To the general public the oil and gas industry could be seen as quite traditional and one which has yet to appreciate the technological advances of the 21st century.
Although in some cases this would be a true statement, innovation is stirring and breakthrough solutions are now being realized by the industry.
“The Decommissioning industry is going through a very interesting phase at the moment” commented Alan Stokes, Global Decommissioning Manager at Worley Parsons. “We are on the verge of some major changes”.
“Two areas which have caught my interest are the continued development of the Pioneering Spirit and new solutions for Underwater Cutting”.

The Pioneering Spirit
Recently renamed from Pieter Schelte, The Pioneering Spirit, has the ability to remove topsides in their entirety, before transporting the structure onshore for the dismantlement.
Although the vessel is only applicable for the larger platforms (Shell and Talisman are leading the way currently), there have been several attempts to replicate the idea for smaller platforms.
“It is entirely feasible that in the near future all platforms will be dismantled in this manner – the benefits are simply too significant to ignore”.
The advent of the Pioneering Spirit will almost certainly encourage growth in this new subsector.
Over the past several years, there were three notable attempts to construct smaller vessels (MPU Heavy Lift, Seametric and Global Maritime Lifter), though these did not make it into operation.
Other projects are underway, though it will be some time before we see quantifiable progress.

Underwater Cutting
“The other area which has driving innovation is in the Underwater Cutting arena” Alan added. “At the moment the challenge is not the cut itself, though more setting the equipment up in the first place. The University of Cambridge and the University of Aberdeen are developing an Underwater Laser Cutter which could reduce cutting times”.
The project, led by University of Aberdeen’s Professor William Deans, is currently sponsored by BP, ConocoPhillips, and Shell and has been showing substantial progress.
The tool can currently cut through 40mm of steel, using around 8kW of power and is significantly faster than current underwater cutting methods.
“The tool can significantly reduce the set up time for these projects.”

Shallow water decommissioning exposure by owner (2013c):

Between 20-40% of the project costs go to removal
“The cost benefits for Operators when considering both of these innovations can be substantial” remarked Alan.
“When you take into account that removal accounts for between 20-40% of the overall decommissioning project, the investment and risk to human life can be significantly reduced by incorporating these developments”.
“It is difficult to estimate a specific amount at the moment, as it will be dependent on a number of factors including market conditions, though it is likely to be a figure which can’t be ignored”.
The drop in oil price is likely to significantly increase the level of interests in these projects as they near completion, it is a telling indication of levels of innovation which can be achieved in a perceivably “traditional industry”.
“The supply industry have been excellent over the years in meeting the requirements of the industry” said Alan.
“The price of the barrel has altered the fortunes of the industry, however suppliers have always reacted at the right time, to offer unique technologies and solutions to save money for the operators”.
“It is a very exciting time for innovation”.