ABB Highly Commended In Joint Award For Work On Decommissioning Of Oil & Gas Facilities

Phil Black - PII Editor 13/11/2017

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ABB, Genesis Oil and Gas and Industry Technology Facilitator, UK were Highly Commended in the team of the year category at this year’s Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Global Awards held in Birmingham, UK on November 2nd.

ABB was Highly Commended in the Team Award at the IChemE Global Awards 2017 for its work leading the Joint Industry Project (JIP) to develop safety case guidance and technology solutions for end of life and decommissioning of offshore facilities.

Together with Genesis Oil and Gas and Industry Technology Facilitator, UK, the JIP examined ways for the industry to work together and share information in an effort to reduce decommissioning costs for offshore facilities.

Facility running costs, post cessation of production (COP) account for 17 percent of the total decommissioning spend, the second highest after well plug and abandonment. This accounts for more than £8.5 billion of the projected £50 billion decommissioning spend*.

Troy Stewart, head of service for ABB oil, gas and chemicals UK comments: “We are delighted to be recognised for the work we have done to make decommissioning safer while reducing its costs.

“This is a major project which lets offshore duty holders better plan and manage offshore safety cases and major accident hazards in the decommissioning and dismantling of platforms.

“Technical exchanges during the JIP allowed offshore operators to share ideas and learn from each other as they prepare to decommission their platforms. The more we can encourage this type of engagement within decommissioning, the more we will see sector cost reductions over the coming decades.”

The resulting document – Guidance for UK Safety Case Management during End of Life, Decommissioning and Dismantling – offers guidance to duty holders in maintaining compliance with the Safety Case Regulations (SCR2015) during end of life, decommissioning and dismantling.

You can access the guidance document here: Guidance for UK Safety Case Management during End of Life, Decommissioning and Dismantling

Now in their 23rd year, the IChemE Global Awards recognise excellence and achievement in chemical, biochemical and process engineering.

ABB was also pleased to see one of its partners achieve success at the event, with Imperial College London winning the Training and Development Award for its carbon capture pilot plant.

ABB and Imperial College worked on a two-year project to develop the plant, which uses a wide range of ABB instruments, sensors and automation solutions. The plant mimics the operations of a full-size facility and will help train the next generation of chemical engineers.

ABB also sponsored the Process Safety award, in which it has wide expertise. This includes areas such as alarm management, hazardous area management and Process Hazard Reviews to ensure safer operations.