The virtual conference was comprised of 11 sessions delivered across the two day programme.
Further details of our speakers are available below each session description.
DECOMMISSIONING IN A CHANGED WORLD
This session adopts a global outlook bringing together industry leaders with a stake in oil and gas decommissioning to discuss the impact of Covid-19, the downturn plus the implications of 2020 events from both an international and UK perspective. Aimed at law-makers, regulators, energy sector operators, supply chain businesses and finance communities, this session will appeal to those interested in decommissioning within a global context.
OPERATORS AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN – STRIKING THE BALANCE
This session explores the potential for the oil and gas sector to work more collectively to shape the future of UKCS decommissioning business. Aiming to identify opportunities to establish the UK as a ‘global hub for decommissioning, the session offers the opportunity for both supply chain and operators to increase their understanding of where in the UK and globally their efforts can most effectively be deployed.
GETTING IT RIGHT – LEAVE IN-SITU OR REMOVE?
With significant progress being made in the understanding of the ecological role of man-made infrastructure in the marine environment, where do we go next? How can this new information be used to support decision-making around the long -term fate of structures and ensure developers and regulators are ‘doing the right thing’. This session seeks to describe emerging methods and thinking to inform this debate and is aimed at regulators, energy companies (oil and gas and renewables), scientists, NGO’s and practitioners working in the marine environment.
THE REGULATORY JOURNEY – WHERE ARE WE HEADING?
The process of offshore decommissioning is shaped by the regulatory framework. It is vital that the sector is fully aligned with the requirements of the regulators and any developments in regulations is fully understood and anticipated. This session is designed for those who work directly within the decommissioning regulatory framework and will describe and discuss the current issues being addressed by regulators and the potential direction of future regulation.
DECOMMISSIONING …WHERE TO NOW?
This session brings together the discussions from the first day of conference with a panel of decommissioning industry leaders. This interactive session will discuss learnings from the events of 2020 and what impact they have for the future of the UK decommissioning sector as it focuses on becoming a Global Decommissioning Hub.
TECHNOLOGY ZONE
Technology is a key component in any discussion around optimising the decommissioning process. OGTC will lead this session providing an update on the technology landscape while also showcasing examples with the most potential to positively impact the sector. In a dymamic style of presentation, OGTC will cover all aspects of decommissioning including technologies aimed at increasing safety and efficiency.
WELLS WEDNESDAY – DECOMMISSIONING
Well decommissioning represents nearly half the estimated total cost of decommissioning. The landscape for late life management of wells has radically altered to include repurposing wells for Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage before final well decommissioning. This session will showcase the changing regulatory environment, the selection of wells for CCUS repurposing, the regulatory and technology verification journey of new technological breakthroughs to half well decommissioning costs and provide ongoing integrity assurance for late life wells.
DECOMMISSIONING BETTER AND GREENER – THE SKILLS AND JOBS OPPORTUNITIES
With the rapidly changing energy landscape and the increased focus on delivering net zero, the future decommissioning agenda will need to reflect these new dynamics. Decommissioning better and greener will be the new paradigm and we will need sector leading skills, capabilities and technologies to deliver this. Combined with future decommissioning requirements in the renewables, hydrogen and CCUS sectors, the industry has a unique opportunity to create a new, world class energy decommissioning workforce.
Against this backdrop, this session brings together a diverse panel from across the sector to discuss these challenges and to provide new, stimulating insights how we collectively can set this up for success.
DECOMMISSIONING IN PRACTICE – DELIVERING VALUE
Decommissioning experience continues to grow rapidly. Companies and individuals continue to learn from the progress being made and sharing that expertise is vital. This session is designed to showcase the projects and initiatives that are continuing to deliver value across the decommissioning process. It is aimed at everyone in the decommissioning industry with a desire to grow their expertise.
DECOMMISSIONING AND THE ENERGY TRANSITION
In addition to COVID-19 and the oil price crash of 2020, the oil and gas sector is being challenged to adapt in a world transitioning to a low carbon future. So how does the decommissioning sector fit into this world? This session will describe the role of decommissioning in the ‘Energy Transition’ in terms of the delivery of decommissioning operations, repurposing for low carbon applications as well as how the oil and gas decommissioning sector can transition to decommissioning in the offshore renewable sector.
DECOMMISSIONING – BEYOND THE CURRENT HORIZON
The ‘Champions’ from all the conference sessions will join Mike Tholen, OGUK’s Sustainability Director in a discussion about what the future of decommissioning may look like, reflecting on the discussions that have taken place over the previous two days. 2020 has changed the present and inevitably the future, so what can we expect for our industry after the COVID induced ‘industrial reboot’.