Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast Special episode: How to close down oil and gas
Mar 5, 2026
Francis Norman, head of the Centre of Decommissioning Australia and expert in shutting down oil and gas infrastructure. He explains what decommissioning involves and the technical challenges of removing offshore platforms. He covers recycling opportunities, subsea cutting innovations, policy and funding drivers, and lessons for designing future offshore projects for easier removal.
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Why Australia Created A National Decommissioning Body
- The Centre of Decommissioning Australia was created in 2019 to coordinate a looming surge in oil and gas decommissioning work.
- Francis Norman spun it out in 2021 as an independent industry peak body to attract technology, skills and prepare the supply chain.
Australia's Decommissioning Scope Is Mostly Offshore
- Decommissioning covers both offshore and onshore oil and gas, but Australia has unusually large onshore and offshore footprints, with offshore the current priority.
- Norman estimates roughly A$60bn of work across full removals, making offshore decommissioning a major national industry.
Decommissioning Will Produce Millions Of Tonnes Of Recoverable Material
- Full removal could mean about 5.7 million tonnes of material, dominated by carbon steel and large concrete volumes used as weight coatings and mattresses.
- There are also ~400,000 tonnes of plastics in flexibles and umbilicals that present major recycling challenges.