Category: News

The Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CODA) is thrilled to release the Decommissioning Forward Outlook, its latest tool designed to support the offshore oil and gas decommissioning journey in Australia.

Australia’s oil and gas industry is gearing up for a wave of decommissioning activity expected to span several decades, and information pertaining to this huge workload is currently disparate and hard to access, with no unified, reliable, and holistic source of information. Despite this gap, understanding the workload, timing, location, and material quantities is critical for realising efficiencies in planning, infrastructure development, and supporting industry development and investment. Recognising this potential, CODA partnered with the WA Government and industry to develop the innovative Forward Outlook tool.

The Forward Outlook is a first-of-its-kind, dynamic, interactive online tool that provides visibility into Australia’s offshore oil and gas infrastructure. Users can seamlessly explore asset characteristics and details for fixed and floating facilities, subsea infrastructure, pipelines, and wells. Additionally, the tool offers detailed information on upcoming decommissioning workload and project timelines for offshore oil and gas projects in Australia.

There has not previously been a single place where a collated view of the future Australia decommissioning timeline and scope could be accessed. Visibility of upcoming work is a critical enabler for all parts of the decommissioning industry, the more forewarning every organisation has the better they can prepare. – Dr. Francis Norman, CEO

View the Forward Outlook

Features and Benefits

Local Business Development: Equips local service sector businesses with clear market visibility and critical business intelligence, empowering them to identify opportunities, win contracts, and grow within the decommissioning sector.

Attracting Foreign Investment: Provides reliable and comprehensive data on the Australian decommissioning landscape, expected to boost investor confidence and encourage overseas companies, stimulating local industry growth.

Enhanced Planning and Operational Efficiency: Streamline planning and decision-making for operators and the supply chain through seamless access to critical data.

Promotes Transparency and Collaboration: Facilitates collaboration between industry stakeholders through a unified, quality data source, potentially leading to significant cost savings and best practice approaches.

Comprehensive Data Access: Consolidates detailed information on decommissioning projects, facilities, materials, locations, and timelines in a single, user-friendly interface.

Development

The Forward Outlook was developed by CODA in partnership with the WA Government and industry partners. The tool utilises a novel artificial intelligence (AI) solution that was delivered by Perth-based company rahd AI, expediting the development of the underlying decommissioning database. This solution supported the collection and storage of thousands of data points. The secure database allows for continuous updates and amendments while preserving data history and provenance.

“The development process was a collaborative effort to ensure the platform meets real-world needs. The technology developed by rahd AI utilises advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to transform unstructured data into structured, actionable insights. By leveraging natural language processing, large language models and machine learning, the platform efficiently processes vast amounts of data, identifying key information and trends essential for decommissioning projects.” – Jake Stride, CEO at rahd AI

CODA is confident that the Forward Outlook will be an invaluable asset in navigating the complex decommissioning landscape, driving economic growth, and fostering collaboration across the industry. We look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the future of decommissioning in Australia.

With the support of the Western Australian Government, CODA is pleased to unveil the comprehensive study, conducted by Deloitte to deepen the understanding of the skills and capabilities critical to Australia’s decommissioning industry.

Australia’s oil and gas industry, a key contributor to the global energy landscape, is navigating a crucial juncture as many of its operational assets approach the end of their life expectancy, gearing up for a wave of decommissioning activity expected to span several decades. In response to this imminent demand, CODA commissioned Deloitte to develop the foundations for a cohesive strategy and path forward to building a skilled domestic workforce equipped to meet future challenges.

The study, produced after a rigorous multi-faceted approach, combines a comprehensive literature review with extensive stakeholder consultations. Engaging with oil and gas title holders, service providers, industry groups, and other key stakeholders, the study provides valuable insights into the current state and future trajectory of Australia’s decommissioning industry.

The study identified several critical themes, which were collated under four distinct, yet interrelated categories:

1. 1. Strength of Australian Oil and Gas Industry: The study highlights a strong commitment to learning and collaboration within the industry, emphasizing the need for innovation to enhance overall capabilities.
2. 2. Context & Preparedness: Despite the growing demand for decommissioning, the industry’s preparedness varies based on activity types, influenced by multiple interweaving factors.
3. 3. Workforce Challenges & Opportunities: Anticipated demand for decommissioning activity may strain existing workforce capability. The study identifies critical skills and capabilities required, shedding light on existing gaps.
4. 4. Planning & Regulatory Considerations: The report emphasizes a willingness to collaborate but acknowledges challenges stemming from innate competitiveness, complexities associated with decommissioning work, and decentralized capability.

Opportunities to Move Forward

To best support the decommissioning industry to meet anticipated demand in the medium to long-term, 11 targeted opportunities to move the industry forward in a sustainable and meaningful manner were identified. Of these, this study concluded that there are 6 opportunities that are high-value and high-urgency.

For detailed insights and recommendations, we invite you to explore the public study.

View the study