Summary and Background
329.The UK has benefited from indigenous reserves of oil and gas from the North Sea for many decades, but international obligations and public expectations mean that redundant facilities must be abandoned (commonly referred to as “decommissioned”) with a proper regard for the safety, environmental, social and economic impacts. Part 4 of the Petroleum Act 1998, which consolidated provisions from the Petroleum Act 1987, sets out the statutory scheme for the abandonment of oil and gas facilities. Under the abandonment regime, the Secretary of State can serve notices on those persons with an interest in an offshore installation or pipeline, requiring them to submit an abandonment programme for his approval. The parties to the programme are then responsible, jointly and severally, for carrying out the work.
330.Under the Petroleum Act 1998, the Secretary of State currently has a power to require parties to put in place financial security if he is concerned about their ability to carry out an abandonment programme, but this provision only applies once a programme has been approved. It is standard practice to draw up programmes at the end of the life of a field when there is greater certainty of available technologies. In circumstances where it becomes apparent that financial security is required during the earlier stages of field life, because there is doubt about the parties’ ability to carry out a programme, the Secretary of State currently cannot require that security be put in place.
331.Since the regime was originally established in 1987 there have been changes in business practices in the oil and gas industry, such as increasing participation by smaller players which have fewer assets and as such bring increased risks that they might not be able to meet their decommissioning liabilities. Moreover, experience has shown that it has not always been possible to share liabilities equitably between the parties responsible for any installation or pipeline.
332.This Chapter of the Act amends Part 4 of the Petroleum Act 1998. Part 4 of the Petroleum Act 1998 makes provision about the preparation of abandonment programmes; the persons who may submit a programme; the approval, the consequences of a failure to submit and the revision of a programme; the duty to carry out a programme; the information required; and the regulations, offences and penalties which apply in relation to an abandonment programme. The new provisions will amend the regime by:
Enabling the Secretary of State to make all the relevant parties liable for the decommissioning of an installation or pipeline.
Giving the Secretary of State power to require decommissioning security at any time during the life of an oil or gas field if the risks to the taxpayer are assessed as unacceptable.
Protecting the funds put aside for decommissioning, so in the event of insolvency of the relevant party, the funds remain available to pay for decommissioning and the taxpayers’ exposure is minimised.
