Our Dawdon Short Sea Outfall Refurbishment scheme was awarded the 2024 ICE Robert Stephenson Small Project of the Year Award. Until its closure in 1991, Dawdon Colliery was one of the largest coal mines in the UK, which produced over 1 million tons of coal each year at its peak. Following its closure, the Dawdon Mine Treatment Scheme was constructed in 2016, which protects a vital source of drinking water to approximately 30,000 people in County Durham. The project involved the refurbishment of the outfall structures used to discharge mine water from the treatment facility into the North Sea.
Due to the aggressive tidal environment, the project involved detailed planning, with daily monitoring of weather and sea conditions. A team of specialist divers and marine plant in the form of a Jack up Barge, were used to access the outfall structures, which are located in the North Sea. The project included removal of damaged sections of outfall pipe, hydro demolition of the sea bed, placement of sustainable grout bags, placement of precast concrete units, complete with new pipework, and the installation of markers buoys. The project involved significant collaboration with specialist delivery partners to ensure safe delivery within an unpredictable tidal environment.
The award ceremony was held at The Crowne Plaza in Newcastle. The judges responded to the win saying “This was a hugely interesting project. The design changes and the final impact on the environment was impressive, given the exceptionally difficult site conditions brought about by climate change.”
Managing Director Paul Stephenson commented “I am delighted that our company was recognised for delivering this extremely challenging project, which required significant pre planning and relied upon the specialist marine experience of our talented site team to safely deliver’.
