Offshore decommissioning simulator launched in Aberdeen

A simulator to teach skills involved in offshore decommissioning of oil and gas facilities has been set up in Aberdeen.

Robert Gordon University said the new equipment was a world first, and was similar to testing pilots on flight simulators.

It focuses on well-plugging and abandonment, a growing sector worth billions of pounds.

Prof Paul de Leeuw, director of RGU's Oil and Gas Institute, predicted it could enhance safety and reduce costs.

He said: "Operators and drilling contractors will be able to use the simulator to develop the technical and non-technical skills and capabilities of their rig crews for decommissioning wells, while improving team performance."

In 2015, a major conference heard offshore decommissioning was a new beginning for the North Sea industry.

It could mean hundreds of new jobs requiring a new kind of expertise in the coming decades.