DECOMMISSIONING AND ABANDONMENT
Strategic, Technical, and Regulatory Practices for Safe and Cost-Effective Offshore and Onshore Project Closure
Course Schedule
| Date | Venue | Fees (Face-to-Face) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 – 20 Nov 2026 | London – UK | USD 3495 per delegate |
Course Introduction
As oil and gas infrastructure reaches the end of its productive life, decommissioning and abandonment become critical phases in the asset lifecycle. These processes involve complex engineering, regulatory, environmental, and financial challenges that must be carefully managed to ensure safety, compliance, and cost control.
This intensive course provides professionals with comprehensive insights into the planning, execution, and oversight of decommissioning and abandonment projects. Participants will explore best practices in well plugging, facility removal, site remediation, regulatory approval, and stakeholder engagement.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Understand the full decommissioning lifecycle for offshore and onshore assets
• Plan and manage well plugging and abandonment (P&A) activities in line with industry standards
• Evaluate environmental, legal, and financial implications of decommissioning
• Develop decommissioning project scopes, budgets, and risk mitigation strategies
• Navigate stakeholder, regulatory, and community concerns throughout the process
Key Benefits of Attending
• Gain a holistic understanding of decommissioning and abandonment in the energy sector
• Learn technical methodologies, legal frameworks, and environmental standards
• Minimize liabilities, manage costs, and reduce environmental impact
• Understand regional regulatory requirements and international guidelines
• Enhance your ability to plan and execute successful closure strategies
Intended Audience
This program is designed for:
• Decommissioning engineers and project managers
• Well and drilling engineers involved in P&A activities
• Asset integrity and HSE professionals
• Regulators, environmental specialists, and legal advisors
• Financial planners and risk managers involved in end-of-life asset strategies
Individual Benefits
Key competencies that will be developed include:
• Planning and execution of decommissioning and abandonment projects
• Understanding P&A techniques, structural removal, and remediation
• Regulatory navigation and stakeholder communication
• Risk assessment and cost estimation in project closure
• Environmental impact management and liability reduction
Organization Benefits
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
• Improved planning and execution of decommissioning projects
• Compliance with legal and environmental obligations
• Reduction in residual liability and long-term operational risk
• Enhanced cost forecasting and financial preparedness
• Alignment with global standards and sustainable closure principles
Instructional Methdology
The course follows a blended learning approach combining theory with practice:
• Strategy Briefings – Regulatory, technical, and financial frameworks for decommissioning
• Case Studies – Lessons from global decommissioning projects (offshore and onshore)
• Workshops – Risk assessments, cost planning, and P&A strategy simulations
• Peer Exchange – Experience sharing across jurisdictions and asset types
• Tools – Checklists, planning templates, regulatory compliance maps, and closure plans
Course Outline
Detailed 5-Day Course Outline
Training Hours: 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Daily Format: 3–4 Learning Modules | Coffee breaks: 09:30 & 11:15 | Lunch Buffet: 01:00 – 02:00
Day 1: Decommissioning Overview and Regulatory Landscape
- Module 1: Introduction to Decommissioning and Abandonment (07:30 – 09:30)
• Asset lifecycle closure in oil, gas, and industrial sectors
• Drivers, timing, and project considerations - Module 2: Regulatory Frameworks and Industry Guidelines (09:45 – 11:15)
• UK NSTA, OSPAR, EPA, API, and international conventions
• Decommissioning permits and approvals - Module 3: Workshop – Regulatory Compliance Mapping (11:30 – 01:00)
• Compare global decommissioning regimes - Module 4: Peer Exchange – Lessons from Regulatory Audits (02:00 – 03:30)
• Group discussion of compliance outcomes
Day 2: Well Plugging and Abandonment (P&A)
- Module 5: P&A Planning and Engineering (07:30 – 09:30)
• P&A lifecycle and strategy selection
• Casing, cementing, zonal isolation, and verification - Module 6: Equipment, Tools, and Technologies (09:45 – 11:15)
• Offshore vs. onshore techniques
• Rig-based vs. rigless P&A - Module 7: Workshop – Design a P&A Program (11:30 – 01:00)
• Create a P&A scope for a mature field - Module 8: Case Study – P&A Failure and Redesign (02:00 – 03:30)
• Technical review and lessons learned
Day 3: Facilities Removal and Environmental Restoration
- Module 9: Topsides and Subsea Infrastructure Removal (07:30 – 09:30)
• Heavy lift operations and subsea equipment decommissioning
• Material disposal and recycling - Module 10: Site Clearance and Environmental Considerations (09:45 – 11:15)
• Monitoring, remediation, and habitat restoration
• Environmental risk assessments - Module 11: Workshop – Environmental Risk Mitigation Plan (11:30 – 01:00)
• Build a post-abandonment environmental checklist - Module 12: Peer Discussion – Decommissioning & ESG Alignment (02:00 – 03:30)
• Integrating sustainability into closure projects
Day 4: Financial and Risk Management in Decommissioning
- Module 13: Cost Estimation and Liability Forecasting (07:30 – 09:30)
• CapEx/OpEx profiles, contingencies, and reserve planning
• Insurance and financial assurance - Module 14: Risk and Uncertainty Management (09:45 – 11:15)
• Qualitative and quantitative risk analysis
• Scheduling, budget, and HSE risks - Module 15: Workshop – Costing and Risk Register Creation (11:30 – 01:00)
• Develop a preliminary budget and risk matrix - Module 16: Case Study – Budget Overruns and Recovery (02:00 – 03:30)
• Evaluation of a late-stage project escalation
Day 5: Project Integration, Communication, and Closure Planning
Module 17: Stakeholder Engagement and Project Governance (07:30 – 09:30)
• Internal, regulatory, and community stakeholders
• Communication strategies and dispute avoidance- Module 18: Final Planning and Execution Controls (09:45 – 11:15)
• Work breakdown structure, KPIs, and performance tracking - Module 19: Final Project – End-to-End Decommissioning Plan (11:30 – 01:00)
• Team presentations and solution proposals - Module 20: Wrap-Up, Feedback, and Certification (02:00 – 03:30)
• Course summary and certificate awarding
Certification
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion in Decommissioning and Abandonment, verifying their knowledge of engineering, financial, regulatory, and environmental aspects of safe and responsible asset decommissioning.