Shaping the offshore decommissioning agenda and next-generation design of offshore infrastructure

Abstract

Many thousands of structures have been installed in the world’s oceans to service the offshore hydrocarbon and renewable energy industries to provide energy resources to populations across the globe. Much of this infrastructure, particularly for hydrocarbon developments, has reached or is approaching the end of field life and requires decommissioning. Recent and future field developments, for both hydrocarbons and renewable energy, are setting up future waves of decommissioning activity. This paper presents recent developments in, and outlines the reshaping of, the offshore decommissioning agenda. The need for a multicriteria, multisector, transdisciplinary approach to informing offshore decommissioning and the design of the next generation of offshore infrastructure is demonstrated. Exemplar activities in this direction are described. The opportunity for society and governments to transform the agenda for decommissioning offshore infrastructure is put forward. Reduction in cost and risk and improved environmental outcomes of future generations of offshore infrastructure may exist for future generations in (global) society by resetting how decommissioning offshore infrastructure is carried out.