Developing policies for the end-of-life of energy infrastructure: Coming to terms with the challenges of decommissioning

Invernizzi, Diletta Colette; Locatelli, Giorgio; Velenturf, Anne P.M.; Love, Peter; Purnell, Phil; Brookes, Naomi

doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111677

Cited by 50 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…By the end of 2020, it was estimated at least 600 structures within the major petroleum countries ceased operation, with subsequent decommissioning operations are expected to significantly increase between now and 2040 (Sommer et al, 2019). The costs of decommissioning are significant and are forecasted to increase as more assets are to undergo closure, creating large economic liabilities (Invernizzi et al, 2020). For example, in 2020, offshore oil and gas decommissioning in the United Kingdom's continental shelf was projected to cost £51 billion ($68 billion USD).…”

Section: Decommissioning Of Oil and Gas Infrastructurementioning

confidence: 99%

Ecotoxicological effects of decommissioning offshore petroleum infrastructure: A systematic review

MacIntosh

Dafforn

Penrose

et al. 2021

Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology

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Successful decommissioning of subsea oil and gas infrastructure requires a safe and effective approach to assess and manage waste products. These products, often present as scale on internals of pipelines, include naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and trace metals. Understanding the potential effects of these contaminants on marine fauna is crucial to managing global decommissioning. This review is composed of two aspects: 1) a systematic review was conducted to synthesize literature on all contaminants associated with decommissioned offshore structures and the effects of NORM contaminants on marine organisms; 2) a critical review of current environmental regulations for decommissioning and characterization of petroleum scale and NORM components. Studies defining the chemical and radiological contaminants associated with decommissioned structures were very limited. The main source of contaminants was identified from offshore platforms, with none from subsea structures. Only three studies measured variable chemical effects of radium to organisms from scale materials in subsea oil and gas infrastructure. No studies measured effects on organisms from other NORM, such as lead-210 and polonium-210. Currently, there are no international regulations on subsea pipeline closure, with NORM being underreported and not addressed in environmental impact assessments. This review highlights research gaps from environmental monitoring and characterization of NORM associated with decommissioned structures. Key recommendations for future research include characterizing NORM scale and assessing effects of scale to marine organisms through direct organism exposure experiments. This review emphasizes the need to incorporate ecotoxicology into environmental risk assessment for offshore petroleum decommissioning.

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Section: Decommissioning Of Oil and Gas Infrastructurementioning

confidence: 99%

Ecotoxicological effects of decommissioning offshore petroleum infrastructure: A systematic review

MacIntosh

Dafforn

Penrose

et al. 2021

Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology

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“…The literature in this domain is scarce and mostly highlights the need for CE initiatives rather than CE solutions. According to Invernizzi et al (2020b), policy-makers need to act proactively in developing policies favoring CE solutions (e.g., the reusing of components) for future energy infrastructures to tackle the challenge of decommissioning megaprojects. Jensen et al (2020) highlighted this need in the case of low-carbon infrastructures, focusing on offshore wind.…”

Section: Module and Component Domainmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Jensen et al (2020) highlighted this need in the case of low-carbon infrastructures, focusing on offshore wind. Invernizzi et al (2020b) argued that existing energy infrastructures could also adopt CE solutions; however, costs and benefits can be optimized if the design (and construction) phases consider CE principles. The aforementioned model of Busch et al (2014) also includes components with their own stocks and flow dynamics to evaluate the potential for reuse quantitatively.…”

Section: Module and Component Domainmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modular Circular Economy in Energy Infrastructure Projects: Enabling Factors and Barriers

Mignacca

Locatelli

2021

J. Manage. Eng.

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There is a growing body of literature surrounding circular economy (CE) and energy infrastructure projects. Most of this literature focuses on CE initiatives related to material recovering and recycling. The body of knowledge about reusing components is limited and mostly related to the need for reusing rather than providing solutions on how to reuse components. Modularization can be a step towards a solution, enabling entire modules or their components to retain their functionality in other infrastructures. Leveraging 23 semistructured interviews with nuclear and oil and gas experts, mainly based in the UK and US with international experience, this paper deals with the link between modularization and CE (defined modular CE) to identify enabling factors and barriers for the reuse of modules or their components. Relevant enabling factors are the monitoring of module and component conditions, standardization of module and component designs, and early planning. Relevant barriers are the lack of a second-hand market, economics, and regulatory challenges. The results are relevant to the stakeholders involved in planning, building, operating, and decommissioning energy infrastructures.

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“…Circular systems employ reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling to create a closed-loop system, minimizing the use of resource inputs and the creation of waste, pollution, and carbon emissions (Geissdoerfer, et al, 2017). The circular economy aims to keep products, equipment, and infrastructure (Invernizzi, et al, 2020) in use for longer, thus improving the productivity of these resources. Waste materials and energy should become input for other processes: either a component or recovered resource for another industrial process or as regenerative resources for nature (e.g., compost).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting The Role Of Human Resources In Circulation Economy in Vietnam

2021

cibg

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Until now, Vietnam's economic activities have mainly relied on the traditional approach, which is a linear economy. This is also the main cause leading to the shortage of natural resources and serious environmental pollution. To overcome these problems, countries in the world, including Vietnam, are moving towards a circular economic development in order to solve the challenge between economic growth and environmental protection, "without trade-off" growth. The economy with environmental pollution and degradation. The World Economic Forum (WEF) also broadcast on its website in early 2020 calling "The world is in need of a cyclic economy". In that economy, high-quality human resources are becoming increasingly urgent. This study focuses on analyzing the current situation of the circulation economy in Vietnam, the human resources in that economy, thereby posing many issues that need to be discussed in order to develop a circular economy in Vietnam today.

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Developing policies for the end-of-life of energy infrastructure: Coming to terms with the challenges of decommissioning

Cited by 50 publications

References 20 publications

Ecotoxicological effects of decommissioning offshore petroleum infrastructure: A systematic review

Ecotoxicological effects of decommissioning offshore petroleum infrastructure: A systematic review

Modular Circular Economy in Energy Infrastructure Projects: Enabling Factors and Barriers

Promoting The Role Of Human Resources In Circulation Economy in Vietnam

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