ABERDEEN-based Decom Energy has teamed up with European oil services firms to create a business the partners think can become a leading player in the global market for oil and gas decommissioning work.

The Fairfield Decom venture will combine the expertise offered by Decom Energy, Heerema Marine Contractors of the Netherlands and Norway's AF Offshore Decom. It will have headquarters in the Granite City.

Managing director Graeme Fergusson said Fairfield Decom will be able to offer the kind of integrated service for dealing with late life assets that oil and gas firms want.

The venture expects its approach will help simplify the decommissioning process while supporting regulators’ efforts to reduce the total costs of the North Sea clean up by 35 per cent, to less than £39bn in 2016 prices.

Success in the UK North Sea could help the firm win business overseas.

Decom Energy developed out of Fairfield Energy, which decided to focus on decommissioning after ceasing production from the Dunlin field north east of Shetland in 2015.