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DECOMMISSIONING INSIGHT REPORT
2016
24
Southern North Sea and Irish Sea
•
Facilities ‘making safe’ and topside preparation activities are forecast to be carried out on 38 normally
unmanned installations (NUIs) and 32 manned platforms in these regions, equating to 83 topside modules from
2016 to 2025.
•
The overall activity has increased from 65 topside modules forecast a year ago given the 16 new platform
removal projects included in the southern North Sea. The additional activity is expected to occur between 2018
and 2025.
•
Activity in the near term is consistent with last year’s report, indicating that these projects are further along in
their planning and the timing is better defined.
•
Over the next decade, nearly 2,890 kilometres of pipeline are estimated to be ‘made safe’ in the southern North
Sea and Irish Sea, an increase from the 2,490 kilometres forecast a year ago.
•
Activity is forecast to peak at just under 600 kilometres this year, with significant activity between 2019 and
2023 also expected.
Figure 12: Forecast Number of Topside Modules for ‘Making Safe’ and Topside Preparation
in the Southern North Sea and Irish Sea
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Number of Topside Modules
Making Safe
Topsides Preparation
Source: Oil & Gas UK
Increased Uncertainty
in Forecasts
Number of Topside Modules
2016 to 2025
Number of Platforms
2016 to 2025
Facilities ‘making safe’ and
topside preparation
83
38 NUIs
32 manned platforms