Friday 14 May 2021

One-stop shop for future UKCS work and collaborative opportunities

Improved service will support Energy Transition

Sub-contractors benefit from details of Tier 1 contract awards

Maintenance & Operation contract opportunities added to the system

The Pathfinder website is attracting thousands of users and being widely praised throughout the industry following its relaunch on 1 April this year.

First launched in 2010 and moved to the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) in 2015, Pathfinder was already extensively used, but the wider scope of information it provides alongside better functionality has significantly improved the service. The site currently boasts more than 1,000 subscribers and there are more than 30 Operators with over 130 projects on the system.

Operators were previously required to upload details of projects, including contact details and a summary of the activity as well as latest contracts and collaboration opportunities, but the relaunch now incorporates extra information, including:

Details of which Tier 1 supplier has won a contract which helps smaller Suppliers to bid for sub-contracts

Collaboration Opportunities – Operators actively seeking suggestions for innovative solutions for challenges they face

Opportunities for suppliers to engage with operators on projects

More detailed information on projects including wells to be decommissioned and campaign opportunities

Regular email updates of opportunities to subscribers

Energy transition work, focusing on carbon capture and storage, offshore electrification, hydrogen and floating wind

Forward work plans, which provide details of upcoming tenders for operations and maintenance contracts, will shortly be available

Among the many contracts available on the relaunched site were over 50 wells from around 17 Operators due to be decommissioned in the near to medium term. A number of these were added by Operators after meetings with the OGA which raised ‘campaign’ work opportunities where more than one well could be decommissioned as part of a single workstream boosting efficiency and cutting overall costs.

A major area of activity that is featured in Pathfinder is decommissioning, and the improvements to this system are another part of the OGA’s actions to promote and drive the delivery in this area.

A primary focus for the OGA remains the timely and cost-efficient decommissioning of wells, whilst stimulating activity for the supply chain. The OGA is working with every UK operator to ensure they are progressing with action to decommission all of the 758 (577 development and 181 E&A) disused wells – on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).

Continuity of work is important to the supply chain and is a key factor in achieving cost reductions. Maintaining momentum will therefore be an ongoing focus for the OGA and we will use our regulatory powers to ensure operators decommission these legacy wells in a timely manner.

Supporting the drive to help Operators decommission cost-effectively and create opportunities for the supply chain, the OGA has also revised its Decommissioning Strategy.

The decommissioning process involves installing permanent barriers in the well and removing the uppermost section of the well to below seabed level. Decommissioning costs differ from well to well, but OGA Decommissioning Cost Benchmarks show the cost of decommissioning ranges from £2.5-7.3million.