Work on New Sullom Voe Plant Started by Scotland Office Minister
Scotland Office Minister David Mundell visited Shetland today (Friday 21) to take part in a symbolic peat cutting ceremony to officially begin the construction work on TOTAL's new gas treatment plant at Sullom Voe.
Scotland Office Minister David Mundell visited Shetland today (Friday 21) to take part in a symbolic peat cutting ceremony to officially begin the construction work on TOTAL’s new gas treatment plant at Sullom Voe.
Speaking about today’s ceremony, Mr Mundell said:
“I am delighted to be in Shetland to mark an essential step forward for the UK’s energy security. With one-fifth of the UK’s remaining gas reserves, the West of Shetland fields will play a significant role in meeting our energy needs as well as providing jobs in the local economy and beyond. Scotland has the skills and technology needed to make the most of our natural resources and I wish TOTAL and Shetland the very best of luck in the new project.”
Mr Mundell joined TOTAL executives and members of the Shetland Islands Council at a peat-cutting ceremony at the site, where essential earthworks for the new £500m plant are being carried out. This site preparation phase of the project is scheduled to run until 2011.
The onshore gas treatment plant is just one key element of TOTAL’s £2.5bn Laggan-Tormore project, in which DONG Energy also has a 20% interest. The gas plant is due for completion in the Spring of 2014, with first-gas from the Laggan-Tormore fields expected to flow some weeks later.
Up to 700 jobs will be created during the Laggan-Tormore construction phase, with a further 70 permanent jobs being created once the fields are producing and the gas plant operational.
Roland Festor, MD of TOTAL E&P UK, commented:
“After what seems like a very long journey to reach this stage, we are delighted that construction work has now started on our Laggan-Tormore development. As well as extending TOTAL’s presence on the UK Continental Shelf, the project will help secure domestic energy supplies for the UK and provide both jobs and economic investment for the Shetland Islands - so we hope today’s ceremony is good news for everyone.”