Oil & Gas UK has appointed a team of decommissioning experts in a move that underlines the industry body’s strengthened capacity to serve the growing decommissioning needs of its members and key stakeholders.

The decommissioning market in the North Sea is forecast to grow steadily and is likely to be worth £1.8 billion per annum on average over the next decade (£2 billion in 2017).

The Aberdeen-based trio, comprising Richard Heard, Decommissioning Consultant, Sam George, Decommissioning Business Adviser and led by Decommissioning Manager Joe Leask, will focus on providing insight into the shifting decommissioning landscape and the opportunities it presents to the industry’s world class supply chain.

Commenting on the appointments, Oil & Gas UK Upstream Policy Director, Mike Tholen, said:
“Decommissioning of North Sea oil and gas assets will take place over the next 30 years and more, with new field developments extending this time-line. The appointment of this new team bolsters Oil & Gas UK’s already well-established presence in the decommissioning sector and I look forward to the team’s valuable contributions to our calendar of decommissioning activity including our annual Decommissioning Insight Report and Decommissioning Conference.”

Oil & Gas UK Decommissioning Manager, Joe Leask, added:
“I’m looking forward to building on the extensive work already undertaken by Richard, who has many years of experience in this area. The team will be working closely with regulators and the UK and Scottish Governments to develop an efficient, cost-effective decommissioning capability, sharing best practice and promoting our decommissioning expertise at home and abroad.

“As decommissioning activity is predicted to grow in the maturing North Sea, the UK supply chain has a major opportunity to develop world-class decommissioning capabilities. I’m looking forward to this team playing an integral role in helping our members capitalise on that.”

Jaibo Palmer, Head of Decommissioning at Oil & Gas UK member company Augean North Sea Services, said: 
“It was a pleasure to welcome Oil & Gas UK’s new decommissioning team to our newly expanded Dundee Decommissioning and NORM Decontamination facility.

“Augean North Sea Services are an established leader in providing complete waste management services to the oil and gas industry. In addition to our Dundee facility, we have Permitted sites in Lerwick, Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth, which are further supported by six additional waste treatment sites across the UK.

“This means we are uniquely positioned in both Scotland and England to support the growing decommissioning sector, which is set to benefit the industry’s supply chain across the length and breadth of the UK.”

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Oil & Gas UK