Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK – The National Decommissioning Centre (NDC) and Chevron Corp. (CVX) have signed an agreement that will support research through to 2023.
The anchor partnership will fund research projects that will aim to better quantify the environmental impacts of decommissioning and provide guidance on best options from an environmental perspective.
The projects will focus on techniques for monitoring fish stocks around installations and pipelines as man-made marine habitats, the bioavailability of potential decommissioning-related substances, and modeling the longevity and eventual fate of offshore infrastructure left in situation.
The projects will be delivered by three PhD students and a postdoctoral researcher under the supervision of biological sciences and engineering academics from the University of Aberdeen.
This is the first anchor partnership between the NDC and an energy major.
An anchor partnership requires a financial investment and a three- to five-year commitment which secures a seat on the NDC Steering Group, on-site office facilities and direct access to the research team and NDC facilities. It provides direct oversight of the research program and the ability to drive the focus of the R&D program. It also offers an additional network opportunity across the OGTC Solution Centre activities to provide oversight on new technology developments, according to the NDC.
NDC Director Professor Richard Neilson, from the University of Aberdeen, said: “The research around fish stock techniques, bioavailability of substances and longevity and mode of breakdown of oil and gas structures will provide valuable information that will inform decision-making.
“These projects are interdisciplinary, working across engineering and biological sciences to minimize any negative impacts of decommissioning activities and maximize any opportunities to enhance the marine environment.”
03/06/2020
