The RAF system is moving into fabrication
Aquaterra Energy, a specialist in offshore engineering solutions, has reached a key milestone for its inaugural Recoverable Abandonment Frame (RAF) system, with fabrication now underway
The system will be part of the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), one of the UK’s most advanced carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, for which Aquaterra Energy secured a multi-contract award in 2025.
Developed as part of Aquaterra Energy’s wider legacy well re-entry and re-abandonment service, the patent-pending RAF system will address one of offshore CCS’s most complex integrity challenges by ensuring historic wells do not become weak points in future CO2 storage sites.
RAF enables a vertical well re-entry tieback method that supports re-entry, remediation, and permanent abandonment, while providing long-term assurance that intersecting legacy wells can be securely managed.
Aquaterra Energy believes the technology could reduce abandonment costs by up to £20 million per well and cut remediation timelines by up to 50%. By helping legacy wells to be safely and efficiently managed while remaining recoverable and reusable, the RAF system addresses a critical technical barrier to scaling offshore carbon storage at pace for NEP and future CCS projects in mature offshore basins globally.
George Morrison, CEO of Aquaterra Energy, said, “Seeing the first RAF system move into fabrication here in the UK is a major milestone for Aquaterra Energy and a strong example of what British offshore engineering can bring to the global CCS sector. Carbon storage will be critical to industrial decarbonisation, but projects cannot scale without confidence in the safe management of legacy wells. NEP is the first deployment of RAF, but it addresses a challenge we are already discussing globally. We see this becoming an important enabling technology for offshore CCS projects in mature basins worldwide, making that move from concept into fabrication is hugely exciting.”
Fabrication is being carried out by Derrick Services in Great Yarmouth, with additional components and specialist equipment sourced from the UK supply chain. Designed and manufactured in the UK, the first RAF system applies British offshore engineering expertise to the safe, long-term management of legacy wells.
NEP provides the offshore carbon storage infrastructure underpinning the East Coast Cluster. With a permitted injection rate of up to 4 million tonnes of CO2 annually from 2028, the project will play a critical role in supporting the UK’s decarbonisation objectives and is among the leading offshore CCS developments currently progressing globally. The RAF system is set to be deployed on the NEP expansion stores.
Rich Denny, managing director of NEP, said, “Aquaterra Energy’s RAF system represents an innovative and unique approach to the safe re-entry and permanent abandonment of legacy wells, helping support the long-term integrity of future CO₂ storage sites. Seeing the technology now move into fabrication is another sign of progress, as offshore CCS in the UK moves closer to large-scale delivery. This kind of collaboration is critical to delivering a world-class CCS network that will help decarbonise industry, protect jobs and drive long-term economic growth in the UK.”
