Comparative Assessment of Decommissioning Applications of Typical North Sea and Gulf of MexicoApproaches to Several Categories of Offshore Platforms in the Middle East

摘要

BP has a large number of offshore facilities located worldwide whererndecommissioning issues will need to be addressed in the not toorndistant future. Experience in decommissioning offshore facilitiesrnresides mainly in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and, to a lesser extent,rnon the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). Approximatelyrn2,000 small structures have been removed within the GOM regionrn(100 to 150 platforms per year over the last 15 years or so). Withinrnthe UKCS, around 20 platforms and subsea installations have beenrndecommissioned. This paper compares the different approaches usedrnin the two regions and discusses some of the ramifications of theserndifferences.