Providing a chook’s eye view for decom exercise

World vitality consultancy Xodus has added ornithological providers to its specialist decommissioning providing.

The Aberdeen-headquartered agency is aiming to ascertain itself because the UK focus and business lead for details about the affect of birds on offshore operations and decommissioning by way of its Offshore Chook Portal. The portal consists of all features of chook administration and survey help, offsetting the challenges that the presence of nesting birds on offshore installations can current, notably throughout decommissioning actions.

Lately, nesting birds have triggered growing environmental and price efficiency challenges for operators making ready for offshore removals. With heavy elevate vessels (HLVs) probably costing as much as £800,000 per day, there could be vital monetary and schedule implications ensuing from conflicts between seabird breeding intervals and HLV operations.

The safety of untamed birds, their eggs and nests below the Conservation of Offshore Marine Habitats & Species Rules 2017 signifies that sure actions could also be restricted or prohibited at particular instances of the yr (and can rely on the species of untamed chook that could be current and/or within the geographical space).

The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Setting and Decommissioning (OPRED) has strongly suggested that business ought to contemplate whether or not the presence of untamed birds might have an effect on proposed actions, together with decommissioning and plug and abandonment actions.

© Provided by Xodus

Present information availability on birds utilising offshore platforms stays sparse and geographically restricted. Administration of sightings had beforehand been accomplished by the North Sea Chook Membership (NSBC), which ran a profitable membership scheme for 40 years.

First launched in 1979, the NSBC was established to review the affect of oil platforms on migration patterns. Over its 4 many years, greater than 150,000 data of birds, bats, bugs, and mammals noticed on or close to the installations had been registered. Nonetheless, membership ceased a number of years in the past following the 2014 downturn and a rise in decommissioned platforms.

Modifications to working practices, resembling well being and security tips proscribing using cameras and cell phones on platforms decks, additionally contributed.

Gareth Jones, Decommissioning Division Supervisor at Xodus commented: “Because the demise of the NSBC, the business has lacked a scheme or instrument that may successfully monitor and handle birds offshore. We’ve developed a collection of providers that minimise disruption to offshore operations and sea birds. By means of a tailor-made coaching programme and a digital seabird administration portal, we’re offering long-term cost-effective monitoring programmes that help operators with sound proof for efficient choice making.”

To underpin this, Xodus has developed a central repository of chook information that’s accessible to operators and summarises data on seabirds foraging and roosting and migration for customers of the platforms.

“Our portal system gives a easy, however extremely efficient interface for reporting, consolidating, and managing chook sighting information on offshore platforms and vessels.”

The fundamental service will initially be free to operators to contribute to and gives entry to shared data, related to their location. Nonetheless, there may be additionally a premium service that permits entry to extra help together with ID workshops and coaching for offshore personnel and chook distribution information and knowledge in different areas/places to help Environmental Investigation Company (EIA). It presents onshore help with identification of species and GIS chook information mapping. This technique has been deployed to operators of a number of North Sea property and is already carry worth in decreasing prices, carbon emissions and retraining alternatives for personnel inside the sector.

Obtainable to all North Sea operators, this newest answer provides additional worth to Xodus’ vary of decommissioning survey and remediation necessities which already consists of surveys and monitoring provision and deterrence and remediation help.

Xodus’ specialists present environmental, engineering and advisory help to decommissioning initiatives globally, with an in depth monitor document for programme help and supply all through the vitality sector, advising operators in addition to authorities our bodies.

Mr Jones added: “By serving to to navigate the important thing levels of the decommissioning course of by way of cautious and strategic consideration of the actions, sequences and durations, logic drivers, interface factors and interdependencies, we are able to allow higher efficiencies to be realised and keep away from pointless pitfalls.

“Our highway mapping instruments are aligned to regional tips which assist our purchasers show compliance whereas offering flexibility to adapt to the growing landscapes and altering circumstances.”