Cessation of Production

Good Practice

In early 2024 the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) discussed with Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) concerns that the regulator had with the movement of cessation of production (CoP) dates by operators, including joint venturers. 

These date movements were felt to have a potential impact on the meeting of emission reduction targets, costs incurred prior to and during cessation of production and decommissioning plans.

A request was made to industry via OEUK to gain industry views on the topic of establishing cessation of production dates.  The outcome of the engagement with industry will be further sharing of good practice and possibly an industry guideline that provides good practice techniques to minimise inconsistency in the setting of CoP dates.

Asset Stewardship Cessation of Production

Revision 1, August 2024

In preparing and publishing this document, OEUK gratefully acknowledges the contribution of members of the work group, namely:

  • Andrew Shepherd, Energean UK Limited
  • Baptiste Gougeon, Ancala Midstream Acquisitions Ltd
  • Bart Van der Sterren, ONE-Dyas
  • Chris Briggs, CNOOC International
  • Chris Martin, Harbour Energy plc
  • David Kemp, Serica Energy
  • Don Ferguson, Hartshead Resources Limited
  • Fergus Kulasinghe, EnQuest Plc
  • Geoff Gough, INEOS UK E&P Holdings Limited
  • Hans Reijn, Wintershall Noordzee BV
  • Keith Bush, Hartshead Resources Limited
  • Keith Wise, Offshore Energies UK
  • Kenneth Watt, TotalEnergies E&P North Sea UK Limited
  • Mark Myles, Centrica Storage Limited
  • Mark Sinclair, Neo Energy Upstream UK Limited
  • Michael Brady, Repsol Resources UK Limited
  • Paul Muir, Harbour Energy plc
  • Peter Hepburn, Spirit Energy
  • Simon Desindes, TotalEnergies E&P North Sea UK Limited
  • Stuart McIntosh, TAQA Bratani Ltd
  • Tony Zimaro, Equinor UK Limited

This good practice will be updated in Q2 2025 once industry and the NSTA has shared the outcomes of the gathering of the 2024 operators asset stewardship survey submissions on the various cessation of production scenarios.

If you have any further feedback you wish to share, please contact Keith Wise [email protected].

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