Initiatives in UK Offshore Decommissioning Following the Wood Review: Applicability for Decommissioning in Norway

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rune Vikane ◽  
Jon Tømmerås Selvik ◽  
Eirik Bjorheim Abrahamsen
Keyword(s):  
Swot Analysis ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Cost Estimates ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Gas Recovery ◽  
The Uk

Abstract The 2014 Wood Review is a report reviewing UK offshore oil and gas recovery and its regulation, led by Sir Ian Wood. The report identifies and addresses key challenges in the UK petroleum industry, among them the lack of a strong regulatory body and a decommissioning strategy. The UK petroleum industry is mature, and Norway may benefit from UK's experiences in decommissioning. The article investigates the applicability of the Wood Review recommendations for decommissioning in Norway. The analysis of the recommendations in the Wood Review is carried out by a SWOT-analysis of the general recommendations with a high potential impact on decommissioning as well as the five recommendations specific to decommissioning. The recommendations in the Wood Review were broadly accepted by UK authorities and formed the basis for numerous initiatives aimed at improving policies and practices in UK decommissioning. The key initiatives are presented to illustrate how the Wood Review recommendations has been interpreted. A summary of the key differences between the petroleum industries and the regulatory authorities in Norway and the UK is provided for background. Decommissioning in Norway face similar challenges to those identified in the Wood Review. The analysis indicates that several of the UK initiatives following the recommendations in the Wood Review has the potential of improving decommissioning in Norway. Differences in regulatory regimes between the regions may complicate the implementation of some of the initiatives following the Wood Review in Norway. In most cases only minor changes to regulations and/or practices are required. Recent UK initiatives with a high impact on decommissioning include increased focus on sharing of information and lessons learned, increased collaboration, the development of a decommissioning strategy, benchmarking of decommissioning cost estimates for all projects and the development and publishing of annual UK decommissioning cost estimates. There are indications that the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) and the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE) are falling behind their UK counterparts in key areas. Norway has limited experience with decommissioning, and scrupulous analysis of lessons learned in other regions is essential. Decommissioning of Norwegian offshore infrastructure is a major undertaking and even minor improvements may have a substantial impact on personnel risk, risk to the environment or the total decommissioning expenditure. The Norwegian regulatory regime has been an integral part of the Norwegian petroleum industry's success in previous decades, and changes to the regime require careful deliberation. The recent implementation of initiatives aimed at improving decommissioning regulations and practices in the UK represents a unique learning opportunity for Norwegian authorities. The analysis suggest that Norway may benefit from adopting some of the UK initiatives following the Wood Review recommendations.

scholarly journals A review study on micro fluid chips for enhancing the oil recovery by injecting the chemical floods

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (Suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. 423-432
Author(s):  
Muhhamad Tahir ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
Hongtao Zhou ◽  
Asadullah Memon ◽  
Ubedullah Ansari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Flow In Porous Media ◽  
Time Behavior ◽  
Chip Design ◽  
Gas Recovery ◽  
Chip Technology ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Chemical Selection

Surfactant and polymer flooding are the vital techniques used in petroleum industry to enhance the oil recovery. Development and advancement in such techniques has occurred time by time to overcome the challenges of oil and gas recovery. However, micro fluid chips and its development provide a new way to understand the real time behavior of fluid flow in porous media. The essence of this study has been achieved by collecting the information from literature studies and sorted the useful information to organize the pattern of micromodels chip revolution. In this study, first precise review is conducted by the innovations of micromodel chips into timescale from 1952 till date. Second, advancement in micromodel chip technology is included based on different periods of time where micromodel chips have evolved from chip design to nano scale visualization of chips. Third, some recommendations are proposed based on evolution of micromodel chip technology that it not only requires less time but also minimizing the massive experimental setup and complications. The overall finding of this research propose that in current times some microfluidic reforms made recently has played versatile role in improving injection chemical selection and similar improvements are expected to be developed in near future.

scholarly journals Legal form and independence of specialist regulators: the case of the Oil and Gas authority

Amicus Curiae ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 25-28
Author(s):  
Terence Daintith
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Legal Form ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Law And Legislation

In this paper based on a presentation given at an IALS lunchtime seminar, Professorial Fellow and former Director of the Institute Terence Daintith explores the form, governance and remit of the Oil and Gas authority. As this legal form had never before been used for a specialist regulator in the UK, he suggests it is worth asking: why this was done; what government companies normally do; what were the closest precedents; what were the effects of the choice in relation to the control, accountability, and independence of the regulator; and what might be the implications for the future.   Index keywords: Petroleum industry and trade, Petroleum law and legislation, Oil and Gas Authority, United Kingdom

scholarly journals NEW APPROACH TO FLARE GAS RECOVERY SYSTEM USING INTEGRATED RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS FOR SOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE BY MONETIZING GAS

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
Ratnayu Sitaresmi ◽  
Tamado Sitorus ◽  
Hari Karyadi Oetomo ◽  
Doddy Abdassah ◽  
Luluan Almanna Lubis
Keyword(s):  
Gas Flow ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Environmental Issue ◽  
Co2 Removal ◽  
Subject Field ◽  
Gas Recovery ◽  
Oil And Gas Fields ◽  
Recovery System ◽  
Production Wells

Flare gas is light hydrocarbon gas, by product of any petroleum industry activities, that is flared; and it could not pass into production facilities due its to low pressure. The gas flare volume frequently is significant, causing greenhouse gas emissions which gives serious environmental issue. Aims: The purpose of this research is to utilize flare gas in oil and gas fields to reduce environmental issue. Methodology and Results: Flare gas in an oil producing field is compressed to produce higher pressure gas flow, by using three one-stage Integrated Reciprocating Compressors to enter the production trunk line. The gas is flown to CO2 Removal Plant, as the gas would be gas sales. The subject field in West Java, the production wells experiences pressure decline; resulting the wellhead flowing pressure becomes low, so the gas is being flared. The gas flare recovery system is economically profitable both for purchase and rental scenarios. Renting the equipment is more profitable and has lower technical risk, because all risks is burdened to rental service provider. Conclusion, significance and impact study: Monetizing flare gas will reduce environmental issue, and it is utilized for own use or gas sales. The best Economics Scenario is rental scenario.

ASSESSMENT AND APPROVAL OF PETROLEUM ACTIVITIES UNDER THE COMMONWEALTH ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ACT 1999—LESSONS LEARNED

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 779
Author(s):  
K. Heiden
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Environment Protection ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Commonwealth Government ◽  
Petroleum Sector

This paper provides a brief overview of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the Act) with respect to the upstream petroleum industry and focusses on the aspects of assessments and approvals under the Act.The inception of the Act on 16 July 2000 has created a new environmental assessment and approval regime at the Commonwealth level. No longer are proposals referred for assessment on the basis of government decisions, but on the basis of the potential for a proposal to impact upon a matter of National Environmental Significance (NES). Examining the statistics of referrals made, controlled actions determined and approvals granted, provides a useful guide as to the types of activities that are captured by the Act. This exercise is particularly valuable for the oil and gas sector.With more than 20 of the referrals received from the petroleum sector being determined to be controlled actions (that is, actions that are likely to have a significant impact upon matters of NES), a review of the assessment and approval processes under the Act provides some useful insights into what factors to consider when seeking approval under the Act. In particular, information on the timeframes involved, extent of information required, form and scope of approval conditions and synergies with other approval requirements provide valuable insights to proponents and can assist in planning future activities in a manner that is consistent with both the requirements of the Act and those of the proposed action.This paper identifies key issues and lessons for proponents when seeking approval under the Act and also identifies areas where industry can work closely with the Commonwealth Government in ways to achieve a balance between environmental protection and the continued development of the oil and gas industry.

Reliable Subsea Oil and Gas Transportation Systems

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles A. Reith ◽  
Kaj B. Lagstrom
Keyword(s):  
Deep Water ◽  
Production System ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Transportation Systems ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Design Study ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
The Uk ◽  
System Designs

This paper is seeking to provide feedback on the use and application of both API-RP-17N & ISO 20815 in subsea field developments and in the progression of floating production system designs by presenting findings and design study recommendations, which are collectively pushing engineering boundaries in the recovery of oil and gas from difficult operational and environmental locations. Lessons Learned, key issues encountered and feed-back are provided from the installation of a subsea facility infrastructure that will deliver gas into the U.K. network from a long distance subsea tieback West of Shetland in the UK Continental Sector and from various FPSO projects and from deep-water FLNG design developments.

scholarly journals Inadequate Regulation of the Geological Aspects of Shale Exploitation in the UK

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 6946
Author(s):  
David K. Smythe
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Environmental Safety ◽  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Case Histories ◽  
Induced Earthquakes ◽  
British Geological Survey ◽  
Environment Agency ◽  
The Uk

Unconventional oil and gas exploitation, which has developed in the UK since 2009, is regulated by four main agencies: The Oil and Gas Authority, the Environment Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and local Mineral Planning Authorities (usually county councils). The British Geological Survey only has an advisory role, as have ad hoc expert committees. I firstly define terms, and summarise the remits of the regulators and background history. Fourteen case histories are then discussed, comprising most of the unconventional exploitation to date; these cases demonstrate the failure of regulation of the geological aspects of fracking operations in the UK. The regulators let inadequacies in geological understanding, and even mendacious geological interpretations by the hydrocarbon operators slip through the net. There are potentially severe implications for environmental safety—if and when permits are granted. Geological pathways, if not properly understood and mitigated, may lead to long-term pollution of groundwater and surface water; methane and H2S emissions. Induced earthquakes have not been well regulated. The case histories demonstrate a laissez-faire and frequently incompetent regulatory regime, devised for the pre-unconventional era, and which has no geological oversight or insight.

scholarly journals Designing Regulatory Governance Models for Managing Hydrocarbon Resources: Lessons Learned from Norway and the UK

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-300
Author(s):  
Eduardo G. Pereira ◽  
Eddy Wifa ◽  
Jonathon W. Moses
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Critical Appraisal ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Regulatory Governance ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Fossil Fuel Energy

While the ever-evolving nature of the global energy industry remains apparent particularly with a transition away from fossil fuel energy systems, the role of oil and gas particularly for emerging economies is undeniable. As new discoveries of oil and gas emerge in countries in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia, the dominant question will be how to design robust regulatory governance regimes not just for the exploration of oil and gas but also for the management of these resources. As both the United Kingdom and Norway are described as mature oil and gas jurisdictions by virtue of their profound experience, there are valuable lessons to be drawn. Despite some remarkable differences in both the UK and Norwegian regimes, experience suggests that strategy, foresight, regulatory rigour, and political will are valuable to mitigating the consequences of the political economy of speed, which suggest the development of natural resources at the expense of everything else. This paper provides both a comprehensive and critical appraisal of both the UK and Norwegian regimes in a way that captures the complexity of divergent regulatory governance structures.

An Offshore Regulator's Perspective: Maintaining Focus on Managing Spill Risk

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 890-900
Author(s):  
Cameron Grebe ◽  
Matthew Smith ◽  
David Ball
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Major Incident ◽  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Offshore Petroleum

ABSTRACT Lest we forget – three years after Macondo the focus on preparing for major oil spills and ensuring offshore petroleum companies have arrangements in place that match the specific risks of the activity is as critical as ever. The Australian regulator is resolved to continually challenge risk assessments and require companies to go beyond design events in order to meet their commitments for a world-class preparedness and response capability. Established to independently administer an objective-based regulatory regime for the offshore petroleum industry in Australian Commonwealth waters, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Management Authority seeks to hold industry to account for its level of preparedness for a major incident. Challenged by remote and vulnerable areas, the Australian oil and gas industry has responded admirably, if not collectively. The competitive nature of the industry, the necessary focus on prevention, emerging technologies and more difficult targets have influenced the level of enthusiasm for continually improving oil spill preparedness arrangements. As the regulator of offshore environmental management our focus is to ensure that as time progresses, and prevention measures prove themselves reliable, that these factors do not impede further progress in preparing for mitigating and remediating major oil spills. There are paradoxical challenges for industry preparedness. No single company can or should hold the full range of resources for a preventable incident. Yet society expects exactly this standard from those developing Australia's riches. The radical centre of this paradox is where insightful and lasting solutions can and must be found - weak compromises such as showing preparedness for your last event will often fail when put to the test. Companies and Governments alike must maintain situational awareness of their spill risks and evaluate the circumstances they find themselves in and implement measures to manage this risk. A regulator's role is only effective if they are challenging companies and asking questions: Have you done enough to understand and manage the risks? Are you implementing what is required? The regulator in Australia has implemented a way of regulating that, in part, aims to keep industry's focus on their next event and not their last. Its mechanism for doing so is to establish an improvement culture of open and transparent risk assessments that are subject to challenge against legislated risk acceptance criteria. This paper outlines the current challenges of an independent regulator and identifies the next steps in challenging industry to do more.

Institutional developments, standards and river quality: a UK history and some lessons for industrialising countries

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. M. Johnstone ◽  
N. J. Horan
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Aquatic Environment ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Process Manufacturing ◽  
Treatment And Disposal ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Developed World

From the middle ages until the early part of the nineteenth century the streets of European cities were foul with excrement and filth to the extent that aristocrats often held a clove-studded orange to their nostrils in order to tolerate the atmosphere. The introduction in about 1800 of water-carriage systems of sewage disposal merely transferred the filth from the streets to the rivers. The problem was intensified in Britain by the coming of the Industrial Revolution and establishment of factories on the banks of the rivers where water was freely available for power, process manufacturing and the disposal of effluents. As a consequence the quality of most rivers deteriorated to the extent that they were unable to support fish life and in many cases were little more than open sewers. This was followed by a period of slow recovery, such that today most of these rivers have been cleaned with many having good fish stocks and some even supporting salmon. This recovery has not been easy nor has it been cheap. It has been based on the application of good engineering supported by the passing and enforcement of necessary legislation and the development of suitable institutional capacity to finance, design, construct, maintain and operate the required sewerage and sewage treatment systems. Such institutional and technical systems not only include the disposal of domestic sewage but also provisions for the treatment and disposal of industrial wastewaters and for the integrated management of river systems. Over the years a number of institutional arrangements and models have been tried, some successful other less so. Although there is no universally applicable approach to improving the aquatic environment, many of the experiences encountered by the so-called developed world can be learned by developing nations currently attempting to rectify their own aquatic pollution problems. Some of these lessons have already been discussed by the authors including some dangers of copying standards from the developed world. The objective of this paper is to trace the steps taken over many years in the UK to develop methods and systems to protect and preserve the aquatic environment and from the lessons learned to highlight what is considered to be an appropriate and sustainable approach for industrialising nations. Such an approach involves setting of realistic and attainable standards, providing appropriate and affordable treatment to meet these standards, establishment of the necessary regulatory framework to ensure enforcement of the standards and provision of the necessary financial capabilities to guarantee successful and continued operation of treatment facilities.

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