Well-Safe Solutions’ 1982-Built Rig Wraps up Triple P&A Campaign in UK Waters

November 3, 2026 · 1 minute ago

This 44-year-old rig has crossed the finish line at a multi-well subsea decommissioning campaign on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).

Aberdeen-based decommissioning services provider Well-Safe Solutions has brought to an end a three-well plug and abandonment (P&A) campaign across the West of Shetland and northern North Sea.

The company’s 1982-built Well-Safe Defender semi-submersible, which was originally constructed as the WilPhoenix rig, has completed work involving the plug and abandonment of three subsea wells, with the first delivered West of Shetland and the remaining two in the northern North Sea.

After completing its five-yearly special periodic survey (SPS), the rig mobilized to support Well-Safe Solutions’ first end-to-end well operatorship contract, undertaking P&A operations on a client’s subsea well.

The company emphasized: “This project demonstrated the strength of Well-Safe’s integrated offering, bringing together project management, subsurface and basis of design (SSBoD), engineering and rig capability within a single delivery model.

“This integrated approach provided opportunities to reduce cost, time and operational risk while maintaining a strong focus on safe and efficient execution.”