National Decommissioning Research Initiative outcomes inform offshore decommissioning options
Samantha Jarvis A * and Luke Smith BA National Decommissioning Research Initiative, Perth, WA, Australia.
B Woodside Energy, Perth, WA, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 62 S287-S290 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ21056
Accepted: 15 March 2022 Published: 13 May 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of APPEA.
Abstract
The Australian offshore oil and gas industry is facing a significant decommissioning portfolio over the next few decades. In response to this, in 2019, eight Australian oil and gas operators and the National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) established the National Decommissioning Research Initiative (NDRI) with the aim to fill key knowledge gaps on the potential environmental impacts, risks and benefits of different decommissioning options in Australia’s offshore environment. In Phase 1, seven research projects were undertaken covering the interaction that occurs between the environment and oil and gas infrastructure in Australia’s oceans. These projects focused on habitat, connectivity, invasive marine species, degradation of metals and non-metals and potential contaminants of concern such as mercury and naturally occurring radioactive materials. Two other projects were undertaken to gain insights into regulators, stakeholders, marine users and scientist views on offshore decommissioning risks and opportunities. This paper describes the drivers for NDRI, the outcomes of the Phase 1 projects and the future projects to be undertaken to support the environmental assessment of different decommissioning options.
Keywords: artificial habitats, contaminants, decommissioning, marine research, metal and non‐metal degradation, oil and gas infrastructure.
Samantha Jarvis is the Program Director of the National Decommissioning Research Initiative, whose objective is to undertake independent science to better understand the impacts of decommissioning oil and gas structures on the Australian marine environment. In the last 20 years, she has worked for major oil and gas companies leading environmental approval teams for onshore and offshore activities within Australia and internationally. |
Luke Smith is the Chief Environment Scientist at Woodside Energy, where he is accountable for providing strategic and tactical leadership in the areas of environmental technical issues, key assurance processes, environmental approvals and external advocacy. He has over 25 years’ experience in undertaking and managing large marine research programs which focus on tropical ecosystems and species; with particular focus on ecological understanding, quantifying and predicting anthropogenic impacts and developing effective management and mitigation strategies. He sits on a range of boards and committees including being the current Chair of the National Decommissioning Research Initiative. In addition, he holds an Adjunct Professorship at the University of Western Australia. |
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