Today (November 12) Oil & Gas UK and Decom North Sea jointly publish the ‘Adoption of Novel Solutions’ report commissioned from consultant engineers, Arup, to provide industry with guidance on good practice in identifying, qualifying and adopting new technologies used in the decommissioning of offshore assets.
Mick Borwell, Oil & Gas UK’s environment director, said: “With 22 billion barrels still to be recovered from the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) it is widely recognised that our collective energies must focus on maximising economic recovery of our indigenous resources. This is also a key factor in ensuring there is a predictable and steady cash flow for supporting decommissioning activities as the basin matures. We are taking the initiative to help an efficient decommissioning market emerge as part of, and alongside the industry’s continued and sustained capital investment programme.
“By increasing collective understanding of how our sector can carry out decommissioning activities in a safe, environmentally sound and cost effective way through the adoption of novel technology, including remotely operated tools for access and inspection, and new methodologies to streamline processes, we can improve the efficiency of projects across the basin. Oil & Gas UK and Decom North Sea have worked together to ensure this report provides potential innovators with a clear process to bring into the UK market new solutions which have the potential to deliver cost reductions and manage activity more effectively. Ensuring the UK develops expertise in this area will also increase our competitive advantage and our opportunity to export skills, services and products to other maturing oil and gas provinces.”
Karen Seath, chief executive, Decom North Sea, said: “As with any emerging industry, a willingness to adopt innovative solutions will have a profoundly positive effect upon the efficiency of decommissioning. There is vast opportunity available in the sector for novel and cross-sector approaches, and it’s a chance for industry to flex its innovative muscle.
“Commercial constraints and industry opinion are common obstacles to the acceptance of innovation. However, projected statistics make it clear that decommissioning must be undertaken as efficiently as possible, and a crucial step is to ensure we accept, invest in and push innovation forward.”
The report, produced by Arup, includes case studies from other sectors, including the nuclear industry, and seeks to identify the barriers preventing adoption of novel solutions. It provides recommendations on how the industry and other stakeholders, including the Government and the Oil and Gas Authority, can drive an innovative culture in the decommissioning marketplace.
Jacob Alhqvist, Project Manager, Arup, added: “Throughout this process it’s been clear that North Sea operations are a breeding ground for innovative technology and new methodologies. What’s particularly interesting, however, is the significant challenges that traditional business practices create. Open minded and progressive organisations will greatly benefit from studying other industries and support from regulators. We hope that this report will lead to the development of a culture that nurtures innovation and ultimately have a positive impact on the decommissioning process.”
Further information about the ‘Adoption of Novel Solutions’ report is available here .
For further information, please contact Lucy Gordon on 01224 577331 or lgordon@oilandgasuk.co.uk.