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DECOMMISSIONING INSIGHT REPORT
2016
60
•
Sixty-three per cent of subsea wells in these regions plan to use a semi-submersible rig to carry out P&A. The
recent fall in rig rates could explain the fall in forecast unit costs for these wells.
•
However, rig rates are only one factor that impacts the cost of well P&A. The number of days to plug and abandon
a well is also an important factor, and operators have advised that expected well P&A durations have been
revised upwards for some large subsea projects based on data from completed projects and further studies on
the condition of the well stock.
Figure 40: Historical Variation in Well Plugging and Abandonment Cost Forecasts
in the Central and Northern North Sea and West of Shetland
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2011*
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2011*
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Platform Wells
Suspended E&A Wells
Subsea Development Wells
Estimated Cost per Well (£ Million - 2015 Money)
Average Forecast Cost Platform Well
Average Forecast Cost Suspended E&A Well
Average Forecast Cost Subsea Development Well
Range in Cost Forecasts
Source: Oil & Gas UK
* Data cannot be split out for subsea E&A and development wells for 2011
Well P&A
2015 Survey Average
2016 Survey Average
Platform wells
£4.1 million
£4.1 million
Suspended E&A wells
£7.8 million
£6.2 million
Subsea development wells
£9.9 million
£10.2 million