Allseas’ heavy-lift vessel Pioneering Spirit has successfully removed the Eider Alpha topsides from the northern North Sea. The safe, single-lift removal of the 11,640-tonne structure marks the start of a series of major dismantling projects for TAQA UK’s North Sea decommissioning programme.
Eider is the first of four TAQA-operated platforms to be removed under Allseas’ long-term engineering, preparation, removal and disposal (EPRD) contract for the Northern North Sea (NNS) facilities, which also includes Tern Alpha, North Cormorant and Cormorant Alpha.
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Single-lift operation
The operation followed years of detailed engineering, and a three-month offshore preparation campaign carried out by Allseas’ construction support vessel Oceanic – its first full topsides preparation project.
The Eider lift demonstrates Pioneering Spirit’s capability to perform large-scale removals safely and efficiently in the hostile offshore environment of the northern North Sea. The vessel’s advanced motion compensation system and stable twin-bow design enable controlled, single-lift operations even in challenging sea states.
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120,000 tonnes of offshore infrastructure
Following removal, the topsides were safely delivered to the AF Environmental Base in Vats, Norway, for dismantling and recycling in line with TAQA’s 97 per cent reuse and recovery target.
The Eider project is part of Allseas’ multi-year commitment to support TAQA’s decommissioning activities across the UK North Sea. The NNS contract – the largest single UK decommissioning award to date – covers more than 120,000 tonnes of offshore infrastructure. In addition, TAQA UK recently awarded Allseas the EPRD contract for the 33,000-tonne Brae Alpha platform in the UK Central North Sea.
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Conclusion to busy year
The safe completion of the Eider removal concludes a highly productive year for Pioneering Spirit, which in 2025 has lifted and transported more than 80,000 tonnes of offshore facilities across the oil, gas and wind sectors.
Picture: Pioneering Spirit removing the Eider Alpha topsides (photo by Allseas).
