OGA supporting decommissioning initiative for suppliers
Offshore staff
LONDON – Three UK offshore operators will release information for a new initiative to give the supply chain a clearer picture of future decommissioning opportunities.
According to Britain’s Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), uncertainty and a lack of transparency on project timing has caused persistent difficulties for many service companies.
In response, the new Decommissioning and Repurposing Taskforce (DaRT) is piloting the Decommissioning Data Visibility project, with bp, EnQuest, and Spirit Energy agreeing to release field-specific decommissioning information, including schedules.
The OGA is presenting this data via interactive dashboards on its website to alert suppliers to work coming up in the medium term, so that they can invest in appropriate technology and training.
DaRT will look to expand the project next year to include more operators’ decommissioning plans.
The initiative applies to companies ranging from heavy-lift vessel owners, drilling contractors, and subsea specialists to onshore dismantling and waste management companies.
Users will also be able to see how many wells are to be decommissioned on each field and what subsea infrastructure, including concrete mattresses and pipelines, has to be cleaned and/or removed.
In addition, the dashboards display the weight of topsides modules and jackets earmarked for removal.
Neil McCulloch, DaRT co-chair and executive vice president, Technical & Operated Assets at Spirit Energy, said: “Cost-effective decommissioning remains a key Stewardship Obligation and a shared priority.
“In the government’s response to the Call for Evidence in ‘Strengthening the UK’s offshore oil and gas decommissioning industry’, transparency of the future decommissioning pipeline, setting and sharing appropriate KPIs and benchmarks, adoption and deployment of new technology, and mechanisms to improve market intelligence were identified as key priorities.
“The Decommissioning Data Visibility project, and OGUK’s new interactive tool accompanying their Decommissioning Insight report, will give the supply chain greater visibility of future work, which will enable more efficient operations in decommissioning.”
11/24/2021
