Aker Solutions completes Gyda decommissioning project
The Gyda decommissioning and recycling project has officially ended. Over the course of the project, 28,000 tons of material have been dismantled with an impressive recycling rate of 98.5%.
The Gyda platform was built at multiple Norwegian yards in the late 1980s. The steel substructure was delivered by Aker Solutions’ yard in Verdal, while the topside was constructed by Aker Solutions’ yard in Egersund and Worley Rosenberg in Stavanger. It was originally installed on the Repsol-operated Gyda field in the southern North Sea near Ekofisk.
Production began in 1990 and was shut down in the fall of 2021. Aker Solutions (then Kvaerner) signed a contract with Allseas on September 20, 2019, for offshore preparations, reception, dismantling, and recycling of the Gyda platform. In 2022, the platform deck and substructure, weighing a combined 28,000 tons, were transported to Aker Solutions’ decommissioning facility in Stord by Pioneering Spirit.
To ensure safe and productive deconstruction of Gyda, the Aker Solutions decommissioning team developed a machine-based method to dismantle the Gyda platform. By bringing section after section of the large platform down to the ground and within reach of the heavy-duty cutting equipment, they ensured an efficient and controlled demolition process.
Johan Fredriksson described the process: “We peeled the platform layer by layer, ensuring a safe and controlled dismantling. Placing structures on the ground is a key part of Aker Solutions’ machine-based method, enabling safe and efficient dismantling. The HSSE benefit lies in reducing manual labor and minimizing work at height.”
Twelve toppling operations were executed on Gyda. The largest, on October 19, 2023, sent the 18,000-ton topside to the ground. Approximately 50 kg of explosives were used, distributed across 28 charges placed on the legs and diagonal braces.
Recycled steel from Gyda has resulted in 40,758 ton less CO2 emissions compared to producing new steel, highlighting the crucial role of recycling in reducing industrial carbon footprints.
