Accelerating the understanding of Australia's decommissioning challenge

Ageing offshore oil and gas platform Ageing offshore oil and gas platform

September 24th, 2021

We’ve been awarded two projects by the Centre for Decommissioning Australia (CODA) to reframe Australia’s energy transition and decommissioning challenge as a shared economic, environmental, and social opportunity. 

 

In Australia’s offshore oil and gas sector alone, more than AU$50 billion of work is needed to decommission and remove equipment as aging assets come to the end of their life and the industry shifts to cleaner options. The majority of this work needs to happen in the next 20 years.

This is an opportunity for Australia to become a leader in repurposing and decommissioning. By using alternative retirement options, emerging technology and decommissioning efficiency, the industry could save a potential 35 percent (or AU$17.5 billion).

Creating a local decommissioning market that supports a circular economy

Our team will work with CODA to identify sustainable opportunities to build a local supply chain around recycling pathways or repurpose assets to develop emerging energy technologies. For example, using the steel from offshore oil and gas platforms in ‘green’ energy infrastructure to incentivize a recycling industry for assets of this scale.

We’ll also review best practices from mature decommissioning regions around the world to reduce cost and risk.

We’re excited to continue our strong relationship with CODA to deliver these critical projects. Together, they promote a sustainable decommissioning approach, and assist stakeholders to engage in collaborative planning and effective implementation of offshore asset closure, while maximizing use of the Australian supply chain.

Stephen Stokes, Principal Consultant - Upstream/Midstream

Details of the two projects include:

Understanding the opportunity for local disposal and recycling pathways

This study will assess Australia's capacities and capabilities for disposing and recycling materials from decommissioning, including the disposal pathways that these materials will take. Gaps to achieving 100 percent local disposal and recycling in Australia will be identified, and cross-industry and regional benefits of achieving this will be quantified.

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Global review of decommissioning planning and execution learnings

This project will identify key learnings from similar regions around the world that can be applied in Australia to improve decommissioning planning and execution.

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More about CODA: CODA was launched in March 2021 by NERA (National Energy Resources Australia) in conjunction with industry as an independent centre for decommissioning. CODA connects technology innovators, research organizations and governments to support joint projects, knowledge transfer and innovation. Visit here.