CODA CONNECT | AUGUST 2024

CODA's growing partner network

CODA is proud to welcome 6 new organisations as part of our partnership program.

Join CODA’s Partnership Program

CODA’s Partnership Program enables companies of all sizes in the decommissioning value chain to become partners and receive access to materials such as full versions of our studies and their associated materials, unrestricted access to our Decommissioning Forward Outlook tool, extended profiles in our Capability Index, and more.

Northern Endeavour disposal request for tender

The Australian Government will be soon releasing a request for tender (RFT) to find a supplier to decontaminate, dismantle and recycle Northern Endeavour FPSO.

Phase 1 of the Northern Endeavour Decommissioning Program – decommissioning and disconnection of the FPSO – is already underway.
The government expects the FPSO to be disconnected in 2025 and towed to the recycling location soon after.

The RFT will be published on AusTender. Interested parties must register with AusTender to access RFT documentation and submit a response.

XPLORE challenge winner: Qteq

CODA extends a big congratulations to Qteq Pty Ltd, the winners of our first Xplore challenge, which focused on innovative solutions for the in-situ measurement of mercury in subsea pipelines.
 
All submissions were thoroughly evaluated against criteria such as functional requirements, innovation, technology readiness, and potential for pilot deployment. After careful consideration, Qteq's Intelligent Pipeline Sampling PIG was selected as the top solution, demonstrating clear potential to address this complex issue.
 
CODA and the challenge owner would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit a proposed solution to this challenge and engage with the process.
 
Stay tuned for our next Xplore challenge - coming soon to find a solution to another real decommissioning issue!

See how our Forward Outlook was developed

In our recent webinar presenters Jake Stride and Cormac Dawson, cover the inception and development of the platform, the importance and objectives behind creating it, and insights from CODA's initial 2019-2020 liability study that shaped current efforts.

They provide a detailed walkthrough of the platform's features, including cost estimations, timeline projections, and materials volume data, focusing on the offshore waters of Australia and the associated decommissioning challenges.

Key takeaways include how the Forward Outlook Platform can assist stakeholders in planning and executing decommissioning projects, the benefits of having a reliable data-driven tool for future decommissioning activities, and CODA's vision for sustainable management of aging offshore infrastructure.

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Oil and Gas Asia (OGA) 2024

24-27 SEP 2024, KUALA LUMPUR

Oil & Gas Asia (OGA), Malaysia’s premier oil and gas event, celebrates its 20th Edition in 2024. With strong partnerships and collaborations, including Malaysian Petrochemicals Association (MPA) and The Malaysian Oil, Gas & Energy Services Council (MOGSC), OGA provides a vital platform for business and knowledge exchange across the energy value chain.

CODA is very pleased to represent the Australian decommissioning industry at OGA 2024. Our active participation in this event aims to strengthen Australia’s ties to established industry capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region. Our presence will help drive greater delegate participation and networking, and further support OGA 2024’s mission to build economic growth within the Asia-Pacific oil, gas, energy & petrochemical industries.

Registration

Exhibition access is free with registrations closing 27 September.

Delegate pass registrations close 01 September.

Phase 1 summary & Phase 2 update

The National Decommissioning Research Initiative (NDRI) began in 2019 to address key knowledge gaps surrounding the environmental impacts, risks, and benefits of decommissioning options specific to Australia's offshore environment. Phase 1 of the NDRI, completed in 2022, involved seven research projects that explored the interactions between the environment and oil and gas infrastructure in Australian waters. Key focus areas included habitat value, connectivity, biosecurity risks, contaminants, and material degradation. Following the completion of these projects, a Research Roadmap and stakeholder mapping exercise identified top research priorities, particularly concerning contaminants.

Phase 2 of the NDRI is now well underway, primarily focusing on improving the understanding of potential contaminants and developing evidence-based guidance to support risk assessments and decision-making. Early efforts have included creating an inventory database of Australian oil and gas rigid pipelines and their coatings, as well as performing qualitative degradation and chemical analyses on selected coatings. Future work will expand these studies and include developing industry guidelines for assessing key contaminants like NORMs and mercury, alongside frameworks for evaluating the risks associated with plastics and other non-metals.

This continuing research is crucial to ensuring that decommissioning processes yield the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders by supporting informed, scientifically robust decisions that protect both the environment and industry interests.

Thank you to our Phase 1 ISAB members

The NDRI would like to recognise the Phase 1 ISAB - Prof. Peter Macreadie, Prof. Iain Suthers, Dr Sally Rouse and Dr Rick Tinker for their integral role in supporting the direction, integrity and outcomes of Phase 1 of the initiative.

The ISAB continues this important function throughout Phase 2 with Prof. Peter Macreadie continuing in the role of ISAB Independent Chair, supported by independent members Dr Karl Bowles and Dr Sarah Gall.

Research Information

Visit the NDRI website to view our frequently updated research library, as well as other important environmental and marine research related to decommissioning.

Update on Honours Student Research Supported by NDRI

Earlier this year, the NDRI announced its scholarship grant to support two Honours students conducting research with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). Their projects have made significant strides in filling key data gaps critical for environmental risk assessments in offshore oil and gas decommissioning.

Alexandra's research focuses on the effects of external ionising radiation on Tisochrysis lutea, an Australian tropical marine microalga. Her study aims to understand the impact of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) from decommissioned pipelines on marine organisms. Initial results indicated that radiation levels up to 7.9 mGy/h, far higher than those expected from NORM-contaminated pipelines, did not significantly affect the growth of T. lutea. However, Alexandra notes that further investigation is needed to explore potential impacts on other cellular processes and species. Her findings will be presented in her Honours thesis and a peer-reviewed publication.

Holly's project aims to establish baseline data on mercury concentrations and speciation in Red Emperor Fish from the northwest shelf of Western Australia. Her research revealed that working with mercury is analytically challenging due to variability in published inconsistent methodologies and quality control issues. Despite these challenges, Holly's work has provided valuable insights into mercury biodistribution within fish organs, identifying higher concentrations of inorganic mercury in kidneys and livers, and predominantly organic mercury in muscle tissues. These findings are crucial for future risk assessments and biomonitoring studies. Holly is currently preparing her research for submission as an Honours thesis and a scientific publication.