Legal & Regulatory Framework

Setting appropriate compliance standards is a first step in establishing the conditions for successful decommissioning – balancing minimising risk of environmental impact against the cost and technical and Health & Safety risks of operations. 

RESL has extensive experience in assisting regulators in setting suitable standards and guidelines with the aim of providing a flexible approach which allows specific project challenges to be managed without additional unnecessary costs. This often has benefit for both the operator and the local legislator and economy. We also assist operators, partners, service companies and other stakeholders understanding the Legal and Regulatory framework for decommissioning. Due to our global experience we offer comparisons between regions we can provide guidance and recommended best practice from a sound basis of alternatives.

RESL offers the following services within Legal & Regulatory Framework, covering facilities, pipelines and wells – onshore, offshore and subsea:

  • Asset Specific Law & Regulations Review
  • Legal & Regulatory Comparative Assessments and Gap Analysis
  • Regulatory Requirements Interpretation 
  • Negotiations with Regulatory Authorities 
  • Development of Regional Decommissioning and Well P&A Guidelines 
  • Preparation of Decommissioning Submissions 
  • Training of Regulators

Example of RESL work within the Legal & Regulatory Framework project stage:

  • Writing decommissioning guidelines for the 10 ASCOPE countries in South East Asia; Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - Read more
  • Developing decommissioning guidelines for South Africa as part of the work undertaken for South Africa's national oil company PetroSA - Read more
  • Preparing Lawyers for negotiation with the US Department of the Interior, BOEMRE on the decommissioning costs & bonding for onshore facilities in California related to the Carpinteria field for Pacific Operators Offshore, Inc.
  • Writing position paper on taxation guidelines for worldwide decommissioning in the extractive industries for United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
  • Decommissioning and Well P&A training and workshop for the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and seven other New Zealand government agencies and the Treasury.
  • Decommissioning & Well P&A Training & Workshop for National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.
  • Decommissioning & Well P&A workshop and training course for Department of Mineral Fuels, Thailand.
  • Decommissioning & Well P&A workshop prepared for the ANP & IBAMA Brazilian Government agencies.
  • Facility Decommissioning & Well P&A Risk Process to control Engineering, Marine operations and Cost Workshop with Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) & Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD).

 

Please contact us if you would like to learn more about the Legal & Regulatory framework affecting decommissioning in your region and/or company.