North Sea rig decommissioning to offer 'plenty of work'

05 September, 2010 Bob Keiller of PSN has predicted there could be up to 30 more years of solid drilling activity in the North Sea.

Rig decommissioning in the North Sea could provide more value and jobs for the UK economy than is currently predicted, PSN has said.

Bob Keiller, chief executive of PSN, an oil services provider, commented that his "gut feeling" is that current estimates that decommissioning could be worth $30 billion (£19.5 billion) to the UK are conservative.

Speaking to the Herald Scotland, he also suggested that there will be enough drilling activity in the North Sea to support an oil economy for some time.

"We see at least another 20 or 30 years of solid activity in the North Sea," he said.

Mr Keiller claimed that while many oil fields in the region are currently in decline, the decommissioning of rigs will provide plenty of work.

The comments come after PSN recently won a contract with Shell to assist with the decommissioning of a platform in the Brent oil field in the North Sea.
 

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