North Sea decommissioning
As a prudent and responsible operator, CNR International (U.K.) Limited (CNRI) initiated the planning for the decommissioning of the Murchison field in the UK sector of the North Sea in 2010. Cessation of production took place according to plan on 28 February 2014.
Murchison Cessation of Production – The End of an Era
The pre-planning for the Murchison decommissioning investigated all alternative uses for the platform and involved a series of detailed studies. These formed the basis of a comparative assessment of options to identify the best way forward, balancing environmental, societal, safety, technical and economic factors. Both the comparative assessment process and the studies on which it was founded were subject to verification by independent review consultants.
The resulting recommendations were captured in the Draft Decommissioning Programmes for Murchison, describing proposals for both the platform installation and pipelines, and subject to statutory and public consultation between May and July 2013. In September 2013 the Post Consultation Draft Decommissioning Programmes were submitted to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and, at the same time, the Environmental Statement was updated to reflect minor changes requested by DECC. The Stakeholder Engagement Report was also updated to cover the statutory and public consultation activities, submissions and responses.
In November 2013, DECC invited CNRI to submit a Derogation Application for the Murchison Jacket for the UK government to take to the international community for review by the OSPAR Commission’s Contracting Parties, in line with the requirements of the OSPAR Decision 98/3. No objections were made to the proposals.
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change invited CNRI to submit its final Decommissioning Programmes in April 2014. Approval was granted in July 2014 and the Murchison plans now appear online within DECC’s Table of Approved Decommissioning Programmes.
In May 2014, a reception was held at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum to celebrate the people who contributed so much to the success of the Murchison platform over the decades, featured here in this short film.
