The decision by Shell to re-use the Brent Spar installation rather than dump it at sea was welcomed by Greenpeace yesterday, writes Graeme Smith.

However, although they said it was ''the beginning of the end of the Brent Spar affair'', they criticised the international oil operator for taking two years and spending millions of pounds to come up with its conclusion.

Shell announced yesterday Brent Spar would be re-used and recycled under a #26m proposal by a joint venture company set up by Aberdeen's Wood Group and Maritime GMC of Stavanger. It is to become the base of a new ro-ro ferry quay near Stavanger.

Announcing the decision, Mr Heinz Rothermund, Shell Expro's managing director, said: ''This solution is not, and never can be, a precedent for other offshore structures. We have been explaining for three years that Spar is unique. This is a 'one-off' structure.

''Finally, it is a solution that was not available to us when we first considered decommissioning the Spar in 1991,'' said Mr Rothermund.

Greenpeace believes the way is now clear for a permanent ban on dumping decommissioned offshore installations in the ocean. Mr Chris Rose, its Brent Spar campaign director, said: ''Shell has taken over two years to accept what the European public told it in 1995.

''You don't dump - you re-use or recycle. Shell should accept dumping at sea is wrong in principle and unnecessary in practice.''

He said there were up to 600 installations to be decommissioned in the European Union and Norwegian waters, many being considered as candidates for ocean dumping by the UK and Norwegian governments.

Shortly after Shell decided to reconsider deep-sea dumping, the Oslo-Paris Commission (OSPAR) which is responsible for preventing pollution in the north-east Atlantic announced a moratorium on the dumping of installations.