Oil wells that end well
Posted on
February 19, 2015 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
Remember before the referendum, readers, when the £30bn cost of decommissioning oil platforms was a nightmarish unaffordable millstone around a future Scotland’s neck that proved it couldn’t be independent?
It turns out it wouldn’t have been so bad after all.
Because as it happens, what we all previously thought was a dreadful crippling burden is now actually a massively lucrative business opportunity, which has apparently been denied to Scotland by the awful SNP government.
We’ll get back to you when we find out for sure which it is.
They think we’re all absolute idiots with the memory capacity of a janny-long-legs.
“Och the referendum was a few months ago, those Nats will have forgotten all about our lies by now”
:-/
The man really has no shame, does he? He also has no idea whether Scotland has the capacity to be doing this work, because the project he’s presumably referring to – the decommissioning of the Brent Delta platform – requires the whole rig to be taken in one piece. You can’t just shove that in any random harbour.
Incidentally, the Brent field has been producing oil for 50% longer than it was originally projected to…
Do we have a deinitive answer on who pays the £30bn bill here? Public spending via the govt or private spending via the Oil companies? And if it isn’t the Oil companies, why the hell not?
You couldn’t make it up….Oh wait…
What’s that I hear? Ah! The sound of tumbleweed!
If at first you don’t succeed, Lie, Lie,
and Lie again.
Murphy the numpty that keeps on giving.
Does that idiot never remember what he has said or supported in the past.
This is the union dividend, surely… 🙁
As many of us expected, branch manager Jim Murphy is proving to be a massive oil well of nonsense, providing a never ending supply of guff for WoS to pick apart on a daily (sometimes twice-daily) basis.
I’m so grateful that the Rev Campbell and his colleagues decided to stay on the front line after the referendum. It’s clear that the fight continues at a pace and most of the red tory BBC bombs have been taken out before they even hit the ground and explode, thanks to WoS.
It’s only a matter of time now, before the red tories panic and do something really stupid. And when they do, we will be waiting. Tick tick……
*Somewhere in a Tory head*
‘There’s bound to be some 16 to 24 year olds that
can swim.’
or, is it the sound of the cold wind blowing across the Antarctic wasteland outside this canvas tent, as he huddles there with his miserable companions and their doom-filled countenance? (Kenneth More)
The Red Tory Traitor Murphy said:
“This industry could be worth £30 billion. Yet we have the sight of a major rig being sailed down the east coast, past Aberdeen and past Dundee, where this work could be done, and into Hartlepool.”
____
Yes, indeed, you filthy (“Tailor” – Ed).
Thanks to scumbags like you and certain unions who encouraged people to vote No.
Its all part of this great “pooling & sharing” grand Unionist masterplan – Unionists pull the wealth from Scotland and share it around England.
Protect Scotland’s interests – vote SNP.
Another day, another piece of idiotic spin from an increasingly desperate Labour Party.
I spent many years as a local Trade Union representative (unpaid I should add) and realised that trying to out think some managers was simply impossible. Why? I constantly credited them with more sense (and sometimes more power) than they actually had.
I see parallels here.
Looks like he missed yesterdays announcement of a major deepwater harbour extension at Lerwick Harbour in Shetland, partly funded by the SG through its Agency HIE, aimed squarely at the Decomm market.
As Doug notes above, these things are big, and need very deep water for the size of vessel involved. Thats why its Shetland not Dundee.
Oh and who pays for it. The UK taxpayer through tax relief on decomm costs. Thats why Fergus Ewing was arguing before the september vote that the UK should cover decomm costs as they had benefitted from 40 years of Scottish oil.
My ex-husband worked on the Brent Charlie & that was 35 years ago so no, oil isn’t going to run out anytime soon despite what Dim Jim says to the contrary.
Claire Field Jim- you know the one WM was trying to bury announcements about late last year.
Do us all a favour & gie us peace. You don’t have clue.
Well if I remember right the yard at Nigg in Easter Ross where many a rig was built was supposed to be being set up for decommissioning of the North Sea fleet. Also just across the firth we have Arderseir the other arm of the Highland rig building.
With an area full of ex rig builders they have the knowledge to tear the feckers back down.
If anyone is in the area if they can comment on if this project is still ongoing?
Cheers
Amazed that a government with such limited powers is constantly slated for that which is out with its control. Trouble is too many folk still fall for this Labour/Daily Mail/Daily Express rubbish.
Just passed Montrose harbour on the train and its packed out with supply boats, as was Aberdeen this morning with an additional 15 boats anchored in the bay.
I’d always wondered about sort of the same point in relation to the hideous “transaction costs” that would have to be paid by business were we not to use sterling. Presumably that’s the costs of employing lots of people in new jobs to do the processing? If it was otherwise then competition among the banks would bring the cost right down. Not saying that’s what you’d choose as a system all things being equal nor ignoring the knock on effects on trade and so on. But if there’s a “cost” to something then that means that money is being spent and is it not usually on jobs? Maybe someone clever can tell me.
Bravo Stu (that sugar stash is obviously giving you the energy to keep going)
This all brings to mind…
“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits” – Albert Einstein
Or alternatively,
“Stupid is as stupid does” – Forrest Gump’s momma.
At some point, all of this inane contradiction & hypocrisy emanating from Murphy & Co has got to reach saturation point. To “drown in ones own shit” is very much the thinking.
Credibility in SLab is certainly being diminished rapidly and one can see McTernan’s subterfuge being and increasing annoyance that needs stifled by Milliband before the contagion of incompetence really does dent his chances in WM GE 2015.
Will we be shortly seeing some Labour (Northern Branch) staff changes?
Where is Brown with “Vow 2 – The Return” by the way?
OFFS
That’s the problem with lies and liars.
You do have to remember what you said the first time round.
Well? If you voted no which one is the lie? Are they both lies?
Do you still think your vote on September 18th was worth this treatment? You are being lied to and manipulated on a daily basis by this system of government, these parties. You could have been actively involved in setting up a system of government of your own by this point.
A second chance is coming, but it would speed things along no end if we had some representation with teeth in Westminster. You may even get that devo max you originally hoped for. Test the waters with indy lite sort of thing.
We have done and will continue to do our bit, but we could do with some company on the road. S’up to you though. 😉
Also what so wrong with Hartlepool in England? Talk about mixed messages. For christ sake the buffoon’s Vote NO you’re too small, poor, stupid 100 Towns tour, was all about pooling and sharing teamGB resources across the whole of the union. And now he’s raging away for the exact opposite. Whatever next from creepy Jim.
Hang on, do we think that Jim Sillars can sue for plagiarism on that, after all the only difference is Jim Morph-y has changed the word westminster to snp!
Accepting all Murphy’s toecurling revelations ( well summarised by Macwhirter today ) I had wondered why we shouldn’t limit carbon miles by recycling in due course all that steel off our shores.
Might mean reinstating a steel forging works, of course, but if aircraft recycling is to happen at Prestwick, something worth considering ?
I was hoping Murphy would win the leadership battle purely because I thought he was toxic, I hadn’t realised he was also not very good.
A twofer 🙂
Question: Why would taxpayers have to foot the bill for Private companies or PLC’s to decommision commercial oil rigs ?
The red tory suicide vortex continues to spin faster and deeper than a north sea oil drill. All kinds of shit are coming to the surface now. It’s about time the Scottish branch of Labour party was put out of its misery and decommissioned.
“It’s the UK’s oil, if Scotland becomes independent it should only get an 8.4% population share of it.”
So it’s the UK’s oil? Why – because Scotland is in a union with England?
Why then has it never been regarded as Europe’s oil? Is that union not the same, or is Scotland really ‘imprisoned’ in the UK. Scotland is ours to do with as we please attitude.
Westminster deliberately sucks Scotland dry by trying to shift as many jobs south as possible, trying to put Scotland on its knees. Hence,”too small, too poor…”
What about The Common Fisheries Policy, an entire industry ruined. Alex Salmond has stated that Westminster labelled all those jobs as ‘expendable’ to secure a better deal for other parts of the UK, when we entered the EU.
The man’s an equine quadruped’s rectum.
Isn’t that the pooling and sharing we were promised?
Poor Jims missed a chance of a hat-trick here
Get Old Firm fans pished at the fitbaw with ever increasing levels of rage after 2 hours of loud sectarian taunts and then let them aw loose within the boundaries of a decommissioned rig.
The thing would be torn apart by the morning!
Come on Scottish Labour HQ…lets think outside the box lads!
Hartlepool has an existing decommissioning site.
They took some old american hulk, that was seriously contaminated by God knows what (some horrible form of asbestos rings a faint bell), and stripped that down. I know at the time there was a lot of angst in the area about it but, as far as I recall, it went ahead.
The Cromarty Firth thing is a bit of a politcal football too at the moment. The company that owns the Nigg yard wants to have all traffic rights in the firth handed to them. The ports authority are none too happy. Seems that the Nigg yard owners will “close the yard” (where have we heard that before) if they don’t get their way.
I was part of the workforce that built the graving dock at Nigg and it was designed for building production jackets, i.e. the metalwork that supports the accommodation and production facilities. I’m pretty sure they didn’t expand into the construction of the modules that sat on top. Could be wrong though. It’s the decommissioning and scrapping of the modules that will be the costly part.
The jackets are “nailed” to the seabed with piles and those will have to be cut back to allow the recovery of the steelwork. Not sure what proportion of the cost will be ascribed to that but I’d guess relatively small.
SCOT goes POP has just released latest Scottish voting intentions for the May 2015 UK general election (Survation, 12th-17th February) :
SNP 45% (-1)
Labour 28% (+2)
Conservatives 15% (+1)
Liberal Democrats 5% (-2)
Greens 3% (n/c)
UKIP 3% (-1)
@ Tearlach mcdaid – Ta, useful info.
Remember folks. The longer Murphy stays high profile in the media. The better the election result will be for us. He is universally loathed. Also the chances of him making a catastrophic blunder before May are pretty certain!
The MSM and Murphy are now going after the Scottish Police! That might be their biggest act of stupidity.
“Get Old Firm fans pished at the fitbaw with ever increasing levels of rage after 2 hours of loud sectarian taunts and then let them aw loose within the boundaries of a decommissioned rig.”
Genius.
From Murphy’s time at Scotland Office in 2009
Figures buried in the Scotland Office’s Annual Report 2009 reveal that the total administration costs of the department have rocketed from £3.7m in 1999 to £7.2m a year in 2009.
Mr MacNeil said:
“Since devolution the remit of the Scotland Office has shrunk but its budget has spiralled out of control.
“The department supposedly stands up for Scotland’s interests in the UK Cabinet but Jim Murphy’s track record to date has been woeful.
“The Scotland Office has done nothing to release the £150m of Scotland’s money being held in a Treasury bank account which could be used to support renewable energy development. Nor did it take any action to prevent the UK Government’s potentially devastating cuts to the Scottish Budget in the teeth of a recession.
“When the Chancellor launched a disastrous attack on the Scottish whisky industry with a stealth tax hidden deep in his Pre-Budget Report, the Secretary of State for Scotland did not even seem to know about it.
“Instead, Jim Murphy would rather make party political points on his blog and publish nonsense reports that talk Scotland down.
One can only conclude that we are all absolute idiots because we’re clearly not going to do anything about this shite. What will it take?
A psychologists tell us, chronic liars need to keep lying in order to cover their lies. In time, they cannot tell the difference between their lies and the truth. It’s all truth to them.
Getting increasingly bored with and amused by Murphy and his sad antics. I imagine the average voter will be getting bored with seeing and hearing him too.
Been a bad week for Murphy and his little helpers. They just don’t stand up to even a little scrutiny. Once the voters see you as a hopeless joke there is no way back. (just as Miliband, Duncan-Smith etc.)
Arsehole….
I have visited the able yard in Hartlepool when the NW Hutton modules were being decommissioned ( cut up for scrap) and I can assure you we do not have anything with remotely the same capacity in Scotland other than possibly Rosyth, which is full if rusting nuclear subs.
Dundee has neither the facilities nor infrastructure for platform decommissioning
All Murphy is doing is grandstanding only this time his claims are baseless and easily debunked.
Been trying to post the youtube version of Pete Seeger’s song about politicians like Mr Murphy. It has not shown up so far, so here are the lyrics
When something in my history is found
Which contradicts the views that I propound
Or shows that I perhaps am not the guy I claim to be
Here’s what I usually do
[Chorus]
I lie
I simply boldly falsify
I look the other feller in the eye
And just deny, deny, deny
I lie
I don t apologize. Not me. Instead
I say I never said the things I said
Nor did the things some people saw me do
When confronted by some things they know are true
[Chorus]
I hate those weasel words some slickies use
To blur their past or muddy up their views
Not me. I’m blunt. One thing that makes me great
Is that I’ll never dodge nor obfuscate
[Chorus]
I often wonder how the back office discussions go before they agree to release this kind of drivel.
Who could possibly think that this is a good idea and that no one would remember the pre-referendum crap being spouted? It was inlay a few months ago for gods sake.
Every time I see that man it does my blood pressure no good.
Typical Murphy – an effect looking for a cause
Forgive my confusion here, but my head has just burst trying to figure out this latest extract from the Book of Murph:
Is he now advocating independence for Scotland? I thought he heroically faced down baying crowds of cybernat pensioners to get exactly the result he’s now decrying. According to him we are all one big happy Union so why complain that the potential work go to a part of this big happy all together now Union?
Why is he attacking the Scottish Government over this? Given that he fended off an egg in brave selfless defence of London’s right to determine oil and gas matters, surely it is to London he should be addressing his concerns about this?
When did his holiness the Murph become so anti-English? He seems to have a problem with English workers getting this potential project.
Like I said, I’m now really confused. But my take on the above report is that Labour now wants full independence for Scotland and is now an anti-English party. Of course, I may be totally wrong in this and it may be that Labour just can’t help lying through their teeth.
With Alistair Darling claiming last September ” some reports say the oil could run out as soon as 2017″ this £30 billion millstone could have been round our necks very soon.
Great that that nice man Murphy has turned it into an major opportunity.
On the assumption that Darling and Murphy are paid public servants and never tell lies,
I’m going to vote for him and move to Dundee to get a slice of that action which should begin in 22 months.
Dear Labour
i have another suggestion
Dont scrap these rigs, use them as locations for 80s style game shows!…I even have the name:
FORT BOYACK!
O/T Just finished watching Nicola on FM’sQ.
Another polished and assertive performance.
This lady’s stature grows daily.
It is quite clear that she holds the BEST interests of the Scottish people as her first priorty.
Is there ANY other party leader you could trust to do the same?
Nope,didn’t think so!
Let’s get out there and spread the POSITIVE message.
VOTE SNP!
O/T Once again BBC Scotland cuts short FMQs long before the 30 minutes is up but compound this by screening a Labour Question accusing SNP over education but not allowing the answer.
They would dare do that at Westminster.
Should say they wouldn’t dare do that to Cameron or Miliband
Macwhirter:
Murphy’s looking like the Wile e Coyote of Scottish politics. And we all know what happened to him.
Coyote always bounces back to create a new ploy and trap. He is only ever dazed, never deceased. He always returns to create more mayhem.
@ Craig Macinnes
That pooling and sharing.
Who knew it had a downside? 😮
He does have a point though….
If it is worth 30bn and the work isn’t going to aberdeen or Dundee…. then it is 30bn lost. If indeed it was the SNP’s fault the work has gone south then they should be hauled over the coals for that big mistake.
Somebody said Nicola is on QT tonight. Is that the case and who else is on/location etc.,?
@chossy
There are a lot of if’s in there. Ask yourself why there are a lot of if’s given that Mr Murphy has made a statement. Shouldn’t his statement have shown the evidence which demonstrates that there is no if about it?
Another stunning FMQ from Nicola Sturgeon. She hammered Kesia Dugdale into the floor. The Scottish Parliament desperately needs a credible opposition, but ain’t going to get it from this lot, who seem to be the sad Doggie Bags of their Westminster parties.
Wee Sandy, she was incredible and I am sorry but I did not catch the name of the other woman who after thanking the FM to boo’s from Labour said, “They don’t like it up ’em”. What a bunch of useless twats we have in opposition, surely even the slender ranks of both the Lib Dems and Labour can do better than this.
Time for the Presiding Officer to bring the monkeys to heel with the banging of desks and hooting.Absolutely childish but then looking at them some should still be getting an education.
There are regularly rigs in at Dundee for refurb, so not so ridiculous that some might be decommissioned there. It’s obviously easier to decommission once the rig is out of the water so I don’t see that deep water is a requirement. These are floating hull rigs with legs that Jack up though, no idea about other designs.
That said: The transformation from burden to opportunity is astounding.
It can get freakish seeing rigs at Dundee sometimes: Gorilla above houses
Yes I know but I can’t help it, reading the Scotsman forum the story on Curran saying Cameron is secretly pleased(if it’s a secret how does she know?!) someone called Alex Salmonds worst nightmare (must have taken ages to think that one up) is accusing Dr Morag Kerr and Stu of intimidatory tactics! Worth a read!
@ Chossy
Ask yourself which government has more control of north sea resource and which one is in a better position to offer incentives to oil firms as to where and how they do business with the UK? That’s if any government body had any kind of say over this entirely corporate decision. Which one?
Mr Murphy is screwing with peoples perceptions and memory of past and current UK gov/media narratives. His moral compass is so fucked up I doubt he could find tomorrows policy statement with the aid of a six man mountain rescue team and a GPS unit.
IndependenceLive now broadcasting from Glasgow against council budget cuts
http://new.livestream.com/IndependenceLive/BudgetCuts
The £30B was always a lie because the decommissioning costs are borne by the oil companies who retain title to all parts of the installations and are responsible for them. However, by agreement with the gov of the day the HMRC says that “Government will incur more than half of these costs through tax relief mechanisms” not direct responsibility for decommissioning.
From “Decommissioning in the North Sea”, a paper by the Royal Academy of Engineering (well worth a read) ,”Currently, HM Revenue & Customs estimates that the total cost of tax relief will be £20 billion or around 60% of total costs.” So it was never £30B wiz it Slabbers?
HandandShrimp at 12:39
She’s on with Heseltine, Caroline Flint, Norman Lamb and Duncan Bannatyne. It’s from Stockton on Tees so she should get some reasonable backing from the local audience.
Hand and Shrimp
Nicola is on BBC 1 Question Time at 10.35
chossy says:
19 February, 2015 at 12:37 pm
He does have a point though….
Read Wulls post at 12.10pm which explains why Dundee does not have the capacity to de-commission the rig.
Joemcg
LOL, I haven’t looked in on the Hootsman in an age. If anything it has got even more sub-Daily Mail. The last refuge of swivel eyed Scottish Tories.
O/T
FMQ a must watch. Deputy Dug is way out of her league. They even had the Fife MSP who never speaks asking a question to make Deputy Dug look better.
As for decommisioning it is a responsibility of the duty holder. It is a business undertaking. The government laid out the license requirments to remove structures and pipelines but they cannot dictate which companies an operator uses.
Perhaps if Scotland had the full set of fiscal levers we could make it more attractive to give the work to a Scottish base.
@ Clootie
Ta Dah. 🙂
@Grouse Beater
Wily E Coyote always reminds me of family Guy take that had a sad meagre Wily having to face his domineering wife after yet another disaster involving ACME Ltd Products. Cue his wife demanding he go and get his money back for faulty products but he only ends up with store credit. Suffice to say she is deeply unimpressed.
I wonder if thats the root of Jim Murphys constant attention seeking….would explain quite a lot!
Oh for a journalist that might ask Fud Smurphy where the
deep water harbours are in Aberdeen or Dundee.
Like investigative journalism and honesty in the Labour party, the do not exist.
Just another scare tactic to put in the Daily Rancid to ensure that the wee pensioner doesn’t vote to break the political cycle of deceive and plunder.
Jim should have mentioned that an English Marine Yard could have been opened in the waters north of Arbroath, where his party re-drew our maritime border with England.
Fud! You are the lowest form of life in this country!
PS With only a few weeks left until the election, have you
informed the people of East Renfrew of your intentions?
No! You don’t give a damn about them and you will keep as many options open as possible to keep your expenses rolling in.
If you’r going to tel wopping porky pies , then you will need a wopping great memory Jimbo Murphy, God we need to rid Scotland, of this cancer called Labour….. please god give us the courage to rip this tumour out of Scotland, for our children’s sake….
@Helena Brown
Thats Christina McKelvie, she’s a real firebrand when she gets going and funny with it, very likeable lady and right down to earth
Handandshrimp: The last refuge of swivel eyed Scottish Tories.
Swivel-eyed Tories. Don’cha just love ’em?
https://grousebeater.wordpress.com/2015/02/19/a-blue-tory-sees-red/
I do love how every week there are ‘New Impoved Labour/Tory/Lib Dem’ announcements in the run up to a General Election.
I can’t believe my luck – millions in cash and job opportunities will rain down from the skies. They promise us this that and the next thing. It’s going to be bloody wonderful..
If only they had good memories. Not two mins ago i was being told it was all doom & gloom. The forces of darkness would come knocking at my door.
I love how these ‘Announcements’ the press are so fond of Headlining in BOLD are being ripped apart by what the Parties said themselves two minutes ago.
They seem to forget the electorate they are trying to convince they are the party to Govern have memories too.
Honestly. We really are zipped up the back if we fall for all this shite (proliferated by pseudo journalists that don’t have the balls to question any of it, Oh Yes Jim, No Jim, 3 Bags Full Jim.. Whatever you say Jim..).
And that’s why I read Wings Over Scotland – for all your fact based political news (the news that your slimy politicians don’t like you finding out about, or thinking about)
Sometimes my drink gets spat oot at a funny post on Wings but today is the first I have spat oot my drink at one of the dumbest fucking posts I have read on here. Cheers chossy 🙂
A good liar needs a good memory, eh Jimbo. I am scunnered listening to this apology of a politician,
Away and dae somethin useful, like mibies tell East Renfrewshire if you are standing to be their MP, and, if you are, why should they vote for you if you mean to stand next year for the Scottish parliament.
I think I’ll go and lie down now in a darkened room for a while. Murphyitis is such a pain in the bahookie.
I see they’re frantically calling the Scottish Government at every opportunity the SNP Government now. It’s a good tactic but it’s coming across a bit “try hard” when it’s used at every opportunity.
It took them a while to use Government. At least that’s firmly rooted in the Scottish consciousness.
O/T Something I’ve thought about recently is that no party can be popular forever. The SNP benefit from a dual role as Governer and opposer of Westminster which prolongs its honeymoon period as they are still part establisment, part anti establised and comfortable.
This cannot go on forever and the people will look for change. That’s good for any country. It needs fresh ideas at some point. At some point, the SNP will have to renew itself somehow. I hope the Greens can present a challenge. If Scottish Labour would just fold and restart afresh it could have a chance.
Nicola is already a change. However, I’m looking beyond even the next year or two. There will need to be a new SNP type moment at some point a la new labour (without the rubbish policies). This is more cosmetic than real actually, in all likelihood, but should be thought about sooner rather than later.
Also, not one to comment on personal appearances but the photo of Murphy there. Did the photographer say put on your most concerned face or something. It’s just bizarre.
Vote Curran get Cameron. The Unionist luv in. They voted together against Scotland, at every opportunity. Curran devoted to the Tories.. Cameron/Uhionists, ‘SNP want to break up Britain’ Stupid, greedy corrupt Cameron doesn’t even know the geography or the lie of the land. A human impossibility, unless Faslane goes up and takes Scotland with it. Or climate change floods London S/E and it vanishes into the sea. Scotland rises high once again. Cameron/Osbourne not fit for Public office, lining their associates pockets with £Billions of public money. Public theft auto.
Renewables energy is taking over Oil revenues in Scotland just as Alex & Co predicted. Lowering the tax on the Scottish Oil sector by 50%, from 80%+ to 30% would mean no job or revenue losses in the Oil industry. If Scotland had contol over it’s Oil industry, the tax could be controlled and adjusted depending on price. Benefiting the industry and the economy.
@Chossy
Not that I agree in any way with your statements…
But if the SNP government were indeed liable here, then we’d have to take them to Newcastle to be “hauled over the coals”…seeing as the WM governments have closed all our Scottish pits.
And NO, Murphy does not have a point on this matter, try reading the posts above.
I would be pleased if I was Cameron and looking at Milliband and Murphy! Maybe Evo Stick Curran needs to look for blame, on her own party’s innability to form a government, or decent opposition.
Don’t forget that Cameron sucked labour into the unionists web, during the referendum. Such a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.
Instead they blame the SNP, and by default the electorate. For their own ineptness and opportunism.
Karma , Karma, Karma ..reminds me of an 80’s song.LOL
the Courier Article states that:
“…Mr Murphy laid out his vision of a Scotland that could rid itself of inequality.”
Labour have never cared about inequality – just the continuation of it. That they care about. The party has thrived on inequality. It’s what kept them as the majority party in Scotland for such a long time. If they cared about Inequality they’d have eradicated it decades ago.
I’ve heard Labour Politician after Labour Politician state the same for decades. It’s their ‘stock response sheet’ for when reporters question them… blah, blah, blah.. inequality.. blah, tackle.. erm.. blah.. squirrel
Labour care only for themselves and picking headlines out the sky for Newspapers to blindly regurgitate verbatim (with minimum thought process along the way..)
Labour List highlights that the Election is not about 30 Billion Oil Decom work, Policies, taking Bankers to task, tackling massive Tax Avoidance, tackling inequality/poverty, improvements to Education, not spending Billions on Trident, blocking TTIP etc etc…
It’s all about keeping Labour MP’s safe in their seats and cooshie expense account.
Nothing more, nothing less.
http://labourlist.org/2015/02/latest-poll-gives-the-snp-a-21-point-lead-over-scottish-labour/
“Once again, this poll offers a clear message to Scottish Labour – the battle to save seats in May is going to be an uphill struggle.”
Well it will be if you don’t offer a proper alternative. An alternative that doesn’t rest on your Referendum Claims coming back to biting you on the bum…
..and in that case, you truly are F**ked…
Why did he do it?
Why did Murphy take the job?
Prior to his 100-towns tour he was a fairly remote, broadly disliked Westminster chancer, occasionally popping up on the Politics Show to be humiliated by Andrew Neil.
Now? He’s a national laughing stock.
Remember when he stalled, stalled, as if desperate NOT to become Slab leader? What, or who, persuaded him?
Anyone looking at his behaviour in recent weeks might easily form the impression that the man wants out – without damaging his ‘reputation’ as a big-hitter, he has to give Millpond a mutually beneficial reason to hoof him. Why not, then, appear to be TOO keen. Too many ideas, too much activity. (There’s always one in the office or class who’s just that wee bit too hyper, eh? – everyone wants shot of them.)
That’s my take on it anyway – the guy didn’t want the gig, and yearns to be back in WM, where he doesn’t have to worry about pesky Scots annoying him. As things stand, he’ll be at the helm when the Labour party goes down the lavvy – his CV thereafter will be paper wasted.
I’m getting fed up running back and forth to TESCO to re-stock on popcorn. I think I need to buy a popcorn maker. I have seen one on T.V. in an advert about one of those matchmaker companies. I think when they have finished with it they might like to send it up here. 😉
Alternatively they could just send me the name and address of the maker of their popcorn maker. 😀
I’m also considering having a large container installed in the garden with the necessary pipework running into our house. What will it contain I hear you all ask. Well what else but Irn Bru of course. Murph the Smurph does not have sole use of Irn Bru and its containers, crates etc! The time has come for all of us to take a stand against Murph the Smurph and his usurping of OUR other national drink for HIS own ends! 😛
…… I just did a 5 minute search and found a few links from about march 2014 where dundee had 2.5m invested into it to repair and decommission oil rigs, there were similar stories from Aberdeen. Sorry folks but it does indeed look like the SNP have dropped the ball on this one.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/company-news/pdms-and-harlen-invest-in-rig-repair-unit.23822874
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-26819725
Deputy Dug doesn’t have to worry about being “gubbed” at FMQ’s – Reporting Scotland (BBC) did the spin for her at lunchtime.
It is an amazing coincidence the way BBC Scotland hits on the same themes every day as the Labour Party in Scotland. You would almost think that they were working together.
How much time have the BBC Scotland team given over to austerity cuts and the impact on the poor. the disabled or woman – zero.
Why would they when they can trawl through FOI’s on the NHS until they spot a spin. If not, they try to imply a Scottish Government link to Aberdeen dental health training school incidents OR go with Labour on nursery data (ignoring the almost 50% impreovement since the SNP came to power).
A real journalist would be investigating the impact of austerity cuts. From the European level which saw a 250billion Euro loan to Greece result in 90% going to service loans elsewhere in Europe and 10% actually to Greece. Leading on to the local impact in Scotland on the poorest families and the disabled.
It would be nice to have less of E. Bradford spinning NHS data and more investigative journalism and the impact on people.
…but that wouldn’t help Labour, would it!
I just tried to post a couple of links to articles showing dundee last year had 2.5m invested into it precisely for this kind of venture. However the post hasn’t bee published as yet.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/company-news/pdms-and-harlen-invest-in-rig-repair-unit.23822874
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-26819725
chossy says:
19 February, 2015 at 2:04 pm
Where do you suggest they take the money from?
Have a look at the work Manleson was doing before the 2010 elections to push renewables towards the NE of England.
Why would Westminster MP’s move investment towards SNP heartlands.
Scotland has a fixed budget so you sound more like Murphy than Murphy with that statement – “dropped the ball”
I think you are on the wrong site again.
He is unbelievable.
Lost for words with this utter garbage.
Dr Jim, thanks for that, she certainly made her point or I should say the calls of sook or some such thing, let her make her point beautifully.
I have always said that the SNP have the talent, and so did the YES campaign, that is the very excellent reason I always knew I was on the right side.
@Chossy
Here’s some grown up reading for you…
http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=b0fdf57b-f4c2-41e6-97a5-40fb5ff52383#solutions
The photo of Murphy in the Courier above is a cracker. The pilot light on his halo has clearly gone oot and don’t you think he looks considerably more haunted than usual?
@Joemcg 12.48 – If you archived and posted it here we would not have to darken the Scotsmans door !??
Sorry wrong thread, duh.
https://notesfromnorthbritain.wordpress.com/ This dude popped up on WoS twitter line but its a very weird BetteTogether read. It must have been hard negotiating anything with shills like this on the Smith Commission
eg
Scotland running Scotland “became a rhetorical vessel into which you could pour all your hopes and fears”
The good Prof also disowns THE VOW for obvious reasons but this quite amusing on the how and why Scots polls wont budge-
“In this environment, is the Union safe? It does not always feel like it. But, in Scotland at least, it should. If the economic case for independence was not made during the referendum campaign it would be even harder to make it now. The SNP’s modelling of an independent Scotland’s economy was based on what we now know were ludicrously optimistic forecasts as to the oil price. Whereas the SNP forecast an oil price of $113 per barrel, since September the price has crashed to barely $60 per barrel.
Alex Salmond’s Team Scotland would be leading Scotland to disaster right now had 200,000 No voters switched to voting Yes. We came perilously close to economic ruin, and I hope there is a full parliamentary inquiry into whether the Scottish Government acted responsibly in preparing the economic arguments about an independent Scottish economy. Optimism is not a constitutional wrong: but recklessness is.”
I chopped it up with paragraphs, but Prof Tomkins knows full well Scotland would not have been in control of our £1.5 trillion oil patch for at least another 18 months and Westmninster would still be in charge just as they are now. Stoopid facts.
Prof’s blog is from December and it would fun to see how his genius for that long to reign over you Scotland is coping with an even bigger talent/idiot like Jim Murphy.
“The Scottish Labour party also has an impressive new leadership team, although it is always harder for the opposition than it is for the government to set the agenda, or event to set the pace, doubly so when your new leader is not (yet) a Member of the Scottish Parliament. But Jim Murphy is talented enough to know how to turn that to his advantage. His eyes will be firmly fixed on the 2016 prize and he will not be overly distracted by the 2015 general election.”
Impressive SLab team Prof?
Its all just much more work than you ever expected for UKOK shills like you and Macternan, Bliar MacDougal, BBC vote SLab Scotland, Daily Rancid, P&J, Mail, SUN, Express etc
@Doug Daniel says:19 February, 2015 at 11:01 am:
” He also has no idea whether Scotland has the capacity to be doing this work, because the project he’s presumably referring to – the decommissioning of the Brent Delta platform – requires the whole rig to be taken in one piece. You can’t just shove that in any random harbour.
Oh! Come on, Doug! In the first place Scotland has been doing work on the biggest floating scrap since they made metal vessels. Inverkeithing has seen some of the largest floating things ever scrapped since such things have been built. Rosyth Dockyard can cope with very large vessels and Scotland has some of the best deep water dockings in Europe.
@Chossy
Apparently not builtvyet,so no good for present rig going to Hartlepool.Maybe for future rigx ?
Nice links, Chossy, but are you sure that the project isn’t too big for Dundee harbour as some commenters have suggested? If you can produce evidence that the project Murphy is on about is a smaller project that can definitely be done in Dundee then you are not quite set in your criticisms.
It will be £2Billion (over ten years) It doesn’t take £20Billion to decommission one rig. It’s nonsense. The scrap steel et will be sold to off set costs. It the excessive tax on the North Sea were lowered, (until the Oil price rises), would be no job losses or low profits. The Scottish economy is still performing well, even without Oil revenues.
Clootie says:
19 February, 2015 at 2:04 pm
It is an amazing coincidence the way BBC Scotland hits on the same themes every day as the Labour Party in Scotland. You would almost think that they were working together.
Bears, forests and lots of smelly brown stuff come to mind.
So he doesn’t still have a point here? I know it’s fun to be partisan but WHY is the fecking job going to Hartlepool?
@Helena Brown
Thanks Helena, Christina’s a working mum, does the school run
find her on facebook twitter out canvassing she’s everywhere and MSP for Hamilton while she’s making the dinner, you know the type..”shut yer face ahm busy” an absolute credit to the party
@ Chossy
Chossy please take the time to read some of the posts in reply to your original. The Scottish government didn’t drop any ball. And by the by, more than one bod who replied to your original post actually have some experience of working in the oil industry.
It doesn’t matter what was invested in Dundee and for what reason. The Scottish government aren’t the ones who control north sea revenue streams or corporation taxes, or licences, or any other power which may produce leverage and are therefore completely outgunned when it comes to offering oil companies incentives. The decision for where the companies do business resides entirely in the companies hands as is the responsibility for the decommissioning.
All of this is kinda the reason we’d like all control over tax and resource, so we could provide such incentives.
@ Macart and @ Chossy 12.58 I just blogged that site and did not see you guys there – get stuck in !!
Head Office London don’t want Murphy there. Causes trouble everywhere, deeply unpopular chancer. Murphy is the fall guy, desperate enough to take the poison chalice.
When the (crowing) Lamont resignation was announced,it seemed like a spoof. Did she go or was she pushed? It was unimaginable. The Unionists were all crowing at Salmond resignation. Now the SNP are not defeated but on the rise ever higher. Qui C’est la vie.
Where is Darling?
For those wondering how the BBC are able to repeat verbatim Labour party spin, it happens every Thursday without fail by an amazing coincidence or psychically who knows
I just can’t figure out how they do it
Let’s look through the round window with David Henderson shall we children into how the BBC uncovers new information that is a secret the Scottish Government don’t want you to know
Over to Eleanor Bradford
@Bob Mack
Cheers for that. It would be good to get future work defo. Little bit dismayed by some of the other posters but you and jackie are pleasant people, thanks for the response.
Cadagon-lol! Aye sorry it’s hard for me to post on here never mind do all that! Computer dunce me!
In case you missed it
Stephen Paton
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=25&ved=0CDcQtwIwBDgU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D8hdVepKGVTU&ei=qvTlVLP9B-HU7Aan4IGwBA&usg=AFQjCNHA5qGACWgmQiCfYlObKvG6U7sqmw&sig2=mTcQa-fxzshOF95bmv6upw&cad=rja
@Johnny
I’ve no idea, I just typed in “Dundee decommissioning oil rigs” and got a couple stories about investment etc. I’m not about to investigate it further. I’m happy enough to leave it at that.
Seems like there is certainly potential as another poster said about future work which would be grand.
Take your pick, Lesley-Anne. The first two may meet the demand, but I think the Argos one is most apt (even Harriet Harman would approve) 🙂
http://www.monsterchef.co.uk/Popcorn_Machine_Popcorn_maker_8oz.html?source=googlebase&gclid=CJaQtKmg7sMCFWjlwgodmiMAoQ
http://www.allianceonline.co.uk/professional-popcorn-maker-8oz-classic-jmpop0008-jmpop0008c.html?gclid=CNX4mNmg7sMCFUfkwgod51IA9A
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9077474.htm?CMPID=GS001&_$ja=cgid:18091995445|tsid:59156|cid:189934525|lid:98860276405|nw:g|crid:63055161565|rnd:4761429359343713338|dvc:c|adp:1o3|bku:1
@chossy
There’s a world of difference between repairs and decommissioning.
You obviously don’t have a clue what you are talking about.
Hartlepool has quite a lot of experience in rig work etc, they helped build some of them.
Murphy’s effrontery is annoying but people are getting really fed up with it. I bought two Nationals with my supermarket shop today and the guy on the till spotted the front page, which was defiled with another picture of Saint Jim. This was all it took for him to launch into an admirable little rant about a) how he couldn’t stand Murphy, b) how he had had his eyes completely opened to the conduct of the BBC during the referendum, c) how he regarded Labour as a party which had totally lost it.
All in all, the best scanning experience of my week so far.
Fair cheered me up, that did.
Heerema for instance…well known oil fabricators….well known to those that work in the oil industry anyway!
http://hfg.heerema.com/content/home/
@DougDaniel
He has probably noticed the mobile rigs that are often parked in Dundee docks (the most eastern part) for maintenance and thinks we therefore have the facility to dismantle a very much larger permanent rig. Even if we did so, it would block the dockside there and so stop the mobile rig business.
I am really, really struggling to think of any space in Dundee where you could do this work. Maybe if we halt the waterfront redevelopment we could replace it with a toxic junkyard right in the middle of town.
Why is it going to Hartlepool? Here’s the company that’s been doing it, since 1985 as at happens.
http://www.ableuk.com/operations/marine-decomission/
Who in Scotland does it, and for how long?
Regarding decom costs, it is my understanding that they are fully paid by the licence holder. They can and have claimed decom costs offest against petroleum tax paid, so NIL cost to government, but lost tax revenue…
O/T
I came across this the other night and thought you guys may find the first twenty or so minutes interesting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b051w148/eorpa-series-22-episode-10
It is interesting look at not only the subject matter ie: the privatisation of the Republics water supply but also the effect this is having on consumers.
It also gives us a good insight into the publics responce in Ireland to seven years of Austerity.
Check out ‘ Planet Oil’ BBC 2. It explains the true history of the Middle east and how Westminster /Washington took Iran, Iraq’s Oil and the Middle East resources. The Suez crisis. The actual historical documents of how Iran was destabilised the PM smeared and eventually put in prison, to ensure Iran did not get the rights and profits to their own resources but Westminster – Churchill, illegally stole the Oil resources. Just like they have done to Scotland’s resources from 1970’s.
Westminster/Washington are starting the same carry on for Ukraine resources and using the same campaign against Putin, trying to destabilise Russia. It will end up in World depression. It always rebounds and takes the Western economies down. That doesn’t stop these despicable people. The Ukraine President replacement/puppet is the one who stole £Billions from the Ukrainian people during the transition. A multi-billionaire. Merkel refused Ukraine a ‘austerity’ loan, and thousands of innocent people have died. Once again. A multi-billionaire protecting the fortune.
Choosy,
I’ve just read both your links, they talk about repair and fabrication of sub-sea modules, de-commissioning rigs is not mention. As someone stated earlier in the thread Tay is not deep enough.
@Chossy
As quoted from the Decommissioning Industry forum…
“…Therefore Shell’s decision to bring forward the submission of their Decommissioning Programme for Brent’s topside to DECC was clearly not a knee-jerk reaction to falling oil prices, but as a result of a long term understanding that the field is nearing the end of its life and the structures will soon not be needed.
What’s more, the submission allows Shell to implement its rigorous project plan for removal of the topside, which in turn allows planning for its dismantling and recycling.
The last two elements will take place in 2016 at the Able shipyard in Hartlepool. By bringing forward the submission of its Decommissioning Programme, Shell is supporting Able develop a world class on shore decommissioning and recycling facility which should ensure the continuity of jobs that have been, and will be, created at its yard”
Note: Department of Energy & Climate Change = DECC = UK Gov
The Scottish Government do not have the fiscal levers to intervene, so owners such as Shell et al can only do business with those holding the power.
I work in the industry and cannot start to tell you the frustration that is felt where-by further investment, revenue and skills growth is denied to us here in the Scottish sector of the industry. There is (deep-water) potential to deal with all the decommissioning portfolio in Scotland, but…
When losses are being felt within the industry, one can get a tad touchy at all the loose and mis-placed commenting from so-called politicians & Co.
i really couldn’t make up shoite like this if i tried
Murphy is a gift, whit’s he slabbering about now 🙂 He puts the Slab the Slabber. They should name a town after him. Oh wait they have, Leatherhead XD
Their is no yard in Scotland that could handle this type of decommissioning, the top of this rig will be lifted in its entirety by a purpose built ship, the Tay is to shallow and the Forth Bridge blocks the entrance to the Forth for such a giant vessel with an oil rig perched on top. The rigs which come to Dundee for repairs are tiny compared with this rig.
However the general term decomissioning is mentioned. Look you’se can all get your panties in a bunch, I’m simply stating that the SNP may have got it wrong. I was jumped upon, told I was probably in the wrong site and was handed a link for some ‘grown up reading’ and then told I have no idea what I am talking about….. I know!! I’m just some dude sitting looking at the internet and finding whatever information I can.
Cheers for the solidarity there brothers, jeeso. You are chasing your own people away with attitudes like that. I’ll no bother posting again I’ll leave it up to you grown ups.
@Chossy
If you are still reading, lol, I believe Nigg Bay at Invergordon is getting ‘deeper’ so might be able to take decom work in the future, whilst aberdeens own harbour is also being expanded, but that wouldn’t fit for decom work, more the larger vessels that are used in the deeper areas.
I think if you look at Jim now after, a few months in the job. A picture paints a thousand words. He looks lost and bricking it.
Gone is the smug smile. Replaced by a grimace of fear and self loathing. He has been set up by Labour. However it’s his own fault for being a liar and a charlatan.
Fundamentally what has happened is he has been found out for the pretender he is . He has fooled a lot of people in his life to get where he has. His career is not one based on talent. It’s based on brinkmanship and creating an air of intelligence and confidence.
Underneath all of this is a deeply insecure and conceited individual. He knows he shouldn’t have got where he has based on what he knows of himself. That’s where the haunted look comes in. He is living in the ether.
When out canvassing in EastRen had a guy say he hoped the SNP candidate ‘gubbed’ Murphy, metaphorically speaking.
BTW we still don’t have confirmation of him stamding.
It appears that he might be waiting for the results of the ‘mass’ canvassing by Populus asking very specific questions about Labours policies.
I need some clarification here.
My confusion arises from the combination of the two statements in the OP and some of the information provided below the line. I hope someone here can sort it out, if I can explain my problem
As I understand it, the original report said that Scotland would have to pay £30 billion for decommissioning, if the country voted for independence in September.
I infer from one of the BTL posts that this decommissioning has been brought forward, so it is perhaps true that it was not anticipated that it would be done till after independence was in place, if the vote was yes.
Others have said that Scotland does not have facilities to decommission, and that the work would have to be done elsewhere
If all of that is true, then it seems correct to say that it would have cost the oil company that sum to decommission, since they would have had to pay a yard to do it.
But that is complicated by the fact that I also read that there is a cost to the government in the form of tax foregone. However I am not at all clear why there should be tax relief on decommissioning, and certainly not clear why an independent Scottish government should agree the exact same arrangements as the UK government has.
In the event we are not independent. The position for the UK government is that the work goes to a UK yard. As I understand it the company pays the UK yard £30 billion, and that money goes to the yard and to the work force, in the form of taxable profit and wages. The uk government forgoes the tax on the cost of decommissioning because it is a legitimate business expense, presumably: but taxes that same money at the other end. (that is not to argue that the costs should be allowable: I tend to think not, because I think companies should pay to clean up their mess when they are done. But that is another argument). That being so the Scottish government would not have been in the same position as the UK government if it is true the work cannot be done here. Therefore why would they make the same arrangement?
Can anyone explain where I have gone wrong?
The owners of the oil wells are contractually required to pay for the clean up. Standard marine law.
Posted references to this over a year ago.
Does anyone remember the 5 facial expressions on 5 Boys Chocolate?
I think his camera man asks Fud Smurphy to go through them daily:
hesitation, consternation,persperation, deterioration, desperation
More Faces than a Swiss Watch Facory!
@ Chic McGregor
Doesn’t really address my question: and it seems to me that it is pretty meaningless if the cost is subject to tax concessions of the sort noted above, to any great extent
Dundee harbour is deep enough for this work and we are already doing refurb work on full platforms
This work would be more than welcome in dundee and im sure the snp government will do all that is possible to help this happen.
Stick to trying to fuel trouble at football matches Mr murphy.
@Grouse Beater says:19 February, 2015 at 12:33 pm:
” … Coyote always bounces back to create a new ploy and trap. He is only ever dazed, never deceased. He always returns to create more mayhem.”
Aye! Grouse Beater, but Coyote is a cartoon and Murphy is a cart o (Insert preferred type of disgusting matter here).
@Helena Brown says:19 February, 2015 at 12:46 pm:
” … Time for the Presiding Officer to bring the monkeys to heel with the banging of desks and hooting.”
What I do like about Presiding Officer, Tricia Marwick, is that she cuts short the political abuse by the person speaking and tells them to get on with the question. These numpties seem to thing that First Minister Questions is meant for abusing the FM and the Government.
@Marie clark says:19 February, 2015 at 1:35 pm:
A good liar needs a good memory, eh Jimbo. I am scunnered listening to this apology of a politician,”
Ach No! Marie – Labour disna dae apology.
I’m still waiting for Jola to apologise for her use of a fake rape case and Baillie’s apology for claiming the SNP presided over the Hospital Acquired Infections Capital of Europe while using the figures from when her own party was in power.
@chossy says: 19 February, 2015 at 2:04 pm:
” …… I just did a 5 minute search and found a few links from about march 2014 where dundee had 2.5m invested into it to repair and decommission oil rigs, there were similar stories from Aberdeen.
Might one suggest, choosy, that a 5 minute search hardly qualifies you as an oil rig, or maritime construction, expert. Suffice to say there are large degrees of difference between the types and uses of rigs and platforms.
Might I also remind you that Burntisland Shipyard has a long history of rig building and repair but there are certain differences between building rigs, repairing rigs and decommissioning and scrapping them. One being that new construction uses new and uncontaminated materials while scrapping then deals with decades of toxic materials.
You do realise, don’t you, that certain people posting here have spent lifetimes in the maritime construction industry and working in the oil & gas industry.
@chossy says:19 February, 2015 at 2:10 pm:
“I just tried to post a couple of links to articles showing dundee last year had 2.5m invested into it precisely for this kind of venture. However the post hasn’t bee published as yet.”
So you’re not an expert on how the internet and WoS works either then, choosy?
@Cuddis says: 19 February, 2015 at 2:21 pm:
“The photo of Murphy in the Courier above is a cracker. The pilot light on his halo has clearly gone oot and don’t you think he looks considerably more haunted than usual?”
Now you mention it I saw Danny Alexander on the box a few days ago and he looked really bad. Eyes all bloodshot and dark circles around the eyes. Looked a rather haunted and worried figure. Methinks he has seen, “The moving finger and the writing on the wall” : –
“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”
? Omar Khayyam
Dales voe south will be competition for hartlepool. Good. It needs to be made competitive. We have alternatives as mentioned. This work will go out to tender and we must secure as much as we can.
The SG has already had a decom steering group in place for a number of years. I trust we will eventually take the lion’s share of the work. A decom supply chain has also been established. Murphy talking pish as usual.
There is also the small matter of around 1000 subsea wells needing to be plugged and abandoned. The industry in Scotland is gearing up for this work right now. Decom could be a new industry in it’s own right.
We could then use our new found expertise to secure contracts around the world. Making us a ‘centre of excellence’ for this type of work is, I believe the SG’s intention.
There will however need to be adequate environmental safegaurds, there will be some right nasty stuff lurking in process pipe work / vessels etc of the topsides.
There is just so much work to be done. Basically the sea bed needs to be cleared of all facilities and what can’t be economically removed needs to be under the ‘mudline’. A trawler then surveys the area with a net and any net content is surveyed to ensure the site is clear.
Not sure what they will do with the really big steel jackets and concrete gravity bases though…. Ninian central anyone? What will we do with that big mutha? 🙂
I was at an energy seminar at Aberdeen Uni in 2008 – talks and Q&A sessions from academics plus representatives from BP and Shell. Not only were they all enthusiastic about the enormous renewable capacity in Scotland, it was also discussed about decommissioning costs in the event Scotland broke away from the UK.
It was their view that the rigs were build as UK infrastructure, and that decommissioning cost would therefore be shared by the entire UK. Makes sense. I imagine that in a post independence situation there would be some kind of pro-rata deal done, but rUK can’t just wash their hands of it given that North Sea Oil has propped up the entire UK economy for decades.
So in my view any claim that Scotland alone bears the brunt of decommissioning costs it utter nonsense and should be ignored.
And as Wuffing Dug says above, the legislation states that everything must be cleared and put back to a natural state, including the sea-bed, or as close to it as possible. There’s a huge amount of skilled work required to properly decommission.
Oh yeah, …if only there was an oil fund to pay for it. Everyone knows its coming eventually. Doh!