Cromarty Firth rig returns 'home'
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AN oil rig that left the Cromarty Firth in 2009 for a two-year exploration of oil reserves in the Falkland Islands has come back home.
The Ocean Guardian departed from the Invergordon Service Base in November 2009.
Its two-month return journey began on January 8 this year when it left the North Falkland basin and was completed last week after a successful period, during which major oil and gas prospects have been identified.
The rig is currently anchored in the Firth awaiting the departure of a large 120-metre subsea structure, known as a caisson.
Once alongside, the rig will undergo a lengthy refit. Its return to the 30-acre site in the Cromarty Firth recognises and takes advantage of one of Scotland’s finest natural and engineering resources and also demonstrates a commitment by rig operators to the Cromarty Firth.
The port has "never been busier", according to the Cromarty Firth Port Authority.
The Ocean Guardian marks the fifth rig movement within the Cromarty Firth in the last two weeks alone.
With another oil rig expected to come alongside by the end of the month, rig work is set to continue to be a key activity for the service base throughout 2012 .
The 120m caisson is the culmination of a nine-month project utilising the major modern fabrication facilities available at the Port.
Captain Ken Gray, chief executive of the Cromarty Firth Port Authority (CFPA), said: “The return of the Ocean Guardian to the Cromarty Firth demonstrates the expertise available and should support in the region of 300 local jobs during its stay.
"2011 saw 371 rig days alongside at the Invergordon Service Base. Inspection, repair and maintenance has always been a major focus for the Cromarty Firth, which offers some of the deepest water in Northern mainland Scotland and the necessary skilled workforce."
The primary functionof the CFPA is to protect the Firth and to assist in generating employment opportunities.
The estimated income to the Highland economy by the Firth, excluding crude oil exports, is estimated to exceed £100million per year.
