Repurposing offshore oil and gas infrastructure can reduce waste and accelerate energy transition.
The OGA Strategy and NSTA’s Decommissioning Strategy set out obligations, expectations, and priorities for owners of redundant offshore oil and gas infrastructure to consider repurposing infrastructure once hydrocarbon production ends.
Repurposing offers opportunity for oil and gas infrastructure to remain in the marine environment to be used or safeguarded for future use by another industry, for example, for carbon capture and storage. Repurposing reduces waste and offers time and cost efficiencies to new users.
Decommissioning
- Infrastructure Removed
- Wells decommissioned.
- Onshore disposal
Expectation: Most infrastructure will be decommissioned
Re-User / Circular Economy
- Re-use or repurposing opportunities for infrastructure returned to shore.
Expectation: economy opportunities will be maximised
Repurpose
- Infrastructure remains in situ
- Energy transition
Expectation: Valuable infrastructure will be safeguarded
Prior to planning for decommissioning, operators must evaluate the re-purposing potential for the assets. This should be done during the late life operating phase, at least six years prior to the expected cessation of production (CoP) date, following the process set out in the Decommissioning Glidepath:
The NSTA is piloting structured and standard approach to support the asset evaluation process. Operators with fields six years from cessation of production will be asked to screen infrastructure using a standard template.
Click here to download a version of the Repurposing screening matrix - (Please download the file and use the desktop version of Excel to edit it)
The screening tool aims to identify infrastructure that may have value in being repurposed and to highlight potential barriers or constraints to realising the repurposing potential.
Initial analysis by the NSTA has identified more than 100 pipelines which could be suitable for CCS or hydrogen projects. The analysis will be verified and updated using data collected through the pilot process and made publicly available where possible.
The tool will provide invaluable data and feedback and the NSTA will work with industry to overcome barriers to ensure that oil and gas assets enable energy transition.