Decommissioning and abandonment

Decommissioning and abandonment

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UK DTI GUIDANCE NOTES

ƒ Legislation set out in HSE Guidance Notes ƒ Based on The Petroleum Act 1998 ƒ Converts convention into good practice ƒ Gives guidance on pipelines ƒ Approach to be taken

ƒ Consider all options and effects ƒ Future consequences of corrosion ƒ Lines that can be left in place ƒ Buried and long trunk lines ƒ Lines that should be removed ƒ Small diameter and untrenched lines ƒ Monitoring & Inspection ƒ Unlimited time period !

The current status of legislation is set out in HSE Guidance Notes based on The Petroleum Act 1998, and covers the areas shown above. Approach to be taken: Based on individual circumstances; All feasible options to be considered; Removal to have no effect on environment; If left in place (decommissioned in-situ), decision based on rate of deterioration and possible future effect on marine environment; Consider other users of the sea. Lines can be left in place: If adequately trenched If likely to self-bury If exposed sections retrenched If trunk lines Lines that should be removed: Small diameter of up to 323.8 mm (<12¾ in) Rigid lines and flexibles that are not trenched or buried Monitoring & Inspection : If decommissioned in-situ, monitoring and inspection programme to be established on case-by-case basis

CURRENTSTATUS FORPLATFORMS