bp begins removing its former mooring island off Castellón

bp has begun the main phase of dismantling its former mooring island off the coast of Castellón and the associated subsea lines. The work includes dismantling the structure and removing the pipelines that connected it to the refinery. The infrastructure, which was used for tanker loading and unloading operations, has been inactive since 2012.

From authorization to work at sea

Removal required an administrative and preparatory process. According to published information, the competent authorities issued a favorable report in 2025, and final authorization was granted in February 2026. During the second quarter, bp completed preliminary tasks, including detailed engineering and subsea inspections to check the condition of the seabed. Once the specialist contracts had been awarded, the work entered its main phase in the third quarter.

The former island ceased to serve its purpose when the refinery’s maritime operations were moved to other berths in the southern dock. The company says those port facilities continue to handle these operations today.

Oversight and environmental management

The project combines work on the visible structure with subsea operations to inspect and remove the pipelines. The equipment described includes remotely operated vehicles and professional divers, as well as specialist equipment to clean, cut and transport the materials.

bp says the project has technical oversight, an environmental monitoring and pollution prevention plan, and a waste management system to track the materials removed. It also says the waste will be managed in a designated area within the port and by authorized companies. These are measures announced by the company; the available information does not provide details of environmental monitoring results or allow the works’ final impact to be assessed in advance.

The 2011 leak

The facility has a significant environmental history: in 2011, a pipeline leak caused a fuel oil spill off the coast. The infrastructure was taken out of service the following year, when operations were moved to the new berths. The current removal completes the closure of a facility that no longer plays a part in the refinery’s maritime operations.