It is estimated that about 45% of all decommissioning costs in the North Sea relate to well plugging and abandonment.
So operators are now pressing ahead with well abandonment activities or have clear plans in place over the next two to three years to do so.
Progress has been made by operators in improving the efficiencies and reducing the costs of well abandonment, but the costs are still high and there is a big prize to be gained by achieving further cost reductions. In this context, new technologies will play a crucial role.
Oilfield services company Expro has won a substantial decommissioning contract for the abandonment of 26 oil wells in a multi-field programme in the central North Sea.
The contract will extend its partnership with Maersk Oil until 2020 for well abandonment services on two rigs, for a 26 well campaign across the Janice, James, Affleck and Leadon North developments.
It will also provide subsea and well-test services on two other Maersk offshore platforms in the North Sea.
In 2016 Expro launched a specialist well-abandonment unit focused on providing an integrated decommissioning service.
Meanwhile, ITF Energy is holding a free seminar on Decommissioning and Well Abandonment in Aberdeen on 5 Sept 2017 from 6-9pm.
Speakers include John Wiseman, Managing Director, Fairfield Energy, who will focus on the critical delivery challenges, and Jacobs Engineering Group who are currently working on ‘circular’ decommissioning projects.
For more information: http://tinyurl.com/ybbxadwz
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