Decommissioning an offshore platform can be a costly, complicated and dangerous endeavor.

That's where we come in.

What is offshore decommissioning? It occurs in the energy industry after an offshore well stops producing, or has reached the end of its useful life.

The Offshore Decommissioning Process in 6 Quick Steps

  1. Operators must ensure that the necessary permits are in place prior to decommissioning a structure.
  2. Areas containing hazardous materials must be purged and cleaned to prevent release of hydrocarbons.
  3. The wellbore is cleaned out. Plugs are carefully installed into the well, pressure-tested and documented.
  4. Topsides are disassembled and removed.
  5. Platform structure is generally removed to at least 15 feet below the mudline.
  6. Surveys are performed to map any debris that may have been left behind during the removal process. Site clearance is completed in conjunction with survey equipment, and a trawl net is passed to ensure no snags.

Understanding the process can be confusing, as there are many factors that come into play when deciding when and how offshore platforms are decommissioned. We created the following infographic with an end goal of educating users on some of the factors that go into this technically strategic process.

What is offshore decommissioning infographic

Embed this on your site