Global Maritime Australia has outlined its role in the recent decommissioning of the Harriet Alpha platform in a recent update posted on its website.
The consultancy provides a suite of decommissioning services, spanning Marine Warranty Survey, engineering and design, FEED studies, marine assurance, marine operations and project management.
It supported Santos as Independent Verification Body (IVB) for the removal and transportation of the platform, marking a new milestone in Australia’s offshore decommissioning sector.
The project saw the removal of a 1,600-tonne topsides and 1,480-tonne jacket, representing a significant full-scale offshore platform removal.Installed in 1985 and ceasing production in 2013, Harriet Alpha was a flagship development for Western Australia’s offshore oil and gas industry and is now a key component of the region’s expanding decommissioning programme.
Engaged from the early planning stages in 2022 through to offshore execution in 2026, Global Maritime (GM) utilised access to a global pool of expert resources in decommissioning to support the project, ensuring that extensive lessons learnt were transferred to the local Australian project teams and the contractor team.
The Harriet Alpha removal campaign stands as the largest offshore platform removal undertaken in Australia to date, encompassing the safe extraction and onshore processing of key structures, including the topsides, jacket and associated infrastructure.
“The decommissioning of the Harriet Alpha Platform was a flagship project, GM pooled local and international technical experts to support our client and ensure that the assets were timely removed and safely transported onshore,” said said Bianca Bevan, Country Manager – Australia of Global Maritime.
“Projects executed with this degree of precision, timeliness and success takes patience, competence and collaboration between all parties. Global Maritime was proud to be a part of such a flagship and successful project.”
In its update, GM added: “Delivered safely and efficiently, the project establishes a new benchmark for offshore asset removal in Australia, demonstrating the increasing capability and maturity of the domestic decommissioning market and setting a precedent for future large-scale programmes.”
CorrosionRADAR has launched its CR:SR sensor solution, a new short-range sensor technology that expands its corrosion under insulation (CUI) intelligence portfolio and helps to transform CUI management from a reactive inspection activity into a proactive intelligence-led approach.
The corrosion threat
Corrosion is an ever-present threat to asset integrity in the oil and gas industry, with industry studies estimating the global cost of corrosion exceeds $2.5 trillion annually.
CUI, which is a particularly insidious form of corrosion as it is difficult to detect at an early stage, occurs due to moisture build up on the external surface of insulated equipment and structures, and is prevalent in the onshore and offshore oil and gas industries.
Predictive corrosion monitoring
Predictive corrosion monitoring solutions facilitated by advances in AI and digital technologies can help operators proactively manage their corrosion challenges and protect their assets, allowing them to monitor and predict risk remotely and make data-driven decisions, saving time and money, while enhancing safety and ensuring the longevity of critical infrastructure.
CorrosionRADAR is using this approach to transform CUI management with continuous monitoring and intelligence-based analytics that save time, improve uptime and reduce the risk of catastrophic failures.
Remote sensor-enabled CUI monitoring programs help operators focus resources on the locations that matter most while reducing unnecessary inspection costs and operational disruption.
The new CR:SR sensor solution has been developed for targeted, localised (short-range) monitoring without the need to remove insulation. It complements CorrosionRADAR’s existing CR:LR solution, which delivers permanently installed, long-range monitoring across vessels, columns, tanks, and other complex assets.
The new sensor passes monitoring data to the AI-informed CR:CLARITY software for consolidation, analysis and reporting. The launch strengthens CorrosionRADAR's end-to-end CUI Intelligence offering, giving operators proven options to understand where CUI risk is developing, how it is evolving, and what action to take next.
Together, the CR:LR and CR:SR sensors address the challenges of traditional inspection programs by providing continuous visibility between inspection campaigns. CUI data is constantly collected and analysed by the CR:CLARITY software, enabling operators to prioritise inspection activity based on changing risk conditions rather than fixed inspection intervals.
Dr. Chiraz Ennaceur, Chief Executive Officer at CorrosionRADAR, said, "At CorrosionRADAR, we recognise that every asset presents a different CUI challenge. Some assets require broad coverage across large areas, while others benefit from targeted monitoring of specific high-risk locations. By expanding our portfolio to include the CR:SR sensor solution and bringing all monitoring data together through CR:CLARITY, operators gain greater flexibility in how they monitor CUI while maintaining a single view of risk across their assets."
Halliburton has been awarded a contract by Basra Oil Company (BOC) for the development of the Bin Umar and Sindbad oil and gas fields in southern Iraq.
The contract scope includes field development planning, production optimisation, digital solutions and engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for the two fields.
“We are honoured by the trust Basra Oil Company has placed in Halliburton to support the development of the Bin Umar and Sindbad fields,” said Zaid Khadra, Vice President, Middle East North Africa, Halliburton.
“We will work alongside BOC as a technical and project management provider to integrate workflows, digital solutions, and execution expertise to maximise asset value.”
Halliburton said in a statement that it will deploy its Landmark portfolio to build a digital foundation that connects subsurface insights, well delivery, production operations and business planning.
The company digitally integrates planning and execution to improve visibility, increase efficiency and support faster, higher-quality decisions.
The Bin Umar and Sindbad development programme is designed to increase oil production and expand the capture and use of associated gas for domestic supply.BOC estimates oil production could reach approximately 150,000 barrels per day and 300 million standard cubic feet of associated gas from Bin Umar field during the first five-year development phase.
The project supports Iraq’s efforts to strengthen energy security and reduce reliance on gas imports.
The Halliburton award also supports the Iraqi governments strategy to strengthen BOC with technical capabilities, project execution expertise and an integrated delivery model to advance development of Iraq’s national energy assets.
BOC will retain ownership, operatorship and decision-making authority over the assets, while Halliburton will execute the project in coordination with BOC.
Halliburton also plans to work with local resources to support Ministry of Oil initiatives on workforce development and national value creation.
“We look forward to collaboration with BOC to advance Iraq’s production, infrastructure and associated gas development objectives,” added Khadra.
Weatherford has been awarded two five-year contracts for well related services in Kuwait, it disclosed in its recent Q2 results announcement.
The work covers the provision of annular casing packers for high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) Triassic-Palaeozoic wells and ESP feed-through packers.
“Kuwait Oil Company awarded two five-year contracts for the supply of Annular Casing Packer for Triassic-Paleozoic High-Pressure High-Temperature Wells and the supply of Electronic Submersible Pumps feed-through packers for multiple wells,” the Q2 statement noted.
It also listed a further contract in Oman for the provision of substantial drilling operations.
“Petroleum Development Oman awarded Weatherford a three-year contract to provide Integrated Drilling Services covering 247 wells in the Marmul field, supporting both production and injection operations, following the successful completion of the 837-well contract awarded in 2022.”
Other regional highlights from the quarter included new technology use in Saudi Arabia.
“In Saudi Arabia, Weatherford completed the first qualification deployment of ArrayPro with Aramco, validating a fully integrated production logging solution for horizontal wells,” the company’s statement noted.
“The ruggedised system delivered high quality real time data and reliable performance in demanding environments, supporting improved reservoir insight and production optimisation.”
In the UAE, it was also recognised as ‘Best Liner Hanger Supplier and Services Provider’ by an undisclosed national oil company.
“The Liner Hanger Systems team completed over 100 liner deployments across more than 22,000 operational hours in the previous year, demonstrating consistent delivery that reduces operational variability and supports efficient well construction and schedule reliability.”
While overall group revenues for the period were down slightly, the company remains bullish about forward prospects.
“Despite the significant disruption in the Middle East due to the Iran conflict, our second-quarter results, especially adjusted free cash flow, were strong, demonstrating the reliability and resilience of our operating paradigm,” said Girish Saligram, Weatherford’s President and CEO.
In its Q2 statement, it added that while the Middle East situation remains volatile and creates activity headwinds in the short term, the company’s longer-term thesis remains intact.
“A return to the pre-conflict operating levels is expected to be gradual, contingent on continued regional stability, and requires an absence of further geopolitical escalation,”it noted.“Our second half 2026 outlook is appropriately adjusted to reflect these dynamics and while our total year outlook has slightly reduced, the second half represents a significant ramp up in margin contribution versus the first half.”
As Shell Offshore Inc gives up 50% non-operated working interest in the Na Kika platform and associated fields in the Gulf of America, buyers Talos Energy and Ridgewood Energy will be required to assume certain decommissioning obligations with security coverage.
Approximately US$1.7bn transaction, it will also include the Coulomb tieback, which belonged entirely to Shell.
In Shell's outlook, Na Kika and Coulomb can be considered rapidly declining assets, which may reach end of life over the next few years. Last year, the assets generated around 37,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day for Shell. Its proven reserves generated from Na Kika by the end of 2025 were 4.3 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) while from Coulomb it were 7.2 million boe. The major is now reshaping its deepwater asset portfolio with a focus on attaining scale, efficiency and infrastructure.
“The Gulf of America is one of our highest-value basins, and we are actively shaping our portfolio to ensure our Upstream business continues to be resilient and increasingly competitive,” said Peter Costello, Shell’s Upstream President. “We remain focused on sustaining our material liquids production into the next decade.”
The Na Kika semi-submersible platform is Shell’s only non-operated platform in the Gulf of America, which began producing in 2003. bp, as operator of the platform, holds the remaining 50% working interest. The Coulomb tieback has been producing since 2005.
The United States remain a key market for Shell, with operations and interests in all 50 states. The company is one of the frontrunners in the Gulf of America as deepwaters operator, with significant presence in the region as an oil and gas producer and US LNG buyer.
As part of portfolio optimisation and growth strategy, Baker Hughes Company's acquisition of Chart Industries comes as a value addition for the industrialised energy solutions company.
“Chart’s thermal management solutions bring complementary capabilities and aftermarket service offerings that accelerate our portfolio strategy,” said Baker Hughes Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lorenzo Simonelli. “Together, we will expand the solutions we deliver across a broader range of energy and industrial markets and create greater value for customers and shareholders. We welcome our new colleagues to Baker Hughes and look forward to working with them to deliver disciplined execution and maximise synergies as we move forward.”
Baker Hughes Chief Infrastructure & Performance Officer Jim Apostolides has been appointed senior vice president to lead the Chart segment.
“Congratulations to Jim on his well-deserved appointment as segment leader,” Simonelli added. “Jim’s business rigor, demonstrated through decades of global supply chain experience and operational leadership of large complex facilities around the world, makes him well-suited to lead implementation of the Baker Hughes Business System within Chart. We look forward to his leadership and continued success, quickly delivering value for our customers and shareholders as one company.”
Chart will be a new reporting segment within Baker Hughes, adding to the scale and strategic importance of its diverse services in air and gas handling, thermal management, and lifecycle services. For Chart, the acquisition means full integration and synergy capture across Baker Hughes while keeping its commercial and operational focus intact.
Baker Hughes is increasingly prioritising synergy capture in supply chain, functional support and manufacturing to achieve cost optimisation. Its signature Business System is supporting operational alignment as part of its newly launched comprehensive integration programme. The Chart acquisition will solidify Baker Hughes' industrial portfolio and enhanced recurring aftermarket services.
Decom Engineering has secured contracts worth an estimated £4.5mn during H1 2026, surpassing its original full-year target and placing the company in a strong position to mark a record annual revenue of £6mn.
The performance reflects the growing international demand for Decom’s specialist cold cutting technologies and engineering expertise, offshore and onshore, across decommissioning scopes as well as installation and commissioning projects.
Projects have been secured across North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and the North Sea, ranging from chain cutting projects to large-scale subsea structural removal.
In Australia, Decom has completed a subsea flexible flowline removal campaign with Cyan Renewables over a five-month campaign, while in Canada, a summer-long East Coast installation campaign is underway using the C1-16 UL Chopsaw with follow-on campaigns scheduled for 2027 and 2028.
The ultra-light C1-16 Chopsaw is being utilised on a variety of projects – two are permanently deployed on mooring chain cutting scopes offshore Brazil, while in the UKCS another is engaged on a 60-day campaign cutting chains and risers on an FPSO.
Another chain cutting project for an FLNG operator offshore West Africa in underway, while in the Middle East, Decom has developed a custom-built TRACS-32 unit that will be ready to start work in Q4 2026.
Decom Engineering Managing Director, Nick McNally, said, “Decommissioning remains a core strength of the business, but installation work – supporting clients during the deployment of new subsea assets rather than only at the end of asset life – has become a significant part of our project pipeline. Changing market conditions and better market alignment is one factor behind this year’s growth but this sits alongside a major overhaul of our product design, and a change in engineering culture with a focus on innovation, which allows us to be more responsive to customer’s requirements.”
Chairman Keith McDermott added, “We set a target of £4.3mn for 2026 and we have already exceeded at the halfway stage, so expect to double our year-on-year revenue, and have a raft of work already secured for 2027. What is encouraging is that while our decommissioning legacy is a core element of our business, clients are increasingly recognising the value of engaging our technology and expertise much earlier in the lifecycle of an asset.”
Oceaneering International has announced that its Integrity Management and Digital Solutions (IMDS) segment has been awarded a five-year inspection and asset integrity services contract by a Qatar-based oil company.
The contract followed a competitive tender process and reinforces Oceaneering’s role in providing integrity management services in Qatar after operating in the country for more than 20 years.
Under the contract, Oceaneering will deliver non-destructive testing, inspection services and value engineering, utilising its established local workforce and leveraging Inform, its digital inspection software. The scope may also include deploying Vision, a data visualisation platform.
Leo Granato, Senior Vice President of IMDS, said, “This award underscores our ability to deliver reliable, digitally enabled integrity solutions that enhance production reliability and asset uptime while supporting regulatory compliance. Our established team in Qatar enables safe and consistent execution of our innovative solutions, while deepening the development of local talent.”
Stressing on the urgency to incentivise energy production instead of relying on imported oil and gas, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) has expressed the need for early implementation of the government’s proposed Oil and Gas Price Mechanism as it can potentially unlock an additional £50 billion in oil and gas investment.
The body has urged a priority visit by Prime Minister Andy Burnham so that the North Sea's offshore industry stakeholders from operators to supply chain players can expect a positive shift in government attitudes towards the sector.
“The UK will still need oil and gas for decades to come. The question is whether we produce as much of that energy as possible here — supporting our own jobs, communities and economy — or rely increasingly on imports while exporting investment and economic value overseas. Government policy should back North Sea production as part of a secure and managed energy transition.
“Energy policy cannot be made in Westminster alone without listening to the people and communities who have powered this country for the last 50 years. For too long, offshore workers, engineers, technicians and those across the energy supply chain have been talked about rather than listened to. A visit to meet the North Sea workforce would demonstrate that the new Government intends to build a different relationship with the people and communities at the heart of Britain’s energy system.
"The new Prime Minister must now turn listening into action. Words of support for projects such as Jackdaw and Rosebank cannot be a substitute for the policy reset our country needs. The new Government must back North Sea oil and gas over increased reliance on imports — delivering the fiscal and regulatory reforms required to unlock investment, protect domestic jobs, strengthen energy security and support the energy transition,” said David Whitehouse, Chief Executive of OEUK.
North Sea's decades-long legacy of offshore exploration needs digital innovations to continue thriving in the current era of sustainability. The recently concluded OWI EU 2026 in Stavanger, Norway, celebrated the rich legacy of the North Sea, by fostering crossborder collaboration, digital innovation, and exchanging ideas on sustainable interventions.
Keeping up with production goals from the largely declining North Sea assets will inevitably require rapid digitalisation of the sector. As operators are now having to work under dynamic conditions, requiring fast yet accurate decisionmaking, they need the support of integrated digital platforms that combine real-time data, historical well information and advanced analytics to improve visibility across their assets. Tools, such as digital well barrier schematics, are helping reduce manual effort and enabling more consistent, standardised approaches to integrity management.
Offshore Netwrok has recently released a report reflecting North Sea's stronghold in the global well intervention industry. The region's well intervention scene is way past the stage of new innovations and is just a few steps away from becoming an established norm. Click here to download the report.
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.”
Expro, a global energy services provider, has showcased through a recent case study how advanced subsea technology enabled safe, efficient well abandonment
Operating in some of the world's most challenging offshore environments demands technologies that can maintain safety, reliability and operational efficiency even when weather conditions deteriorate. A recent case study from Expro demonstrates how the company successfully supported a complex subsea well abandonment campaign in the harsh waters north-east of Shetland, delivering consistent performance despite repeated weather-related disruptions.
The project involved the safe re-entry into five subsea wells as part of a well abandonment programme. Conducted from a floating Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), the campaign faced demanding operating conditions characterised by frequent storms, heavy swells and rapidly changing sea states. These conditions increased the risk of non-productive time (NPT), making dependable well integrity systems and robust disconnect capability critical to maintaining safe operations.
Expro was selected for the campaign based on its established expertise in subsea well integrity, proven control barrier technologies and reliable disconnect systems. Building on an ongoing relationship with the operator, the company was chosen for its technical capabilities, field-proven equipment and operational performance in extreme offshore environments.
Throughout the campaign, Expro's Subsea Safety Tree (SSTT) system played a central role in maintaining operational continuity. Adverse weather conditions required the primary SSTT system to be unlatched on five separate occasions to allow safe disconnection from the well. Despite these interruptions, every unlatch and subsequent relatch operation was completed successfully on the first attempt without incident.
The extended campaign also demonstrated the durability of the equipment. During operations, the SSTT system completed 1,114 valve functions and accumulated 2,490 operating hours while maintaining full operational integrity. Even after extensive use, the system continued to perform reliably, highlighting its resilience in one of the industry's most demanding offshore environments.
A key factor behind the project's success was the combination of reliable technology and experienced offshore personnel. The SSTT's dependable unlatching capability enabled safe disconnection during severe weather, while its high-performance latch mechanism ensured repeatable, reliable reconnection each time conditions improved. Careful planning and close coordination by Expro's offshore team further supported the seamless execution of the campaign.
According to the case study, the solution enabled the operator to complete all required completion intervention activities for the well abandonment programme without experiencing non-productive time. The combination of proven equipment reliability, first-time operational success and effective collaboration between offshore personnel and technology helped deliver safe and efficient operations throughout the project.
The campaign also demonstrated the importance of robust subsea intervention systems as offshore operators continue to prioritise safe and cost-effective well decommissioning. By maintaining continuous performance under challenging conditions, the project illustrates how advanced well integrity technologies can reduce operational risk while supporting efficient abandonment programmes in increasingly demanding offshore environments.
The offshore oil and gas sector in Australia operates within one of the most demanding physical environments in the world.
As facilities mature and production demands shift, the necessity for robust asset integrity management has never been more critical. Overseeing this high-stakes domain is the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), Australia's independent expert regulator. Tasked with ensuring health, safety, environmental management, and structural and well integrity in Commonwealth waters, NOPSEMA drives the regulatory landscape that governs the lifecycle of every offshore facility.
At the core of Australia’s offshore regulatory framework is the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (OPGGS Act), alongside a comprehensive suite of associated regulations. This legislative foundation dictates that no offshore petroleum activity can commence until NOPSEMA has strictly assessed and accepted a detailed risk management plan. The fundamental standard for these plans is the demonstration that an organisation will manage risks to structural and well integrity to a level that is "as low as reasonably practicable" (ALARP).
Recent Legislative Updates and Risk Management
Recently, the regulatory regime has seen significant updates, including the implementation of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Safety) Regulations 2024. These legislative revisions reflect a modernised, highly risk-based approach to oversight, ensuring that regulatory resources are precisely targeted toward the industry's most pressing vulnerabilities. NOPSEMA expects duty holders to continuously evaluate their control of work systems, from detailed job task analyses to robust permit-to-work processes. By aligning these operational protocols with evolving international best practices, operators can eliminate or drastically reduce the inherent risks associated with complex offshore activities.
NOPSEMA’s National Priorities
To provide clear strategic direction, NOPSEMA has identified key areas requiring sustained regulatory attention through its Five National Priorities. Foremost among these is structural integrity, ensuring offshore assets remain inherently safe, efficient, and fully compliant throughout their operational lives. A continuous lifecycle approach is essential, particularly as operators must proactively combat the severe risks associated with long-term marine operations, such as relentless corrosion, fatigue, and environmental stress.
Another critical priority is the responsible management and permanent decommissioning of redundant offshore wells. Timely and effective well plugging and abandonment are treated as essential for long-term risk management and environmental protection, effectively minimising the potential for any disastrous loss of well control. The remaining national priorities focus heavily on protecting worker psychosocial health, improving the overall control of work to prevent recurring incidents, and emphasising how executive leadership decision-making directly impacts offshore safety outcomes.
Managing Ageing Offshore Infrastructure
A central challenge currently shaping the regulatory landscape is the complex management of mature offshore infrastructure. NOPSEMA has provided dedicated guidance on ageing assets and life extension, urging duty holders to rigorously review their existing management systems. Crucially, the regulator clarifies that asset degradation is a condition-based, rather than strictly time-based, phenomenon. As NOPSEMA’s official guidance notes: "Ageing is not about how old your equipment is; it is about its condition, and how that is changing over time."
This vital distinction means that operators cannot rely solely on predetermined chronological milestones to dictate their maintenance schedules. Instead, they must deploy advanced monitoring techniques to continuously assess for material deterioration, damage, and any increasing likelihood of failure. It is imperative that offshore operators implement robust inspection, maintenance, and repair programmes tailored to the actual physical condition of the plant. If an asset's condition unexpectedly deteriorates, operators are legally required to instigate comprehensive recovery plans to promptly restore integrity and bring the associated risks back down to the ALARP threshold.
Successfully navigating the evolving regulatory landscape for asset integrity management in Australia’s offshore oil and gas sector demands far more than basic compliance. It requires a proactive, strategic commitment to continuous operational improvement. By integrating structural integrity, responsible decommissioning, and dynamic asset management into their core strategies, operators can ensure they meet NOPSEMA’s rigorous standards while safeguarding their workforce and the marine environment.
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