A multi-criteria decision approach to decommissioning of offshore oil and gas infrastructure

Fowler, AM; Macreadie, PI; Jones, DOB; Booth, DJ

A multi-criteria decision approach to decommissioning of offshore oil and gas infrastructure

Fowler, AM

Macreadie, PI

Jones, DOB Booth, DJ

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Ocean and Coastal Management, 2014, 87 pp. 20 - 29
Issue Date:: 2014-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Fowler, AM https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3075-7066	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Macreadie, PI https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7362-0882	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Jones, DOB	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Booth, DJ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8256-1412	en_US
dc.date.issued	2014-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Ocean and Coastal Management, 2014, 87 pp. 20 - 29	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0964-5691	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/36198
dc.description.abstract	Thousands of the world's offshore oil and gas structures are approaching obsolescence and will require decommissioning within the next decade. Many nations have blanket regulations requiring obsolete structures to be removed, yet this option is unlikely to yield optimal environmental, societal and economic outcomes in all situations. We propose that nations adopt a flexible approach that allows decommissioning options to be selected from the full range of alternatives (including 'rigs-to-reefs' options) on a case-by-case basis. We outline a method of multi-criteria decision analysis (Multi-criteria Approval, MA) for evaluating and comparing alternative decommissioning options across key selection criteria, including environmental, financial, socioeconomic, and health and safety considerations. The MA approach structures the decision problem, forces explicit consideration of trade-offs and directly involves stakeholder groups in the decision process. We identify major decommissioning options and provide a generic list of selection criteria for inclusion in the MA decision process. To deal with knowledge gaps concerning environmental impacts of decommissioning, we suggest that expert opinion feed into the MA approach until sufficient data become available. We conducted a limited trial of the MA decision approach to demonstrate its application to a complex and controversial decommissioning scenario; Platform Grace in southern California. The approach indicated, for this example, that the option 'leave in place intact' would likely provide best environmental outcomes in the event of future decommissioning. In summary, the MA approach will allow the environmental, social, and economic impacts of decommissioning decisions to be assessed simultaneously in a transparent manner. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Ocean and Coastal Management	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2013.10.019	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Fisheries	en_US
dc.title	A multi-criteria decision approach to decommissioning of offshore oil and gas infrastructure	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	87	en_US
utslib.for	060205 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology)	en_US
utslib.for	050205 Environmental Management	en_US
utslib.for	04 Earth Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	16 Studies in Human Society	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	87	en_US

Abstract:

Thousands of the world's offshore oil and gas structures are approaching obsolescence and will require decommissioning within the next decade. Many nations have blanket regulations requiring obsolete structures to be removed, yet this option is unlikely to yield optimal environmental, societal and economic outcomes in all situations. We propose that nations adopt a flexible approach that allows decommissioning options to be selected from the full range of alternatives (including 'rigs-to-reefs' options) on a case-by-case basis. We outline a method of multi-criteria decision analysis (Multi-criteria Approval, MA) for evaluating and comparing alternative decommissioning options across key selection criteria, including environmental, financial, socioeconomic, and health and safety considerations. The MA approach structures the decision problem, forces explicit consideration of trade-offs and directly involves stakeholder groups in the decision process. We identify major decommissioning options and provide a generic list of selection criteria for inclusion in the MA decision process. To deal with knowledge gaps concerning environmental impacts of decommissioning, we suggest that expert opinion feed into the MA approach until sufficient data become available. We conducted a limited trial of the MA decision approach to demonstrate its application to a complex and controversial decommissioning scenario; Platform Grace in southern California. The approach indicated, for this example, that the option 'leave in place intact' would likely provide best environmental outcomes in the event of future decommissioning. In summary, the MA approach will allow the environmental, social, and economic impacts of decommissioning decisions to be assessed simultaneously in a transparent manner. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/36198