Before decommissioning may begin, an oil and gas company must submit the relevant risk management plans to the main regulator – the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) – for assessment and acceptance.

The plans required for decommissioning can include a safety case, well operations management plan and environment plan. NOPSEMA’s dedicated assessment teams, which comprise of highly qualified and experienced experts, assess each plan against strict criteria – including an occupational health and safety case, an environment plan and for management of well integrity.

A range of technical decommissioning and disposal options exists for offshore facilities, each of which must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The scope of consideration should include a broad range of aspects and not only focus on the vicinity of the structure.