'Sleeping giant' visit sets scene for future
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MORE than 90 delegates from the oil and gas sector visited the dry dock at Kishorn in Wester Ross this week to see the results of new investments made to ready it for future energy sector contracts.
The visit was organised by Kishorn Port Limited (KPL), the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to showcase Kishorn’s capabilities following the redevelopment of the dry dock and yard.
The site was developed in the 1970s as a manufacturing and fabrication yard for oil platforms, with more than 3000 employed at the site in 1977 during the construction of the 600,000 tonne Ninian Central Platform.
As one of the largest dry docks in Europe, the facility was also central to the manufacturing of the two Skye Bridge concrete caissons which were floated out in 1994.
HIE invested £158,932 in a £450,000 project in 2017 to completely refurbish and upgrade the dock in readiness for new contracts. The 160m-long dry dock gates have been overhauled, the site cleaned and a new access road has been created which leads into the dry dock.
KPL also received £800,000 from the Scottish Government’s Decommissioning Challenge Fund last year for infrastructure upgrades at the dry dock, making it Bureau Veritas approved and open for business.
KPL director Simon Russell, said: "The day provides a great opportunity to demonstrate Kishorn’s readiness to engage in a wide range of oil, gas and energy related projects. We are currently pursuing a number of live enquiries which could see the yard and dry dock resurrected in the very near future. After 10 years of effort and investment at Kishorn, it is great to be on the threshold of awakening the ‘sleeping giant’."
Audrey MacIver, HIE’s director of energy and low carbon, said: "The dock has huge potential, particularly in the decommissioning of floating structures and platforms which can be removed in a single lift, renewables and aquaculture. It would be great to see it coming to life again, providing valuable rural jobs, contributing to both economic and community growth and the wider competitiveness of the region. We believe it is now only a matter of time before the facility witnesses a long line of decommissioning and construction projects."
Bill Cattanach, from the OGA, added that was important to have a range of fit-for-purpose facilities ready to accept major projects to create competition in the market place.
"KPL has been foresighted and invested money to bring the old dock back to its former glory making it a real option for oil companies to include in tender lists," he added.
Liberty Steel which operates the nearby aluminium smelter in Fort William also attended the event to talk about its plans to produce new steel from recycled material. This, in conjunction with offshore infrastructure recycling at Kishorn could create an efficient circular economy opportunity within a very small geographical footprint.
A presentation was expected to be made by Gavin Mackay, head of oil and gas at Highlands and Islands Enterprise on the strategic importance of Kishorn in the Scottish decommissioning sector. Sean Parsons from Liberty Steel was due to talk about the potential for recycling and the so-called "circular economy".
The Regulators were due to be given an insight into the regulatory framework that supports the industry and Helen Murchison, the chair of the local community council, offered a personal recollection of the Kishorn yard from its heyday in the 1970s and ‘80s.
