One of the by-products of the sustained low oil price has been an increased focus on the potential of decommissioning projects, particularly in mature regions such as the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea, where many assets are continuing to operate well beyond their originally estimated working life.
Taking the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) as an example, regulatory body the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) estimates in its Decommissioning Strategy that there are over 250 fixed installations, over 250 subsea production systems, over 300 pipelines and approximately 5,000 wells which need to be decommissioned. Moreover, it states that the current mid point estimate for UKCS decommissioning to 2050 is approximately £47 billion, with an uncertainty range of +/-40%.
The OGA has set a cost reduction target of at least 35% below the mid point, which it hopes will be achieved through a range of initiatives including improvements in project execution and cost efficiencies. It also wants an effective decommissioning strategy to concentrate on influencing and promoting new and improved methods and behaviours.
Some of the key issues to consider with any decommissioning project are safety, technology, the environment and costs. The safety of personnel involved in such activities is high on the agenda, and as a major part of that, the provision of a safe and cost-effective method of transferring personnel is essential, particularly during the decommissioning of offshore installations.
Crane based transfers can have a number of advantages over helicopters when it comes to transporting crew for decommissioning projects.
Risk assessments based on the latest published data for offshore helicopter operations worldwide (oil and gas production (OGP) 2009) estimate the average individual risk in helicopter transfer was approximately a one in 400,000 chance of fatality. Compare that to the current individual risk estimate for crane transfer operations of approximately one in 5 million. As part of the decommissioning of an installation’s topsides, account also to be taken of the fact that the heli-deck will be removed.
Cranes therefore have a very important role to play in decommissioning operations, not only for the direct removal of sections of the installation, but also for crew transfers. Such transfers are an integral part of these complex operations and ensure efficiency and flexibility.
Over the past 20 years, Reflex Marine has become recognised as a global leader in crane-based marine access solutions. Its carriers are used in more than 1 million safe personnel transfers a year. For the past six years, there have been no lost time incidents recorded for transfers using our carriers.
We are best known for our FROG personnel carrier, which is now an industry benchmark, and our FROG-XT which has taken crane transfer safety to a new level.
There are over eight hundred Reflex Marine carriers operating all over the world, we aim to make safe access possible in even in the most demanding climates and operational scenarios.
Our recently launched WAVE-4 carrier offers a safe and low cost transfer solution for operations in relatively calm sea states. WAVE-4 is the only carrier for standing passenger to offer protection from the four key risk categories of crane-based transfers: falling, heavy landing, side impacts and immersion. Easy to operate and offering the smallest footprint of any rigid basket (1800mmx1800mm) it reduces both deck space requirements and shipping costs and has a simple maintenance schedule.
WAVE-4, like all our products is subjected to the most rigorous testing of any transfer carrier in the industry.
The decommissioning of offshore installations represents a huge opportunity for the oil and gas industry into the middle of this century and beyond, and delivering services in a safe and cost efficient manner has been identified as critical to project success. Transferring personnel offshore by crane-based carrier answers those dual requirements of safety and cost-effectiveness and should be considered as part of your decommissioning plans.