The countdown is on with just six days to go until the inaugural Offshore Network D&A 2026 Awards, in partnership with CODA, which is set to bring together the leaders, projects and organisations driving innovation and excellence across the decommissioning industry.
Taking place on 12 November, 2026, at Crown Perth, the awards will celebrate the outstanding achievements, pioneering technologies and industry leaders playing a key role in shaping the future of decommissioning in the region and further afield.
From digital innovation and subsea advancements to project delivery, sustainability and collaboration, the15 award categories recognise the individuals and companies pushing boundaries and delivering top value across the offshore asset lifecycle.
Guests can look forward to an evening of valuable networking, entertainment, a three-course dinner and the opportunity to celebrate alongside some of the industry's leading names.
Good luck everyone!
Australia is currently standing on the precipice of a monumental industrial transformation.
As the nation faces an unprecedented wave of ageing offshore oil and gas infrastructure reaching the end of its operational lifespan, a significant challenge has emerged. The sector is now staring down an estimated US$40.5 billion decommissioning liability. Consequently, the industry is racing against time to solve a critical operational bottleneck: securing a highly specialised domestic workforce capable of dismantling these massive offshore structures safely, sustainably, and in accordance with strict governmental guidelines.
In a direct and timely response to this surging demand for local expertise, the Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CODA) recently concluded a major educational initiative. The fully booked "Introduction to Decommissioning" intensive took place in Perth, Western Australia, on October 27 and 28, 2026. This pivotal event placed a sharp focus on capacity building, providing industry professionals with the foundational knowledge required to tackle one of the most complex engineering undertakings in the modern energy sector.
The urgency underpinning CODA’s recent training programme is heavily driven by a unique set of legislative and environmental pressures currently reshaping the Australian market. Operators are facing an era of strict regulatory enforcement that mandates the complete and total removal of retired offshore infrastructure. There are no shortcuts available for companies seeking to offload their responsibilities.
This is largely due to the implementation of tightened trailing liability laws across the nation. These stringent regulations are specifically designed to prevent energy companies from simply selling off their end-of-life assets to smaller entities in an attempt to avoid the astronomical costs associated with environmental cleanup. Because operators remain perpetually responsible for their historical assets, the demand for precise, compliant, and cost-effective decommissioning strategies has skyrocketed.
To address the vast scope of these upcoming projects, the CODA intensive at the Parmelia Hilton was meticulously designed to rapidly upskill professionals across the entire sector. Over the course of two days, attendees engaged in a dense, comprehensive programme featuring 14 hours of visual and verbal learning. This material was carefully distributed across nine distinct modules and 15 highly detailed lectures.
The syllabus covered the complete lifecycle of asset retirement, ensuring participants gained a high-level understanding of execution activities from the initial planning stages through to formal relinquishment. Key focus areas of the intensive included:
Regulatory frameworks: Navigating Australia's stringent environmental regulations, understanding the nuances of trailing liability laws, and comparing local requirements against international decommissioning legislation.
Technical execution: Mastering both facility and subsea decommissioning processes, alongside highly specialised well decommissioning practices benchmarked against rigorous global standards.
Lifecycle management: Overseeing total asset management, conducting comprehensive pre- and post-cessation of production (COP) planning, and executing intricate cost estimation exercises.
End-of-life processing: Managing the safe disposal and recycling of materials, handling hazardous materials (HAZMAT) appropriately, and integrating the principles of the circular economy directly into the supply chain.
Decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure is not merely about tearing down platforms; it is a highly orchestrated logistical and environmental operation. To successfully handle this massive undertaking, the Australian industry requires a workforce that is deeply familiar with safe toxic waste management and the facilitation of onshore recycling.
The scale of materials involved is staggering. The sector must safely process and recycle millions of tonnes of scrap steel retrieved from the ocean floor. By focusing heavily on the circular economy and local capacity building, initiatives like the CODA intensive help ensure that the economic benefits of this USD $40.5 billion liability remain onshore.
As the decommissioning sector in Australia steadily matures into a multi-billion dollar domestic industry, the need for continuous professional development will only grow. Educational events and intensives will remain the absolute cornerstone of this transition, guaranteeing that the nation possesses the elite local expertise required to dismantle its offshore legacy with maximum safety and efficiency.
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Cyan Renewables and Pentarch Offshore Solutions are exploring plans to expand Port of Edrom in New South Wales, with offshore decommissioning identified as one of the potential activities the facility could support.
The two companies have progressed a strategic investment memorandum of understanding (MOU) to look at the staged development of the port into a multi-user marine, energy and logistics hub serving south-eastern Australia.
Located at Twofold Bay, the proposed expansion would build on existing port infrastructure and provide additional capacity for a range of sectors, including offshore energy, maritime services, critical minerals logistics and fuel storage, a Cyan Renewables statement noted.
Of particular interest to Australia's offshore decommissioning sector is the potential to accommodate marine services and industrial activities associated with offshore energy projects, including decommissioning operations.
The development could provide additional port capacity and logistical support for the growing requirements of offshore energy infrastructure, although no specific decommissioning projects or facilities have yet been confirmed.
Cyan Renewables and Pentarch Offshore Solutions said they next intend to engage with government and industry stakeholders to assess the opportunity, including the infrastructure requirements, commercial feasibility and potential investment pathway.
Any expansion would be delivered in stages and remain subject to feasibility studies, regulatory approvals, demonstrated market demand and commercial commitments.
The companies say the proposed development could also generate long-term regional employment and strengthen Australia's domestic marine, energy and industrial supply chains.
Australia’s Department of Industry, Science and Resources has launched a competitive procurement process to find an Australian lead contractor to manage waste materials as part of Phase 3b of the Northern Endeavour decommissioning programme.
The Northern Endeavour was a 274 m long floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility which has now been disconnected and removed. It was permanently moored between the Laminaria and Corallina oil fields, around 550 km northwest of Darwin in the Timor Sea. Originally developed and operated by a joint venture compromising Woodside, BHP and Shell, it was acquired and operated by Northern Oil & Gas Australia in 2016, which went into liquidation in 2019.
The Australia Federal Government was then forced to step in and take ownership of the FPSO, announcing plans for its decommissioning, disconnection and disposal and the remediation of the Laminaria-Corallina oilfields.
The decommissioning of the 43,000 tonne FPSO is being managed by the Australian government and carried out in three phases. Phase 1 of the program is operationally complete and recycling of the FPSO is now underway following its safe delivery to the recycling facility in Denmark.
Phase 2 of the programme is in progress. This phase focuses on design and planning to permanently plug and abandon the nine wells in the Laminaria and Corallina oil fields. DISR engaged Zenith Energy Australia Pty as the lead contractor and is now working with them, to plan and design the work to plug and abandon the nine wells.
The third and final phase will focus on removing the remaining subsea infrastructure, recycling and waste management, including over 12,000 tonnes of steel, managing the subsea infrastructure after removal, including decontamination, recycling and disposal, and restoring the marine environment.
In August, DISR released a request for tender for a lead contractor to deliver Phase 3a of the programme, which involves recovery, transport and offloading of subsea infrastructure from the Laminaria and Corallina oil fields to a nominated Australian port. Submissions close 23 October 2026.
Phase 3b of the Northern Endeavour decommissioning program involves managing, recycling and disposing of materials from the Laminaria and Corallina oil fields.
DISR has used the Defence Scrapping and Disposal of Defence Material Panel to request quotes from potential lead contractors to deliver this work. The panel includes pre-qualified Australian companies who joined through an open tender process and have expertise in scrapping and disposing of government assets.
DISR claims that using the panel for this procurement will support the domestic decommissioning industry and jobs by:
It will also help ensure an efficient process and value for money.
The decommissioning of the Northern Endeavour is funded by The Offshore Petroleum Laminaria and Corallina Decommissioning Cost Recovery Levy (OP Levy), which is being charged from June 2021 to June 2029 on oil and gas producers. Decommissioning activity in Australia is being spurred by increasingly stringent regulatory pressures and requirements in a bid to avoid any repetition of the Northern Endeavour debacle.
Australia’s offshore regulator, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), has released a fact sheet outlining the roles and responsibilities of the country’s various regulatory agencies and clarifying the distinctions between their functions.
The document — entitled ‘Safety on offshore vessels and structures: Who is the regulator?’ — also references offshore decommissioning activities.
In Commonwealth waters – generally beyond the three nautical mile coastal waters boundary – safety requirements for offshore vessels and structures are usually overseen by either NOPSEMA or the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
State and territory regulators are generally responsible for activities in coastal waters.
NOPSEMA regulates health and safety, well integrity, and environmental management, for petroleum and greenhouse gas storage activities in Commonwealth waters.
It also regulates these things in coastal waters where a state or territory has conferred regulatory powers— this currently includes Victoria’s coastal waters.
Crucially, NOPSEMA’s regulation of safety focuses on ‘facilities’.
It defines a facility as “any vessel or structure whether floating or fixed, and regardless of its ability to navigate independently – that is being used, or is being prepared for use, for the recovery, processing, storage or offloading of petroleum.”
This includes vessels engaged in drilling, well servicing, pipeline construction, erection, dismantling or decommissioning, or other petroleum-related activities in regulated waters, as well as accommodation for people working on another facility.
AMSA broadly regulates vessel and seafarer safety, and protection of the environment from vessel-sourced pollution.In the document, a number of case studies are presented to help workers identify the appropriate safety regulator.
In one example, a supply vessel leaves Dampier Port, on the northwest coast of Western Australia in the Pilbara Region, to bring divers and equipment to support decommissioning work on a fixed platform in Commonwealth waters.
The vessel is regulated by AMSA while it is enroute to the title area.
However, NOPSEMA becomes the regulator for the vessel when it arrives at the title area and starts preparations for diving work associated with the facility.
“Supply vessels performing other work, and tugs and anchor handlers, are generally not facilities, unless they are being used, or being prepared for use, for the recovery, processing, storage or offloading of petroleum,” the document notes.
NOPSEMA says the document, including the fact sheet and case studies, is for illustrative and general guidance only to help workers understand typical regulatory boundaries.
Woodside Energy is continuing the decommissioning of the Griffin oil and gas field offshore Western Australia, with a notified activity window running from 16 to 29 October 2026, according to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA).
Located in production licence WA-10-L, approximately 65 km north-west of Onslow, the Griffin field lies in water depths of around 130 m. Its 12 former subsea oil production wells were permanently plugged in 2017, and associated subsea infrastructure was flushed of hydrocarbons.
Woodside’s accepted Griffin Decommissioning and Field Management Environment Plan covers the staged removal of subsea equipment, including wellheads, subsea trees, flexible production risers, flowlines, umbilicals and associated structures. The original plan identifies approximately 47 km of flexible production flowlines and 12 km of rigid production spools and flowlines within its scope.
The programme is being managed through separate environmental plans and regulatory approvals. The gas export pipeline and certain remaining field infrastructure are covered by separate approval arrangements.
Woodside reported significant progress during 2025, including completion of wellhead severance activities, following the recovery of the field’s riser turret mooring in 2024. The company also reported that more than 60 km of pipeline, flexible flowlines and umbilicals had been recovered and transported to an onshore facility near Onslow for cleaning and preparation for recycling, reuse or disposal.
NOPSEMA lists the October 2026 activity dates based on notifications submitted by Woodside. The dates relate to the notified activity and should not be taken as the start of the overall decommissioning programme.
For more information visit: https://info.nopsema.gov.au/activities/15/show_public
EnerMech has secured a five-year extension to its non-destructive testing (NDT) contract with Chevron Australia, continuing an agreement that will now run to the end of 2031.
Having first secured the work in 2017, the renewed contract will see EnerMech continue to deliver inspection and asset integrity services across Chevron Australia's operations, building on a partnership that has supported some of Western Australia's most significant energy developments.
“Strong customer relationships are earned through consistent performance, technical expertise and an uncompromising commitment to safety,” said Charles 'Chuck' Davison, Jr., EnerMech’s CEO.
“Our Australian team has built a reputation for delivering high-quality solutions in some of the industry's most demanding operating environments.”
Backed by a broad integrity management offering, EnerMech provides advanced NDT, condition monitoring, corrosion and inspection services, statutory inspections, engineering support, and specialist asset integrity solutions across its Australian operations.
In Australia, it delivers multi-disciplined services across integrity management, process, pipeline and subsea, cranes and lifting, hydraulics, valves, and electrical and instrumentation, providing customers with support throughout the asset lifecycle.
“As asset owners continue to focus on reliability, efficiency and long-term performance, EnerMech remains committed to helping our customers maximise value from their operations through specialist capability and integrated service delivery,” said Davison, Jr.
The company has supported Chevron regionally on major assets, including two major LNG developments, Gorgon and Wheatstone, delivering services spanning commissioning, maintenance, shutdowns and ongoing operational support.
“Our focus is on giving our customers confidence that their assets are being supported safely, efficiently and with the right technical expertise,” said Heath Ward, Regional Vice President - Australia at EnerMech.
“The continuity we bring through our local workforce, established systems and deep understanding of Chevron Australia’s operating environment allows us to respond quickly and deliver with discipline.
“We are pleased to continue this important relationship and remain focused on delivering the reliability and service quality our customers expect.”
Over the next two decades, thousands of subsea structures, pipelines, and platforms are scheduled to cease operations.
As these massive industrial installations reach the end of their productive lives, regulators, operators, and environmental scientists are confronted with a colossal task: determining the safest, most sustainable methods for managing redundant offshore infrastructure. The financial and environmental stakes are remarkably high, demanding a careful balance between economic feasibility and ecological preservation.
By 2040, more than 2,500 offshore oil and gas structures will be retired worldwide. Managing this transition requires an extraordinary financial investment, with decommissioning costs projected to reach up to US$13 billion per year. Australia, for example, faces a monumental task in addressing its legacy infrastructure.
This includes:
Under standard regulatory frameworks, the default requirement for operators is the complete removal of all property from the ocean. However, lifting thousands of tonnes of steel and concrete from the seabed is not always the most environmentally sound option. Alternative strategies, such as in-situ decommissioning, are increasingly being evaluated by industry and governments alike. This approach involves leaving some or all of the infrastructure in the marine environment, potentially repurposing defunct platforms into artificial reefs. Such alternatives may be permitted provided they comply with strict domestic regulations and international treaty obligations.
The primary objective of any decommissioning strategy is to minimise environmental impacts and reduce risks to a level that is as low as reasonably practicable. In-situ decommissioning can deliver substantial ecological benefits. Over decades of operation, many underwater structures have been colonised by marine life, transforming into thriving artificial reefs that support diverse marine ecosystems. Conversely, leaving industrial materials in the ocean introduces the risk of pollution, such as the potential release of heavy metals or naturally occurring contaminants, which could pose unacceptable risks.
To navigate this complex dilemma, regulators and industry leaders require robust, independent scientific data. Organisations such as the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) play a pivotal role in delivering this vital intelligence. AIMS conducts comprehensive research to understand how marine life interacts with offshore structures at both local and regional scales. Their studies provide the essential evidence needed to assess pollution risks and evaluate how different decommissioning scenarios might influence crucial ecosystem processes, such as population connectivity. Because every marine environment is unique, scientists must determine the most appropriate strategy on a rigorous, case-by-case basis.
Research institutions collaborate closely with global partners, including the National Decommissioning Research Initiative, to bridge critical knowledge gaps. To study these deep-sea habitats without impeding commercial offshore operations, researchers employ a wide range of innovative methodologies.
Key technologies and methods include:
Ultimately, the transition away from active oil and gas extraction presents a unique opportunity to rethink marine conservation and industrial responsibility. By fostering strong partnerships between scientific institutions and the offshore industry, it is possible to gather rigorous ecological data swiftly and safely. As the world grapples with the immense logistical and financial hurdles of decommissioning, science-led approaches will be absolutely crucial. Whether an offshore platform is completely removed or thoughtfully preserved as a novel habitat, ensuring the long-term health and resilience of our oceans remains the ultimate priority.
Geodata specialist Fugro has been awarded a major Australian marine asset integrity contract.
It did not name the client or disclose the value of the contact but noted in a statement that it will see the company replace critical subsea infrastructure to support the long-term reliability and performance of its client’s offshore assets.
“In addition to the replacement works, Fugro will provide subsea survey and inspection services using remote operations capabilities,” the statement noted.
“The project brings together Fugro's integrated capabilities, combining engineering expertise, project management and offshore execution to deliver safe and efficient outcomes for our client.”
According to Fugro, the latest assignment “strengthens its position as a trusted partner for subsea inspection, intervention and maintenance services in the offshore energy industry.”
Offshore operations will be executed from Fugro's multipurpose support vessel Fugro Etive, with project management, engineering and operational support services being delivered from Fugro’s regional operations teams.
The contract follows an initial phase of engineering and planning activities with detailed engineering to commence in the coming weeks.
Offshore operations are expected to commence towards the end of 2027.
“This award reflects the strength of our relationship with the client and our proven ability to safely deliver complex marine asset integrity projects in Australian waters,” said Barry Walsh, Regional Business Line Director, Marine Asset Integrity, Fugro.
Decommissioning needs to be planned well before an asset reaches the end of its operating life, with well integrity, clear accountability, collaboration and safety and environmental outcomes built into the process from the outset.
That’s the view of Sue McCarrey, CEO of NOPSEMA, Australia’s offshore regulator, writing in the latest issue of the in-house journal The Regulator.
The September issue of The Regulator highlights how Australia is moving into a new phase of offshore asset retirement, with decommissioning no longer a future consideration, but instead an immediate industry priority.
“Decommissioning is another area of growing importance as Australia’s offshore petroleum industry moves into a new phase of asset retirement,” writes McCarrey.
Navigating this key challenge — including well integrity, early planning, accountability and transparency, and greater collaboration across industry — will be essential to success.
“Successful decommissioning depends on these issues being considered well before the end of an asset’s operating life, with safety and environmental outcomes remaining central throughout.”
The journal includes an article on NOPSEMA’s attendance at the 2026 Decommissioning and Abandonment Summit, which explores some of the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Health and safety is another central theme of the journal, which again is integral to a successful decommissioning process.
It also looks at the growth of the renewables industry in Australia, and the increase in lifting incidents in recent years.
Across each of these areas, the common thread is preparedness, learning and continuous improvement, according to McCarrey.
“Whether managing established risks or responding to new ones, strong outcomes depend on duty holders understanding their risks, engaging their workforce and taking action before problems arise.”
The Federal Government has stepped in to ensure the abandoned Cliff Head platform off the West Australia coast remains in a safe condition, following the entry of its owners into administration in July.
Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King authorised taxpayer funding to maintain the rig, with her office giving assurances that all costs to government would be recovered from the industry.
Triangle Energy entered administration faced with estimated decommissioning liabilities for the Cliff Head oilfield and associated infrastructure of $200mn after its partner, Pilot Energy entered administration having failed to secure funding to buy out Triangle’s stake in the joint venture.
The case has echoes of the Northern Endeavour scenario, when in 2020 the government took over responsibility for decommissioning and remediating the Northern Endeavour FPSO and its associated infrastructure, after its owner went into liquidation. Six years later, the work is still ongoing. Since then, various reforms have been implemented to ensure operators carry out their decommissioning obligations and prevent a similar event occurring again. The Federal Government also imposed a levy on the Australian petroleum industry to cover the Northern Endeavour decommissioning costs.
Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) Executive Director Matt Roberts said taxpayer funded maintenance of the Cliff Head Oil platform would have been avoided by stronger oil and gas decommissioning laws.
“The Federal Government should not be using Australian taxpayer money to maintain the fossil fuel industry’s abandoned infrastructure.
“What we need now is a clear plan and timeline to recover these funds from industry and meaningful, legislated changes to avoid this happening again in the future.”
Noting that the Federal Government is planning reforms to decommissioning legislation he added, “With $60 billion in decommissioning liabilities sitting offshore across Australia to be worked through in the decades ahead, we must get these reforms right.”
Law firm Clyde & Co, in an article on its website comments, “It appears that Triangle's collapse, and the current uncertainty surrounding responsibility for the Cliff Head decommissioning, is a consequence of matters which occurred under the pre-reform regulatory regime rather than a failure of the current regulatory regime.
“Triangle and Pilot’s acquisition of the Cliff Head oil field and its associated infrastructure occurred before the Walker Review reforms and in circumstances where the pre-reform regulatory regime did not provide for adequate regulatory oversight. It remains to be seen whether any other late-life offshore assets acquired by smaller operators under the pre-reform regime will emerge with solvency concerns as production ceases and decommissioning liabilities crystallise.
“It may be that the original developers of Cliff Head avoid decommissioning liability in this instance due to limitations on the retrospective effect of the trailing liability reforms.”
Clyde & Co added that the expanded trailing liability regime means that the regulator may also look to related persons where appropriate with respect to decommissioning, as well as the two companies concerned.
“Triangle and Pilot’s collapse may cause regulators, financiers and project proponents to scrutinise more closely whether adequate security or funding arrangements are in place to meet both operational and eventual decommissioning liabilities for late-life offshore assets,” Clyde & Co concluded.
Australia’s Department of Industry, Science and Resources has reported back on common issues and concerns regarding the decommissioning process, following an industry and stakeholder consultation process as part of its reforms overhaul.
It comes as Australia seeks to tighten financial and regulatory safeguards around offshore oil and gas decommissioning, amid concerns that companies could leave taxpayers exposed to costly clean-up liabilities.
The Department said it was running its targeted consultation on the practical workings of proposed regulatory design amid updates to offshore decommissioning and financial assurance reforms.
Common themes to emerge from stakeholders included the need for:
• Earlier and regularly updated decommissioning planning
• Robust and credible decommissioning cost estimates
• Greater public transparency of decommissioning information
• Stronger financial assurance requirements
• Clear and effective enforcement options capable of intervening where required
• Clear regulatory triggers and expectations
The consultation process focused on a range of issues including decommissioning planning; financial planning and assurance; decommissioning and financial capacity risk assessments;
compliance and enforcement tools; and title surrender.
The Department said that it received 38 submissions and published 30 responses, while issues identified have “directly shaped” the proposed model, including its emphasis on:
• Staged planning
• Greater transparency
• Effective compliance and enforcement tools
• A proportionate, risk-based regulatory approach
“We are now conducting roundtables and meetings with stakeholders to test the regulatory design for the reforms,” the Department noted.
“The focus of this consultation is on technical and implementation issues. This includes how the model would operate in practice across different project types and life cycle stages.”
It said this targeted feedback would help reduce the risks of “unintended consequences” and ensure a robust, proportionate and balanced regulatory regime.
“Our reforms seek to ensure industry decommissions offshore infrastructure in a timely, safe and environmentally responsible way. This includes remaining responsible for the risks and liabilities of offshore activities,” the Department said in a statement.
There is expected to be a further consultation on the legislative changes in 2027.
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