Overview

Pipeline removal is a complex operation and must be considered on a case-by-case basis. REL staff have over 23 years experience in engineering, planning and costing the removal of pipelines and ancllary items.

A typical scope of work would consist of well abandonment, removal and disposal of the facilities as stated above. Following the removal, it is assumed that onshore deconstruction and recycling of the material will be the preferred onshore disposal route. Although it is recognised that possibilities for re-use or for revenue generation by sale of some of the components is possible, no estimate of potential revenue will be included in this cost estimate. 
 
A typical scope of the decommissioning operations will be as follows:

 
Well Abandonment

 The wells will be permanently plugged and abandoned to comply with current industry practice as per the Guidelines for the Suspension and Abandonment of Wells or other regional regulations. The water injection wells are to be plugged and abandoned in accordance with the general principles of the applicable regilations.

Decommissioning Preparations

 This phase includes all activities for preparing for the disconnection of pipelines, tie-in jumpers, disconnecting umbilicals and removal of the subsea structures. This shall include cleaning of the piping systems and pipelines to an acceptable level of cleanliness to avoid discharges of hydrocarbons during removal operations.
 

Drill Cuttings/Shell Mounds

There is currently no legal requirement to remove drill cuttings/shell mounds. However, information regarding the presence of drill cuttings around the structures is required to assess whether there present an obstruction to structure / wellhead removal. If so, they may have to be dispersed.

Pipeline Abandonment / Removal

 This proposal assumes that the pipelines will be disconnected from the manifold and risers / SSIV and either left in place or removed. Tie in spoolpieces would be removed irrespectively, It will be assumed that the lines will have been suitably cleaned and left open at the platform end and full of seawater on completion of the earlier operations.

Removal of Subsea Structures

Removal of the subsea structures will require cutting of the piles and recovery of the structure to the surface. This may be with the use of conventional marine lifting equipment or by new technologies.

Onshore Deconstruction and Disposal
 

Onshore deconstruction activities will commence with the offloading of structures and pipelines to shore and end with the disposal of all material at it's final destination, for example delivery of steel to a smelter for recycling. The deconstruction activities will be estimated on a weight basis benchmarked against past experiences.

 

 

 

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