Malaysia’s largest offshore removal project now part of rig-to-reef marine habitat

Marine Masters has successfully completed its offshore scope for the decommissioning of the South Angsi Alpha (SAA) platform, operated by Hibiscus Oil & Gas Malaysia Limited. The campaign marks a major milestone in the repurposing of retired offshore infrastructure, with the platform’s substructure now resting on the seabed as part of Malaysia’s largest rig-to-reef project.

The SAA platform, located 130 km off the Terengganu coast, was a 4,000 mt weighing four-legged Mobile Offshore Application Barge (MOAB) that served as a full production facility for over 15 years. Following cessation of production, the topside and substructure were prepared for safe removal and partial reefing in line with Malaysian regulatory approvals. This marks the largest platform ever to be decommissioned and repurposed within Malaysian waters.

Marine Masters was overall responsible for the removal of the MOAB by making use of the reversed installation method and the removal of various associated components for safe onshore disposal. The jacket was cut at -55 meters LAT and vertically separated, allowing the sections to be laid on the seabed as artificial reef structures. Additional tasks included the recovery of all 13 conductors, the retrieval of four MOAB support legs, and the cutting and transport of the Wellhead Access Platform.

For this reason, multiple cutting edge techniques have been used and special procedures developed to perform remotely operated underwater cutting (assisted by ROV’s), high speed PVL hand cutting (by divers), set up efficient personnel transfer between the work barge and the MOAB up to custom designed lifting systems to avoid the use of expensive heavy lift vessels. 

The MOAB topside has now been successfully skidded to shore at Labuan Shipyard, and all loose items have been offloaded. The ENA WB400 accommodation work barge was demobilized at the same time, while the two transport barges are currently en route to their respective demobilization ports. This marks the conclusion of Marine Masters’ active offshore operations on the project. Although the offshore scope is complete, the project continues with the final handling and disposal of the topside components.

“This has been a highly successful campaign, with minimal delays and strong teamwork throughout,” says Danny Spaans, Founder & Director of Marine Masters. “We are grateful to our client Hibiscus for their trust in us and having given us the opportunity to show that the combination of our Oil & Gas experience and salvage mindset is key for the safe and cost-efficient execution of a fast track project like this. A special thanks to the Hibiscus project team for the pleasant and transparent collaboration.”

The South Angsi Alpha campaign stands as the largest decommissioning and reefing operation of its kind in Malaysian waters. A blueprint for responsible offshore retirement. The SAA decommissioning is part of Hibiscus Petroleum’s broader sustainability vision. The rig-to-reef initiative aligns with efforts to preserve biodiversity, enhance marine ecosystems, and promote sustainable fisheries and ecotourism in the region.

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