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Thriving on nutrients from the North Sea

Last year, Aker BP, with the help of Allseas, removed the 2/4-G jacket from the Ekofisk field. The jacket was transported to Aker Solutions in Stord for recycling. It had been installed in the North Sea in 1981, and after 43 years in the ocean, the yellow steel was covered in marine growth and mussels.

Nutrients in mussels

Calcium carbonate
(from the shells)
Raises pH in acidic soils and strengthens plant cell walls.

Phosphorus (P)
Important for root development and flower formation.

Proteins and amino acids
(from the mussel meat)
Break down to provide nitrogen.

Trace elements
Small amounts of zinc, copper, and manganese.

Nutrients in marine growth (seaweed and kelp)

Potassium (K)
Important for flowering and fruit development.

Calcium (Ca)
Strengthens cell walls and helps neutralize acidic soil.

Magnesium (Mg)
Essential for chlorophyll production.

Micronutrients
Including iron, boron, manganese, zinc, and copper.

Organic Matter
Improves soil structure and feeds beneficial microorganisms.

Alginic Acids and Polysaccharides
Can enhance the soil’s ability to retain moisture.

Recycling Platforms

Aker Solutions is a leader in platform decommissioning and recycling. Each year, several offshore platforms arrive at Stord, and they appear massive when placed on the quayside, visible from much of the surrounding town.

The steel is highly sought after on the raw materials market, as the platforms are constructed with exceptionally high quality. The steel is melted down along with household scrap and turned into rebar for the construction industry. Aker Solutions maintains a detailed environmental accounting system, and their contribution plays a key role in making Norwegian industry sustainable and circular.

Organic Waste

Marine growth and mussels don’t smell pleasant when brought ashore. They start to rot quickly, and a strong odor spreads in the summer heat. The Norwegian Environment Agency has previously pushed for offshore waste handling by operators.

Now, Aker Solutions has entered into an agreement with an innovative company, Reve Kompost. They receive the organic waste and produce compost, which becomes nutrient-rich soil and organic fertilizer. Aker Solutions has cleaned the jacket, and Reve Kompost has taken in all the marine growth and mussels. The result: nutrient-rich soil for flowers.

Back to Aker

Rogaland County Municipality is currently finalizing the new bus route at Jåttå. Risa AS is responsible for, among other things, the landscaping along the road and has used 80 m³ of compost made from marine growth and mussels in the flower beds.

Now, flowers are blooming and greenery is thriving in front of Aker BP and Aker Solutions’ new office building, GNIST, in Jåttåvågen, nourished by resources drawn from our own history in the North Sea.