Latest News

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: Mar, 2025

Energy market research and consultancy firm, Westwood Global Energy Group, has found that decommissioning in the North Sea involves considerable financial and logistical challenges.

Domestic production is declining owing to shaken investor confidence in the UK as a result of political and fiscal uncertainty. This suggests around US$26bn might be spent on decommissioning in the next decade, with well plug and abandonment (P&A) alone accounting for ~50% of the cost.

While decommissioning tasks keep piling up, contract awards, especially for rigs, have remained low due to the uncertainties driving financial and operational risks for operators. Execution of delayed decommissioning work will pose pressure on the already-strained supply chain. This can P&A costs could climb by up to US$5.5 billion, due to higher offshore rig dayrates, increasing financial liabilities for both operators and the UK Government, which provides tax relief on decommissioning costs.

“As the UK North Sea enters a new phase where decommissioning becomes the dominant industry driver, the supply chain faces significant demand and major financial risk,” said Yvonne Telford, Research Director at Westwood. “Based on current investment plans, up to 40% of UK fields could cease production before 2030. With the impact of decommissioning tax liabilities on abandonment expenditure, cost-effective P&A must be paramount."

Dominic Ferry, CEO at Westwood, said, “Westwood’s new Atlas Decommissioning module provides the clarity the market needs by linking infrastructure data with economic forecasts, offering stakeholders a clear view of the timing, cost, and risks associated. By delivering granular insights into decommissioning activity, the module helps operators, service providers, and investors make informed decisions, mitigate financial exposure, and seize emerging opportunities in this evolving landscape.”

Westwood has launched the new Atlas Decommissioning module which gives detailed insights into decommissioning timelines, infrastructure removal and market dynamics in real-time. It leverages key economic drivers, such as commodity prices and operating costs  to dynamically model decommissioning schedules, allowing them to predict shifts in activity and optimise planning.

• Region: Middle East
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: 19 March, 2025

US-based oil and gas services specialist, Expro Group, is upbeat about prospects in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) after a first deployment to the region of a well technology acquired only recently.

Despite a challenging environment in Saudi Arabia, the region’s main oil and gas producer, it believes its so-called Blackhawk technology holds great potential and said “additional opportunities” have presented themselves following the maiden deployment.

In the company's full year 2024 results, Expro Group said that it had, for the first time, utilised the Blackhawk Wireless Plug Dropping Cement Head with SKYHOOK in the Gulf.

“In MENA, despite recently announced curtailment of offshore activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Expro successfully displaced conventional plug manifolds through its first deployment of Blackhawk Wireless Plug Dropping Cement Head with SKYHOOK in the Arabian Gulf.”

The technology has previously won awards for improving safety during well intervention work.In conjunction with the automated wireless cement-head, the SKYHOOK device serves to eliminate the final trip in the derrick; meaning a cement job can be performed in its entirety without ever sending a person to work at heights.

Blackhawk Specialty Tools, which developed the technology originally, was later acquired by Frank’s International, which then merged with Expro in 2021, adding specialty cementing and well intervention services and products to the group’s portfolio.In its results 2024 statement, Expro also referenced another technology, iTONG, an advanced single push button tubular make-up solution, which has likewise brought worker safety benefits.

“Like iTONG, the system creates operational efficiencies while improving safety by removing personnel from the red zone — in particular, by eliminating the need to send personnel up the derrick. The technology enables cementing with full tensile, torque and pressure capacity, alongside increased pumping and displacement rates.”

It added, “This successful deployment has resulted in additional opportunities, including planned 2025 projects aimed at addressing well integrity and zonal isolation challenges across critical offshore wells.”

• Region: Asia Pacific
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: 19 March, 2025

FourPhase, a specialist in solids and production performance within the oil and gas sector, has introduced The Observer, an advanced tool for real-time data capture and optimisation.

Already deployed in five operations across the Gulf of Mexico and the Norwegian Continental Shelf, the solution will soon be integrated across all FourPhase operations, enabling full-scale remote monitoring. As operators increasingly shift towards data-driven smart operations, the real-time insights provided by The Observer are proving invaluable.

Addressing key industry challenges

The Observer is designed to tackle three critical industry challenges: minimising downtime through data-driven decision-making, enhancing equipment maintenance efficiency, and accelerating the shift to remote operations. The system continuously captures real-time data to generate a live operational feed within FourPhase’s control centre while simultaneously populating online dashboards accessible to customers globally.

A key strength of The Observer is its robust security architecture. Adhering to a zero-trust security model, it complies with ISO 27001, 27017, and 27701 standards. The system establishes a secure connection to onshore operations via Starlink or similar technologies, providing a protected data transmission channel between offshore sites and onshore centres.

"Coupled with onsite remote operations, these capabilities are enabling a step-change improvement in offshore sand management. This opens up new opportunities for production optimisation and autonomy that were previously not possible," remarked FourPhase CEO Øyvind Heradstveit.

Leveraging a decade of data

Since 2013, FourPhase has been gathering solids management data, using it to simulate operational scenarios. By applying insights from real-world experiences rather than relying purely on theoretical calculations, the company has achieved an uptime exceeding 99.5% over the past decade. This extensive database allows for more accurate operational planning and improved performance predictions.

"As the energy industry operates with multiple, often competing, data-sharing standards, we’ve developed The Observer as a universal solution, integrating over 300 languages and protocols rather than locking into a single standard. This allows for real-time monitoring across diverse equipment—including Multiphase Flow Meter, the DualFlow Desander, Acoustic Sand Detectors, and client plant data—all simultaneously. The goal is to capture and process data instantly, empowering operators with real-time insights to make informed decisions," explained Jørgen Bruntveit, COO/CTO.

"Many competitors claim real-time monitoring, yet their systems often suffer from minute-long delays and cumbersome designs—some as large as a server rack. The Observer delivers true real-time monitoring in a form factor small enough to hold in one hand," added Bruntveit.

Although real-time condition monitoring and data-driven optimisation are now standard in many production-related workflows, sand management has largely remained dependent on labour-intensive legacy methods. This reliance has slowed the adoption of autonomous and low-manning platforms. By investing significantly in remote monitoring technology, FourPhase has closed this gap, ensuring The Observer enables full oversight across its entire fleet, including desanders.

• Region: Latin America
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: 18 March, 2025

Energy technology company Baker Hughes has announced a joint technology development programme with Petrobras to provide a solution for stress corrosion cracking in flexible pipelines.

The agreement encompasses development and testing, as well as a purchase option for the next-gen flexible pipes, which will have an extended service life of 30 years in high CO2 environments. The collaborative effort between both companies will be primarily executed in Baker Hughes’ Rio de Janeiro Energy Technology Innovation Center and nearby pipe systems manufacturing plant.

Stress corrosion cracking due to CO2 (SCC-CO2) was identified in 2016 and has an effect on flexible pipes in pre-salt fields, which have a high concentration of naturally occurring CO2. If water penetrates a pipe’s annulus area, the corrosion to steel reinforcement layers can weaken structural integrity. This issue is particularly apparent in Brazil’s pre-salt fields, where Petrobras is reinjecting CO2 from its production operations into wells to enhance oil recovery.

Amerino Gatti, Executive Vice President, Oilfield Services & Equipment at Baker Hughes, said, “Baker Hughes has led the way in addressing SCC-CO2, and we will bring that expertise and experience to bear in developing the definitive solution to this critical industry challenge. By deploying flexible pipe systems that last for decades, Petrobras can more efficiently unlock the vital natural resources that power the region, while also safely returning CO2 deep underground.”

Until now, operators in high-CO2 environments have relied on solutions that mitigate the impact of SCC-CO2 while limiting the service life of risers and flowlines. Baker Hughes’ flexible pipe systems and advanced monitoring technologies have proven effective at minimising this impact and the company is a major supplier of flexible pipelines to Petrobras.

• Region: West Africa
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: Mar, 2025

In a major realisation of its production and cost optimisation objectives, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), along with joint venture partner First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (First E&P), has announced a significant hydrocarbon discovery in the Songhai field, located in OML 85 in the shallow offshore region of Bayelsa.

Spudded as part of efforts to increase and sustain the joint venture's oil production over the next five years, the well was drilled to a total depth of 8,883 feet measured depth (MD) in 30 metres of water. It encountered hydrocarbons across eight reservoirs, logging over 1,000 feet of hydrocarbon-bearing sands, most of which reveals promising reservoir properties. There has been an indication of substantial oil and gas volumes for commercial exploration. The derived well data will now be integrated for thorough research and analysis to calculate resource estimates and optimise field development plans.

"This discovery marks a major milestone in our efforts to unlock the full potential of our assets. The success at Songhai Field underscores the effectiveness of our exploration strategy and our commitment to delivering sustainable value to all stakeholders," said Segun Owolabi, General Manager, Exploration and Development at FIRST E&P.

"This aligns with NNPC Limited’s mandate to drive production growth and cost optimization. The success at Songhai Field reflects our commitment to strategic partnerships, advanced technology, and efficient operations to maximize Nigeria’s hydrocarbon potential sustainably," said Seyi Omotowa, Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NUIMS. "The discovery also highlights the role of strategic collaboration in expanding Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves," he added.

"This discovery reaffirms the potential of Nigeria’s offshore assets and the importance of collaboration in boosting reserves and production. NNPC Limited remains committed to driving efficiency and long-term value creation for the nation," said NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari. 

• Region: Latin America
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: Mar, 2025

First oil from the Mero Field in the Santos Basin is expected in the second half of the year with the arrival of SBM Offshore's Alexandre de Gusmao floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel.

This follows the recent arrival of FPSO Almirante Tamandare, which began production on 15 February, as a part of Petrobras fleet. 

Alexandre de Gusmao is SBM Offshore's ninth FPSO vessel in Brazilian waters. It boasts a production capacity of 180,000 barrels of oil per day and 12 million cubic meters of gas per day. 

SBM Offshore deals with FPSO vessels with production capacities ranging from 150,000 bpod to 250,000 bpod. It can convert oil tankers or very large crude carriers (VLCCs) into FPSOs. It has overall 15 units, deployed mainly in the Latin America region other than in West Africa. Its Fast4Ward offering focuses on risk mitigation and quality enhancement with the help of digital solutions. 

"This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams, who have worked tirelessly to bring this project to fruition. The addition of this vessel to our fleet marks a significant milestone in our operations and reinforces our commitment to excellence and innovation in the sector. Welcome to the fleet, FPSO Alexandre de Gusmao," said Bruno Giusti, Brazil Operations Director at SBM Offshore. 

Through inspection maintenance and repair, the company has covered services such as the designing, supply, installation, operation and life extension of the FPSO vessels. 

To know more about Latin America's offshore well intervention scene, click here. 

• Region: Australia
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: 17 March 2025

Liberty Industrial has completed the onshore deconstruction and recycling of the Santos Campbell platform on behalf of McDermott International Ltd.

The project featured the Roll-On-Roll-Off procedure of the oil platform using Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) at the Australian Marine Complex Common User Facility (AMC CUF).

“The decommissioning of the Campbell platform exemplifies Liberty Industrial’s ability to tackle the intricate nature of onshore decommissioning, setting a benchmark for excellence in a rapidly growing industry sector,” said Jed Van Iersel, decommissioning manager at Liberty Industrial.

Van Iersel added that it highlighted the company’s ability “to meet all stakeholder requirements” and to handle complex marine operations.”

Following the offshore removal by McDermott, the Santos Campbell platform arrived at Port Henderson in three unique structures via barge.

These structures were safely transported via SPMTs to the onsite deconstruction yard for disposal and recycling.Liberty Industrial executed the Roll-On-Roll-Off procedures in just five days, following six months of meticulous planning with leading in-house and subcontractor engineers.

The deconstruction posed significant logistical challenges, the company added in a statement.

Each structure, the heaviest weighing over 600 tonnes, required a bespoke handling plan to ensure safe and efficient transfer from the barge to the decommissioning site, addressing various water displacement considerations and tight port schedules.

The remaining onshore deconstruction and recycling programme was completed on budget, on time, and with exceptional stakeholder satisfaction in 57 days, the statement noted.

Located in the Varanus Island hub, the Campbell Platform removal was contracted to McDermott in 2023, who then engaged Liberty Industrial for the task of deconstruction and waste recycling management.

All structures were deconstructed using suitable demolition excavators, with demolition of taller structures achieved by high reach excavators, oxy-cutting from EWP to pre-weaken structures before final induced collapse, the Liberty Industrial statement noted.

The materials from these structures were then downsized and moved to the processing area for segregating and processing using hot oxy-cutting and cold mechanical shearing, achieving a 99.5% recycling rate.

“We are extremely pleased with our ability to manage the complexities of the project by expanding our capabilities to include marine offloading operations and set a new benchmark for onshore decommissioning in Australia,” said Warwyck Smith, Decommissioning Project Manager, Liberty Industrial.

“We look forward to expanding on our already established and growing presence as a subject matter expert in onshore decommissioning in Australia and internationally.”

• Region: North America
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: 14 March 2025

A federal judge in Louisiana has rejected a bid by three US states to block a rule adopted in 2024 that strengthens the financial assurance requirementsfor offshore oil and gas companies to ensure they meet their decommissioning obligations.

The judge declined to issue a preliminary injunction sought by the Republican-led states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas along with the Gulf Energy Alliance, Independent Petroleum Association of America, Louisiana Oil & Gas Association, and U.S. Oil & Gas Association.

The 2024 rule was issued by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), which noted that since 2009, more than 30 corporate bankruptcies had occurred involving offshore oil and gas companies that did not have sufficient financial assurance to cover their decommissioning obligations, which had highlighted a weakness in BOEM’s current supplemental financial assurance programme. BOEM noted that the new rule finalises amendments to existing provisions and increases regulatory clarity about financial obligations “to better protect the taxpayer from potentially bearing the cost of facility decommissioning and other financial risks associated with OCS development, such as environmental remediation.” The new rule includes the requirement that companies which cannot provide adequate financial assurance have to put up a surety bond.

The three states and industry groups argued that the rule if enforced would result in  "potentially existential consequences" for small and medium-sized companies as they would be unable to obtain such bonds.

The judge said that issuing a preliminary injunction was not warranted on the grounds that the threatened harm is not imminent, given that the new requirements are being phased in over three years, and demands for supplemental financial assurance would not be issued until mid-2025 at the earliest.

"While these harms may be likely, a preliminary injunction can only be issued if the threatened harm is also imminent," the judge said.

However he  said he would expedite the case so the court can reach a final decision on the merits before the demand letters are issued and plaintiffs incur any resulting costs.

Watch this space!

• Region: Australia
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: 14 March, 2025

A major milestone has been reached regarding the decommissioning of the Northern Endeavour FPSO wherein an extensive well suspension and flushing campaign has been successfully completed.

The campaign started in September 2024, led by Phase 1 contractor Petrofac Facilities Management Limited (Petrofac). Sapura Constructor, the light well intervention vessel, has completed the works in the Laminaria-Corallina oil fields.

The critical work included temporarily suspending seven of the nine oil wells in the Laminaria-Carollina oil fields (two of the wells were previously suspended). The process involved closing off the valves that control pressure and flow on the sea floor, and installing two sets of specialised barriers at two different sections of the well to ensure fluids cannot escape.

The other part of the campaign involved flushing of nearly 30km of pipeline, including subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines. The process ensures the pipeline are clear of hydrocarbons and hazardous materials before disconnecting the FPSO which is penned for the second half of 2025.

The completion of this well suspension and flushing campaign is a major step towards allowing the FPSO to be safely disconnected from the subsea infrastructure without leaking fluids into the ocean. More work will take place in later phases of the project to permanently plug and abandon the wells.

• Region: North America
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: 13 March, 2025

Deep water well control service provider, Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC), has onboarded W-Industries with a multimillion contract to conduct the engineering, fabrication, and delivery of its new drill-ship deployed containment system. 

This will enhance the coverage for potential deep water well control situations that majorly impact the offshore oil & gas industry. MWCC’s new MODU Deployed Containment System (MDCS) will be put into place by W-Industries, involving designing, manufacturing, and integration of its seven key flowback modules. This new equipment will further enhance MWCC’s already extensive capabilities to capture and keep hydrocarbons out of the environment in the event an incident well cannot be immediately shut-in. Designed to operate reliably in challenging offshore environments, the flowback solution will provide dependable performance for up to six months, allowing sufficient time for relief wells to be drilled to permanently plug the well.

“W-Industries is proud to partner with MWCC on this critical project,” said Michael Bain, SVP Integrated Systems at W-Industries. “With our extensive technical experience in offshore automation and modular fabrication, we are dedicated to delivering an efficient and robust solution that will significantly enhance MWCC’s containment response capabilities.”

“MWCC is excited to work with W-Industries on this important enhancement to our current flowback capabilities, a great example of our never-ending focus on continuous improvement,” said David Nickerson, CEO of MWCC. “W-Industries’ expertise in delivering highly automated modular processing systems is exactly what MWCC was looking for.”

This partnership reinforces W-Industries’ leadership in offshore energy innovation, particularly in supporting industry safety initiatives and regulatory requirements. By contributing to MWCC’s continued advancements in well control capabilities, W-Industries is demonstrating its commitment to operational safety, regulatory compliance, and offshore risk mitigation. This positions the company as a trusted partner for offshore and subsea energy solutions, ensuring that well containment technology continues to keep pace with developments in offshore drilling practices.

• Region: Gulf of Mexico
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: 13 March, 2025

To address the challenges associated with offshore oil and gas decommissioning, the Ocean Conservancy has recommended the following actions to be taken to set the stage for long-term success:

Strengthening oversight and enforcement for expired decommissioning leases

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) should develop mandatory decommissioning plans, under which operators are able to clear their decommissioning backlog within a set timeline. For offshore wells and platforms located on expired, terminated, or relinquished leases, the BSEE must enforce appropriate decommissioning deadlines and ensure that they are up-to-date. In case of uncertainities regarding the enforceability of BSEE sanctions, the agency should issue clarifying guidance or set up new or revised guidelines. 

Strengthening oversight and enforcement for active decommissioning leases

For idle wells and platforms located on active leases, the BSEE should codify its decommissioning deadlines for such infrastructure. It should also shorten deadlines to ensure that idle wells and platforms are cleaned up promptly, while ensuring that these wells and platforms are decommissioned within one year. Furthermore, the BSEE should be cautious of granting decommissioning waivers for potential future use of wells or platforms. In case it does grant a future use waiver, the agency should require operators to provide supplemental financial assurance that will cover the full cost of decommissioning. The BSEE should also increase its use of sanctions to compel compliance with decommissioning deadlines.

Strengthen decommissioning requirements for subsea pipelines

When a pipeline no longer proves useful, the BSEE should require its owner to remove it from the seabed. Regulations need to be revised and the agency needs to permit decommissioning in place only in rare circumstances, during which operators need to monitor the condition and location of the pipeline over time to ensure that it remains secure. Moreover, a fee needs to be paid to combat the impact of the discarded pipeline. The BSEE operators are also required to perform site clearance activities and ensure that the agency steps up its observation, inspection and verification, so that it does not entirely rely on self reported data provided by the operators.  

Strengthen requirements for supplemental financial assurance

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) should also consider implementing a system that would require each lessee to establish a dedicated account, into which the lessee would invest funds sufficient to satisfy estimated decommissioning obligations. The main advantage of this system is the absence of bonding requirements. Funds should also be made available to the lessee during the conclusion of lease operations. Most importantly, the BOEM should ensure minimisation of US taxpayer exposure to decommisioning liabilities.

Developing and implementing qualification standards of offshore operators

The BSEE and BOEM need to establish 'fitness to operate' standards to ensure that lessees and operators are qualified to conduct business on federal offshore oil and gas leases. Factors such as past compliance, and lease permit terms and the financial health of lessees and operators need to be considered. A formal rulemaking process needs to be undertaken to ensure that the standards are enforceable. During this process, agencies must disqualify existing or potential lessees or operators that fail to meet the required fitness standards.

Boosting commitments to transparency and data sharing 

Both the BSEE and BOEM need to increase their commitments to transparency and data sharing in regard to offshore oil and gas decommissioning operations. By expanding their dashboard with additional details on status and ownership of wells and pipelines, they can ensure that publicly available data is more accessible and understandable. The dashboard could also be made more elaborate and user friendly by adding more details about the disposition of structures, including the reuse of platforms and rigs-to-reeds status. Furthermore, it could also disclose estimated and final costs for decommissioning activities. 

Opportunities for congressional action 

To strengthen government oversight and enforcement of offshore oil and gas decommissioning activities, the Congress can pass legislation mandating any of the above policy solutions and also to achieve outcomes that are beyond the existing authority of administrative agencies. Additionally, job training programmes can also be facilitated to train those oil and gas workers who are interested in transitioning to work on renewable energy projects or offshore decommissioning work. 

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Well Intervention
• Date: Mar, 2025

A company specialising in rigless well intervention services, TSMarine (Contracting) Ltd, has bagged contracts of approximately £2mn for a multi-client well abandonment programme. 

The contracts will be delivered for two significant operators in the North Sea, where TSMarine's recently chartered vessel, the Rem Poseidon, will be deployed to plug and abandon three Category 2 suspended subsea wells in the Southern North Sea.

The campaign will involve perforation, followed by cementing the wells before the wellheads have been severed and recovered. TSMarine will also recover and dispose residual oil-based muds as required in the process.

Speaking on the project's focus on spreading the mobilisation and transit costs that come with decommissioning, Tim Martin, TSMarine's Regional Director for Europe and Africa, said, "We have developed this innovative approach to deliver significant cost benefits to operators - the first of several innovative approaches which we are developing to drive down the cost of subsea decommissioning.

Cost-effective offering

"The trend for multi-client well abandonment projects is increasing, primarily because operators are sharing fixed costs with each other and realising the cost savings that can be achieved from a single mobilisation."

The project is similar to the one that the Aberdeen-based subsea services contractor took up in 2008 for bp, Perenco and Tullow Oil. "We are well positioned to support operators effectively manage decommissioning activity and this project underlines our ability to offer operators cost effective, bespoke well abandonment and decommissioning programmes," said Martin. 

As the lead contractor for the programme, TSMarine will project manage the campaign, develop the work scope, including but not limited to, developing the required tooling, selecting and managing sub-contractors, planning and executing the offshore operations. In addition, the project team will carry out well reviews, HIRA and emergency response planning. 

A key player in the niche subsea rigless intervention and decommissioning market, TSMarine operates worldwide, with offices in Aberdeen, Bergen, Norway, Perth Australia, Singapore and Nigeria. 

To know more about Europe's well intervention scene, click here.