Aquaterra Energy has highlighted growing confidence in Australia's offshore decommissioning sector following this year's Decommissioning & Abandonment Australia 2026 conference.

In a blog published on the company's website, Head of Engineering Matt Marcantino said the industry is placing greater emphasis on early planning, collaboration and long-term investment as it prepares for an increasing volume of decommissioning work.

"Decommissioning has changed significantly over the last 10 to 15 years, but it certainly hasn't become any easier," he wrote, noting that end-of-life projects are now being considered much earlier in the asset lifecycle.

Reflecting on discussions at the event, hosted by the Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CODA) together with Offshore Network, Marcantino said operators, regulators and contractors openly discussed challenges including regulatory complexity, supply chain investment and workforce capability.

“What impressed me was that none of these felt like uncomfortable topics,” he said.

“Operators, regulators and contractors were raising them in the same conversations, with the same level of candour.”

The blog also pointed to a shift away from one-off projects towards longer-term programmes, with operators increasingly engaging contractors earlier in the planning process to reduce risk and improve project outcomes.

Marcantino said regulators appeared focused on supporting progress while maintaining safety and environmental standards, adding that early engineering and planning work is becoming increasingly important in reducing uncertainty before project execution.

Looking ahead, he noted that Australia is building momentum as a decommissioning market despite the challenges that remain.

“At a time when parts of the global decommissioning sector feel uncertain, Australia is building real momentum," he added.

“If that collaborative mindset continues, I believe it has every chance of becoming one of the world’s leading decommissioning markets over the coming decades.”