Mammoet, a leader in heavy lifting and transport services, has partnered with WellGear Group and Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) to tackle one of the world’s most significant gas well decommissioning projects. NAM, a joint venture between Shell and ExxonMobil, is overseeing the ambitious endeavor to permanently close every inactive onshore gas well across the Netherlands, including wells in the vast Groningen gas field.
The decommissioning operation will span more than a decade and involves shutting down approximately 800 gas production wells across 350 locations. To support the complex logistical and engineering challenges, Mammoet’s expertise will be essential, with its scope covering on-site preparations and managing the logistical flow of equipment, including WellGear’s specialized Plug & Abandonment (P&A) hydraulic workover units.
As a fully electrically driven system, WellGear’s P&A units play a pivotal role in sealing off the gas wells by filling them with cement caps, a method that has been chosen both for its environmental benefits and noise reduction capabilities. This innovative approach aligns with the project’s focus on minimizing ecological impact, especially given the scale and sensitivity of the terrain involved.
In handling on-site logistics, Mammoet’s responsibilities extend to the transportation, assembly, and disassembly of the P&A unit and its support gear. This includes moving approximately 50 truckloads of materials and equipment, ranging from pumps and waste tanks to essential accommodation units, to each designated site. The units will be transported using conventional trailers, pulled by powerful prime movers, while mobile cranes with lifting capacities of 100 to 230 tons will assemble and disassemble the P&A units at each location.
Where multiple wells are clustered together, a 450-ton Mammoet mobile crane can be deployed to facilitate efficient repositioning of the WellGear units between wells, a process internally referred to as “well hops.” This allows Mammoet to maximize time and resource efficiency, reducing the need for extensive reassembly in locations with concentrated well sites.
Mammoet’s engineering support goes further than logistics. Its teams are working alongside WellGear to develop detailed rig layout plans, ensuring all parts and equipment are stored efficiently at each site before assembly begins. Safety remains paramount, with Mammoet engineers designing safety drawings and location plans to mitigate potential hazards. In more remote areas, Mammoet is also advising on any necessary civil works, such as creating adequate space for the P&A units and other equipment, ensuring these sites meet operational requirements without compromising the surrounding environment.
Commenting on the project, Mammoet Project Manager Martin Alards remarked, “This is a significant project for Mammoet. It is the biggest gas well decommissioning program in the Netherlands, even the world. The Netherlands is leading in these kinds of operations, and with the world’s energy markets transitioning quickly, it is likely more countries will follow. Working with WellGear gives us the unique opportunity to take our combined approach to efficient P&A operations further, not only in the Netherlands but worldwide.”
As the Netherlands takes strides to move away from fossil fuel production, this project symbolizes a transformative chapter for the country’s energy sector. Mammoet’s role in this venture further solidifies its reputation for tackling complex logistics in environmentally conscious ways, underscoring the increasing demand for sustainable solutions in energy decommissioning.
