Voiceover]
And taken away for recycling.
[Video footage]
Low angle footage of a lift system lifting the Delta platform free of its platform legs, followed by a bird’s eye view of the tops of the three platform legs protruding from calm, deep blue waters.
[Paul Corr]
Shell’s idea, which was the right idea, was just bring it in, the whole lot, as it stands.
[Video footage]
We see a bird’s eye view of the Pioneering Spirit moving through the ocean, bearing the Delta topside. Next is close-up footage of Paul Corr speaking to the off-camera interviewer; behind him, we see a pile of dismantled metal and industrial materials. Then we see time-lapse footage of the Delta platform at Able UK’s Able Seaton Port, being dismantled.
[Voiceover]
Now its Bravo’s turn
[Video footage]
Slightly panning aerial close-up of the surface deck of Brent Bravo.
[Bethan Vasey]
You’ve done it once. How are you going to do it again, and how are you going to do it better? And that’s the challenge that we’ve set to the team.
[Video footage]
We see close-up footage of an LED countdown clock, displaying days, hours, minutes and seconds. Next, we see reverse view footage of a crewmember rappelling down beneath the underside of the Bravo platform. This is followed by time-lapse side-view footage of the Bravo platform, the outer sections of the platform topside visible at frame-right while, in the background, we see the sun at the horizon and clouds racing overhead. Then we see high angle footage of Bravo crewmembers gathered in a room, mostly standing against the far wall on which a line of control panels is mounted.
[Voiceover]
So how do you turn 25,000 tonnes of steel…
[Text displays]
So how do you turn 25,000 tonnes of steel…
[Video footage]
Slightly panning wide-angle panoramic footage of a platform atop the Iron Lady barge, moving through the Seaton Channel. This cuts to a high-angle close-up of a massive metal claw holding and then dumping dismantled steel parts.
[Voiceover]
Into this?
[Text displays]
Into this?
[Video footage]
We see zooming aerial footage of an enormous pile of dismantled metal and industrial materials, then fade to black.
PART 1 Decom/Down Man
[Voiceover]
In a remote area of the North Sea, engineering history is being made.
[Text displays]
60°54’N 1°48’E
186km northeast of the Shetland Isles
[Video footage]
Bird’s-eye-view footage of a shimmering sea surface fills frame.
[Voiceover]
The discovery of the Brent oil and natural gas field in the 1970s had a crucial impact on Britain’s economy.
[Video footage]
As though projected onto a screen, we see archival footage of a small vessel moving through the ocean, and we see the faint outline of an oil platform in the distance. This is followed by wide-angle footage of the deep water platform itself, then by ever closer shots of the topside, with the waves pounding against its cement legs.
[Voiceover]
Now Brent field has come to the end of its life, Shell is rising to a new challenge – safely dismantling its four huge platforms.
[Video footage]
Reverse view footage of a crewmember looking out over the ocean to the line of Brent platforms in the distance. This cuts to extreme wide-angle footage of the four Brent platforms faintly visible as pinpoints stretched across the horizon, at which point we see cloudy blue skies meeting the dark blue ocean.
[Animated sequence]
Computer generated imagery shows a slightly zooming wide view of the four platforms alongside one another in the ocean, base structures visible beneath the surface. Light flares across the frame in a transition effect.
Interview with William Lindsay
[Title]
Shell Brent Decommissioning Project Director
[William Lindsay]
There’s three main elements of decommissioning. One is isolating the reservoir.
[Video footage]
We transition to a wide-angle side view of the Bravo topside in deep water.
[Text displays]
William Lindsay
Shell Brent Decommissioning Project Director
[William Lindsay]
And we do that, what’s called plug and abandonment. So we basically seal all of the wells so that at no point can the hydrocarbons come out of the reservoir to surface. The next element is we have to get everyone off the platforms.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against a blurred background. This cuts to reverse view footage of two operators in a control room, seated in front of a bank of screens, their hands on controls as they watch the footage and data displaying on the screens. Next, we see a close-up of the underwater footage displayed on the screens, followed by a high angle close-up of waves pounding against the platform legs.
[Voiceover]
The final stage is dismantling, and the decision was made not to attempt this onsite but to remove the entire upper platform, the topsides, as one unit.
[Video footage]
Low angle footage of a helicopter in the air, rotor blades turning against a deep blue sky. This cuts to high-angle footage of the Pioneering Spirit moving through the ocean with the topside straddled aboard.
Interview with William Lindsay continued
[William Lindsay]
We lift the topsides and we transport them to shore, and there, we dismantle. And then, as much as possible, we try and recycle. So, on Delta, for instance, we’re managing to recycle over 97%.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against a blurred background. Next, we see wide-angle footage of several workers at the Able Seaton Port, working with welding torches as they dismantle steel components; piles of dismantled metal can be seen in the background and foreground. We cut to a close-up of the flame of a welder’s torch being applied to a seam in a piece of metal. Next, we see an Able UK excavator moving through the yard, followed by low angle footage of a claw dumping dismantled metal parts onto a pile of dismantled metal and industrial materials. Then we pull back on aerial footage of a pile of dismantled parts.
[Voiceover]
The whole Bravo lift has been streamlined to give a 70% reduction in preparation work.
[Text displays]
70% reduction
[Video footage]
Wide-angle side view of the Bravo topside in deep water
Interview with Bethan Vasey
[Title]
Shell Brent Decommissioning Project Manager
[Text displays]
Bethan Vasey
Shell Brent Decommissioning Project Manager
[Bethan Vasey]
We looked back on Delta and said okay, it was a success, but how can we do it even better, so that then, when we come to do it for Bravo, there was less work offshore. So, it was safer, it was more efficient, and it really meant that the overall removals part of the project was a step change.
[Video footage]
Close-up footage of Bethan Vasey speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against a blurred background. We cut to low angle footage of the platform topside seen against blue sky. Next, we see aerial footage of a vessel anchored alongside the platform, one crewmember standing in the visible corner of the surface deck closest to the vessel. Next, we see medium footage of a crewmember controlling a hoisted load of steel rods as it moves off the platform. This is followed by time-lapse footage of the camera moving across the steel grating floor of one of the platform’s decks.
Interview with Kenny Thomson
[Title]
Shell Brent Bravo Offshore Installation Manager
[Kenny Thomson]
We learned so much from how we lifted the Delta.
[Video footage]
Slow-motion close-up footage, then reverse view medium footage, of Kenny Thomson walking across the steel grating of the surface platform deck, seen against a backdrop of blue sea and sky.
[Text displays]
Kenny Thomson
Shell Brent Bravo Offshore Installation Manager
[Kenny Thomson]
And when we came to the Bravo, we changed tack slightly – we went for a slightly different method that we thought was better, safer.
[Video footage]
Close-up footage of Kenny speaking to the off-camera interviewer; in the background, we see the ocean and the platform topside is partially visible at frame-left.
[Voiceover]
Bravo is firmly fixed to its 150-metre-high base. A new method was developed to cut it free without installing the steel bracing used in Delta.
[Video footage]
High-angle close-up of waves pounding against a concrete platform leg. This is followed by side-view footage of the tops of the concrete platform legs attached to the underside of the platform.
Interview with Keana Jardine
[Title]
Shell Brent Bravo Operations Technician
[Keana Jardine]
To maintain both the strength and stability of the platform…
[Video footage]
Tracking aerial footage of swirling ocean waters seen through the steel grating of the platform floor. This is followed by slow motion medium footage of Keana Jardine walking across the steel grating of the surface platform deck, seen against a backdrop of blue sea and sky.
[Keana Jardine]
Shell and their partners came up with the idea of putting in shear keys.
[Text displays]
Keana Jardine
Shell Brent Bravo Operations Technician
[Video footage]
Close-up of Keana Jardine speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the blurred background of a platform deck.
[Keana Jardine]
So this was done by core drilling into the concrete walls of the legs. This core was then removed, and a 300kg steel shear key was put in its place. Once these were all in place, a diamond wire cutter was then put in between each key and this then cut through the concrete wall.
[Animated sequence]
Computer generated imagery depicts a zoom in on the top of the platform legs, shown in white. These become partially transparent and we see the core drilling location and direction depicted in blue, then the core being removed, and the shear keys being inserted, depicted in yellow. The imagery zooms on a closer view of the shear keys at the top of one of the concrete legs as a diamond wire cutter, depicted in light blue, is inserted alongside a shear key. As the shot slowly zooms out, a light blue line encircles each platform leg at the point of the yellow shear keys, depicting the diamond cutter cutting through the concrete.
[Voiceover]
Shear keys play a vital role in securing the platform.
[Video footage]
High angle close-up of a shear key on a concrete platform leg in deep water.
Interview with Genevieve Martin
[Title]
Shell Brent HSSE Manager
[Genevieve Martin]
We’ve got the gravity downwards force that holds us, but the shear keys also help us from a sideways perspective. If we have any large waves that come through here in the height of the winter or in the spring, then those shear keys hold us in position and stop any sideways or lateral force.
[Text displays]
Genevieve Martin
Shell Brent HSSE Manager
[Video footage]
We see slightly wider-angle footage of a shear key on a concrete platform leg, followed by close-up footage of Genevieve Martin speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the blurred background of a platform deck. Next, we see high angle footage of waves pounding against and swirling around the legs of a platform, then wide angle footage of the top of a concrete platform leg with shear keys. We cut back to high angle footage of waves pounding against the legs of a platform.
[Voiceover]
Six reinforced lifting points are also installed.
[Text displays]
6 lift points
800 tonnes
[Video footage]
Time-lapse bird’s eye view of the Bravo platform surface deck with crane arms moving through the shot at various points while the sun moves through the sky overhead. Light flares across the frame in a transition effect.
Interview with Keana Jardine continued
[Keana Jardine]
We learned a lot from Delta. There was a lot of welding involved with that kind of project. But on Bravo, we did the concrete lift points. So this reduced a lot of the welding under deck and, yes, reduced the man hours too, so a lot less risk of someone getting injured during the work.
[Text displays]
28.04.2017 Delta lift
[Video footage]
We transition to close-up footage of a lift system lifting the Delta platform free of its platform legs. This is followed by close-up footage of Keana Jardine speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the blurred background of a platform deck. Next, we see low-angle, tilting footage of a tall rectangular cement column, marked ‘LP5’, lift point five, followed by close-up footage of the underside of the Bravo platform in deep water, and a sign indicating ‘LP5 north face.’
[Voiceover]
Unwanted equipment is cleared away.
[Video footage]
Close-up of a note indicating ‘Decommissioned’ pegged to a piece of equipment on a lower deck of the platform.
Interview with Genevieve Martin continued
[Genevieve Martin]
We’ve been going around the whole platform bit by bit and, as you can see, the platform is looking quite bare now and lots of things have been backloaded by vessel and gone back to shore.
[Video footage]
We see panning wide angle footage of the bare interior of a lower deck of the platform. This cuts to aerial footage of a lifting hook lowering equipment onto a waiting vessel. Next, we see time-lapse bird’s-eye-view footage of loads being hoisted onto the vessel anchored alongside the platform, and we see the vessel moving off through the deep blue waters.
[Voiceover]
The crew prepares to leave, or Down Man.
[Video footage]
Low angle footage of a helicopter moving ever closer, rotor blades turning against a deep blue sky.
Interview with Kenny Thomson continued
[Kenny Thomson]
The Down Man process over the next week is all about making the platform safe and tidy in preparation for the lift, and so we get to a point where we have what we call the Golden Chopper, which is the final chopper that leaves the platform. As the chopper arrives, we will TPS, which is Total Platform Shutdown. So I’ll be in the control room, push the final button and then walk up to the chopper and get on the chopper. Then that’s us.
[Video footage]
Close-up footage of a sign attached to a slender chain strung across a section of platform, indicating ‘No Access, module cleared and secured for single lift.’ This cuts to close-up footage of Kenny Thomson speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the blurred background of the control room. Then, we see footage of a similar ‘No Access’ sign pinned to a slender chain strung across a section of the lower deck of the Bravo platform, followed by circling high angle footage of a crewmember standing on the helideck, wearing a headset with microphone. Next is wide-angle footage of the helicopter on the helideck, rotor blades turning against the blue sky; several crewmembers are seen standing at various points around the chopper on the helideck. Again, we cut to close-up footage of Kenny speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the blurred background of the control room. We cut to a close-up of a dial on a control panel, the sign below it indicating ‘Total Platform Shutdown.’ Next, we see slow-motion footage of crewmembers approaching and boarding the helicopter waiting on the helideck, followed by a close-up of the wheels/landing gear of the helicopter as it lifts off the helideck; in the background, we see Brent Charlie at some distance.
Interview with Genevieve Martin continued
[Genevieve Martin]
When people get on that final chopper and it flies away, that’s quite an emotional thing. We are saying goodbye to an iconic platform here.
[Video footage]
Low angle footage of the helicopter moving over the ocean, seen as a pinpoint against the blue sky. This cuts to time-lapse footage of the ocean glistening with shimmering light from the setting sun, and in the foreground, a corner of Bravo’s topside fills frame-left. Next, we see more time-lapse footage of night falling over the ocean and, in the foreground in frame-right, we see the silhouette of a section of Bravo’s topside, before fading to black.
PART 2 Lift
[Text displays]
18.06.2019
8 hours to lift
[Video footage]
Extreme wide-angle footage of two of the Brent platforms faintly visible as pinpoints at the misty horizon.
[Voiceover]
The world’s largest construction vessel, the Pioneering Spirit, arrives at Brent Field.
[Text displays]
382 metres long
[Video footage]
Bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit moving through shimmering ocean waters.
[Voiceover]
Its unique twin hull design went hand-in-hand with the development of Shell’s single lift concept.
[Text displays]
124 metres wide
[Video footage]
We switch to time-lapse bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit moving through shimmering ocean waters, approaching the shot, then slow to real speed.
Interview with William Lindsay continued
[William Lindsay]
So, as we approach the field we slow down and then we’re ballasting down at the same time, so going deeper in the water, because we’ve got fit underneath the platform.
[Video footage]
Slow-motion medium footage of William Lindsay walking along a deck of the Pioneering Spirit, then cutting to profile-view footage of William looking out the windows of the deck through binoculars. This is followed by extreme wide-angle footage of the Bravo platform in deep water at some distance while, in the foreground, we see some of the vast infrastructure comprising the Pioneering Spirit. Next, we see low-angle profile-view footage of William standing at the vessel’s windows, speaking to the off-camera interviewer.
[Voiceover]
Positioning the giant ship takes four hours.
[Video footage]
Again, we see wide-angle footage of the Bravo platform in deep water at some distance, and in the foreground, we see the twin hulls of the Pioneering Spirit, with its lifting system.
Interview with Tony Waites
[Title]
Shell Representative Pioneering Spirit
[Tony Waites]
My job is to ensure that the procedures are all followed.
[Video footage]
Point of view footage of the Bravo platform seen through the windows of the Pioneering Spirit, with crewmembers of the Pioneering Spirit seen in silhouette in the foreground.
[Tony Waites]
And then I give the go-ahead for the next stage of the procedure to commence.
[Text displays]
Tony Waites
Shell Representative Pioneering Spirit
[Video footage]
Close-up footage of Tony Waites speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the background of the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit.
[Tony Waites]
From now, we are in a standoff position outside the 500m zone. The next step is to move into close proximity around the platform, go underneath the platform with the bows of the ship, connect all of the lift points and then the next stop will be ready to fast lift.
[Video footage]
We see bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit moving through shimmering ocean waters, approaching the shot, then cut back to close-up footage of Tony speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the background of the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit. Next, we see medium footage of crewmembers working on the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit, then bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit moving through the ocean, seen in side-view. This cuts to a wider view from the same angle, the twin hull of the vessel approaching the platform legs. Next, we see time-lapse footage of the twin hull with lifting arms moving into place on either side of the concrete legs of the Bravo platform, followed by high-angle footage of the tops of the platform legs as the Pioneering Spirit’s twin hull approaches. We cut to more bird’s-eye-view time lapse footage of the twin hull with lifting arms moving into place, straddling the Bravo platform legs and topside. This is followed by a slightly zooming bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit with twin hull straddling the Bravo platform at dusk.
Interview with William Lindsay continued
[William Lindsay]
This whole operation requires very close coordination between a number of different departments. So one is the marine department, so the people who drive the vessel, if you like. One is the dynamic positioning department, so the people that control the thrusters that keep the vessel steady.
[Video footage]
We cut to a wider bird’s eye view of the Pioneering Spirit straddling the Bravo platform at dusk. This is followed by a video montage of different sets of crewmembers working in various control areas on the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit, where we see banks of screens displaying graphics and data. This cuts back to more bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit straddling the Bravo platform at dusk.
[Text displays]
12 GPS thrusters
80 tonnes
[William Lindsay]
And then we have the ballasting department. So these are the people that manage and ensure that the ship’s weight stays constant or according to plan…
[Video footage]
We see medium footage of crewmembers in a control area on the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit, followed by a close-up of a screen displaying graphics and data. Next, we see bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit in the ocean, seen in side-view.
[Text displays]
87 ballast tanks
700,000 tonnes
[William Lindsay]
So that it doesn’t go left or right, up or down. And then we’ve got the people who manage the topside lift system itself. So the coordination of those four departments is absolutely the key in this. And that’s why they are all in the one big area on the bridge. It’s a very large bridge, but it’s actually four different departments working together.
[Video footage]
Close-up footage of William Lindsay standing at the vessel’s windows, speaking to the off-camera interviewer, followed again by medium footage of crewmembers working in a control area on the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit. Next, we see time-lapse close-up footage of the lifting arms on the Pioneering Spirit’s twin hull moving into place underneath Bravo’s topside. We then cut to close-up footage of William Lindsay standing at the vessel’s windows, speaking to the off-camera interviewer. Next, we cut back to bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit straddling the Bravo topside.
[Voiceover]
Pinpoint accuracy is needed to avoid coming into contact with Bravo’s legs.
[Text displays]
18.06.2019
1 hour to lift
[Video footage]
Extreme wide bird’s eye view of the Pioneering Spirit straddling the Bravo platform, surrounded by a shimmering sea.
Interview with Tony Waites continued
[Tony Waites]
In all weather conditions that we plan to do the lift, we don’t want the ship to move by more than plus or minus half a metre which accounts for the wind, waves, wave direction. So that all goes into the limitation of doing the lift.
[Video footage]
Time-lapse footage of the Pioneering Spirit’s twin hull moving in either side of Bravo’s concrete legs underneath the topside, seen from the point of view of the Pioneering Spirit. Next, we see medium reverse view footage of Tony and another crewmember standing at the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit, looking out towards the Bravo topside. This is followed by low-angle footage of the Bravo topside, and the Pioneering Spirit’s twin hull straddling it, cutting back to close-up footage of Tony Waites speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the background of the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit.
[Voiceover]
Pioneering Spirit deploys cutting edge technology to connect its lifting arms to Bravo.
[Video footage]
Point of view footage of the sun rising at the horizon, seen through a porthole. This is followed by an extreme wide-angle bird’s eye view of the Pioneering Spirit straddling the Bravo topside, then by low angle footage of the underneath of the Bravo topside, as the Pioneering Spirit’s lifting arm system moves into place.
[Text displays]
6 lift arms
Interview with Tony Waites continued
[Tony Waites]
The innovation of the dynamic positioning and the active heave compensation which allows a ship that’s moving in the world to connect to something that’s fixed is impressive.
[Video footage]
Close-up low-angle footage of a lift arm connecting with the underside of the Bravo platform, cutting to wide low-angle footage of the lifting arms connected to the underside of the Bravo topside. Next, we see medium footage of crewmembers on the bridge, facing banks of screens displaying footage, graphics and data. This is followed by a video montage of time-lapse low-angle footage of lift arms moving in and connecting with the underside of the Bravo platform. Then we cut back to medium footage of crewmembers gathered on the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit.
[Crewmember]
I can confirm we are within half a metre.
[Video footage]
High-angle close-up of a crewmember’s hands on a document resting on a control panel, his index fingers holding place on the document. Next, we see a video montage of shots of crewmembers on the bridge, observing data on screens, and then, in response to a crewmember’s confirmation, some crewmembers approach the shot as they exit the area.
[William Lindsay]
Lots of people coming down the stairs, so it’s going to happen soon.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay standing at the railing of the Pioneering Spirit, speaking to the off-camera interviewer; in the background, we see the lift arms in place underneath the Bravo topside. Again, we see a montage of shots of crewmembers working on the bridge and observing data on screens.
[William Lindsay]
There we go!
[Video footage]
Medium footage of William Lindsay standing at the railing of the Pioneering Spirit, pointing towards the lift arms as they start to lift the Bravo topside; against the surrounding darkness, lights shine onboard the Pioneering Spirit.
[Voiceover]
25,000 tonnes is lifted in just nine seconds.
[Video footage]
Wide low-angle footage of the topside being lifted by Pioneering Spirit’s lift arm system, the Pioneering Spirit’s lights shining against the surrounding darkness. We cut back to footage of William Lindsay standing at the railing of the Pioneering Spirit, watching the Bravo topside being lifted. This is followed by wide low-angle footage of the topside being lifted by Pioneering Spirit’s lift arm system.
[Text displays]
9 seconds
[William Lindsay]
There we go.
[Video footage]
More footage of William Lindsay standing at the railing of the Pioneering Spirit, watching the Bravo topside being lifted, then turning to speak to the off-camera interviewer. Next, we see wide-angle footage of crewmembers standing at the railing of the Pioneering Spirit, applauding.
Interview with Evert van Herel
[Title]
Allseas Project Manager
[Text displays]
Evert Van Herel
Allseas Project Manager
[Evert van Herel]
Fantastic, very smooth, even better than Delta.
[Video footage]
Medium footage of Evert van Herel speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen standing against the railing of the Pioneering Spirit, the Bravo topside being lifted in the background.
Interview with Jeroen van der Sman
[Title]
Allseas Assistant Project Manager
[Text displays]
Jeroen van der Sman
Allseas Assistant Project Manager
[Jeroen van der Sman]
Absolutely brilliant when years of work come together, and everything works at the time when it has to.
[Video footage]
Again, we see wide low-angle footage of the topside being lifted by Pioneering Spirit’s lift arm system. Then we cut to close-up footage of Jeroen van der Sman speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the background of the lifting Bravo topside. Again, we see footage of William Lindsay standing at the railing of the Pioneering Spirit, watching the Bravo topside being lifted, and we hear the crew applauding in the background. We fade to black.
PART 3 Tow – Skid
[Voiceover]
The final stage of Bravo’s journey is about to begin.
[Video footage]
Panoramic footage of the sun rising over the ocean. We cut to high-angle footage of the swirling and shimmering blue ocean waters, then to bird’s-eye-view footage of the Bravo topside aboard the Pioneering Spirit, shown in side-view, moving through the misty ocean.
Interview with Tony Waites continued
[Tony Waites]
Once we’ve lifted the topsides, that’s the point of no return, because you can’t put the topsides back down again. So basically, we have a clock that starts to tick. We have to sea fasten the topsides so it’s stable as we transport, and then we’ll turn around and install the leg caps with the navigational aids. That has to be done, including the 32-hour travel window, all within a 72-hour period.
[Video footage]
Again, we see low-angle time-lapse footage of the Bravo topside being lifted clear of its concrete legs by the Pioneering Spirit’s lifting arm system and then moving away from the legs as we track the Pioneering Spirit’s movement. This is followed by bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit moving away from the concrete legs with the Bravo topside aboard. We cut to wider-angle time-lapse footage of the Pioneering Spirit manoeuvring as it turns around beside the concrete legs. Next, we see a close-up of a leg cap being lowered on top of one of the Bravo platform’s concrete legs. Then, we see wide-angle bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirit anchored alongside the concrete legs, now with the leg caps installed. We cut back to close-up footage of Tony Waites speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against the background of the bridge of the Pioneering Spirit.
[Voiceover]
A 700km voyage lies ahead.
[Text displays]
700km voyage
[Video footage]
Side view bird’s-eye-view footage of the Pioneering Spirt moving through the ocean with the Bravo topside aboard, followed by a high-angle close-up of the surface deck of the Bravo topside being carried away by the Pioneering Spirit.
[Voiceover]
But the giant Pioneering Spirit won’t be taking Bravo all the way.
[Video footage]
High-angle footage of the shimmering surface of the ocean as the shot pans across the face of the waters. This is followed by a front-side bird’s eye view of the Pioneering Spirit moving through the ocean with the topside aboard.
Interview with Bethan Vasey continued
[Bethan Vasey]
The Pioneering Spirit sails down from the Brent field towards Hartlepool, and there, we carry out a transfer operation where the Iron Lady, which is an enormous barge in itself, comes and essentially docks within the Pioneering Spirit structure, and the two vessels work together so that the Brent Bravo topsides will be landed on top of the Iron Lady.
[Video footage]
Close-up of a ‘Brent B’ sign displayed against a corner of the Bravo topside as it moves through the ocean aboard the vessel. We cut to aerial footage of the topside aboard the Pioneering Spirit, and ocean water swirling below the moving vessel. Next, we see a close-up of a piece of equipment mounted at a corner railing, seen against a background of shimmering ocean waters. This is followed by close-up footage of Bethan Vasey speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against a blurred background. We next see aerial footage of the Iron Lady barge in the ocean, with tugs near each corner of the barge, and this cuts to wide-angle reverse view footage of crewmembers on the bridge of the barge, seen through large windows, as the barge moves into position. Next, we see low-angle footage of crewmembers working on the surface deck of one of the vessels; in the foreground, we see ropes and the railing and steel infrastructure at the side of the vessel. This is followed by time-lapse footage, by night, seen from various angles, of the topside aboard the Pioneering Spirit, and the tugs manoeuvring the Iron Lady barge in between the twin hull of the Pioneering Spirit.
[Voiceover]
The Bravo is lowered onto the Iron Lady by pumping out thousands of gallons of water ballast from the Pioneering Spirit, reducing the ships’ height by as much as 18m.
[Text displays]
37,000m³ / hour pump rate
[Video footage]
Time-lapse low-angle footage of the Bravo topside being lowered onto the Iron Lady barge.
Interview with Bethan Vasey continued
[Bethan Vasey]
Then, Allseas need to tow in the Iron Lady barge through the Seaton Channel towards the Able Facility.
[Video footage]
We see a video montage of the Bravo topside atop the Iron Lady, being manoeuvred down the Seaton Channel by the tugs.
[Bethan Vasey]
Now the barge doesn’t have its own propulsion. So we need four tugs to basically manoeuvre it down this channel safely, with the topsides sitting on top of it, at the right tidal conditions…
[Text displays]
200 metres long
57metres wide
[Video footage]
The video montage continues, as we see, from various angles, the Bravo topside atop the Iron Lady, being manoeuvred down the Seaton Channel by the tugs.
[Bethan Vasey]
So that we can sail all the way in, in one operation. And then, Allseas will manoeuvre it in and moor it alongside the quay at Able.
[Video footage]
We see wide-angle bird’s eye view of the Bravo topside aboard the Iron Lady, being manoeuvred into Seaton Port. This cuts to aerial footage of the surface deck of the topside aboard the barge moving through port waters. Next, we see wide-angle side view footage of the topside aboard the barge, surrounded by the tugs manoeuvring the barge through the port waters; overhead, we see white clouds in a brilliant blue sky, and in the foreground, seagulls fly and swoop over the port waters.
Interview with William Lindsay continued
[William Lindsay]
The barge is just coming in and we’re trying to line up the middle of the barge with that yellow stick. So the gentleman standing with the radio, green hat, blue coveralls, he’s the barge master, he is in control, he’s the only guy that’s communicating to the four tugs. And at the moment, they’re manoeuvring into the right place. We have to get this very accurate because we’re going to install the bridges to bring the whole lot down.
[Video footage]
Circling aerial footage of the barge with topside lining up alongside the quay at Able. This cuts to medium footage of William Lindsay on the quay at Able, speaking and pointing towards the Iron Lady as it lines up at quayside. We cut to a closer view of the Iron Lady manoeuvring to line up with a yellow stick at quayside, then back to medium footage of William standing on the quay, pointing towards the Iron Lady as he speaks. Next, we see medium footage of the barge master and other crewmembers standing on the deck of the Iron Lady, as the barge master speaks into a two-way radio. This cuts to aerial footage of the tugs manoeuvring the barge, then to a side view of a tug moving next to the barge, and finally, to another aerial view of the tugs manoeuvring the barge.
[Voiceover]
It takes ten hours to push the Bravo ashore so that recycling can begin.
[Video footage]
We pull back slowly on a wide-angle side view of the topside aboard the Iron Lady barge in port, and we see the sun starting to lower in the background.
Interview with Paul Corr
[Title]
Able UK HSE Officer
[Text displays]
Paul Corr
Able UK HSE Officer
[Paul Corr]
Shell want to do things right – let’s recycle it, let’s dispose of it correctly. And that’s what they done. They’ve come to Able and we’ve promised them 98%.
[Video footage]
Close-up of Paul Corr speaking to the off-camera interviewer; behind him, we see a pile of dismantled metal and industrial materials. This cuts to circling aerial footage of the surface deck of the Bravo topside aboard the barge at quayside.
[Text displays]
98% recycled
Interview with Bethan Vasey continued
[Bethan Vasey]
The Brent Field has been obviously part of oil and gas history for 40 years. And now, it’s amazing to see it both, first of all, come onshore, and then the way that it’s been processed and essentially sent away again in smaller pieces to be recycled is already pretty impressive sort of recycling of history.
[Video footage]
Extreme wide-angle time-lapse footage of the topside being moved along the tracks of the skidding system at Seaton Port, the entire process seen in daylight, then as night falls, and then in daylight again. Next, we see wide-angle footage of several workers at the Able yard, working with welding torches as they dismantle steel components; piles of dismantled metal can be seen in the background and foreground.
[Bethan Vasey]
And just being part of that journey, the final part of Brent, for me is like a massive honour and responsibility, to take it apart, to do that successfully and to show the industry that we can do a single lift dismantlement.
[Video footage and graphic]
We cut to close-up footage of Bethan Vasey speaking to the off-camera interviewer, seen against a blurred background. Finally, we close on time-lapse footage of the topside at the Able yard, starting to be dismantled; we see a crane moving about in the foreground as clouds race overhead. Centred over this footage is the Shell Pecten, with text displaying below
[Audio]
Shell brand mnemonic played on keys.
[Text displays]
© Shell International Limited 2019
Inside Brent Decommissioning
The Brent Story
Learn more about the Brent Field, our history and why we are now moving towards decommissioning the field.
Comparative Assessment
Watch a video on the Brent Comparative Assessment process.