Decommissioning Stewardship Engineer

About Decommissioning & Supply Chain

This directorate is responsible for the NSTA’s activities in support of decommissioning and leading our work with the UK service sector. It is also the Authority’s focal point for engagement on culture change within the industry, working with operating and service sector companies to promote greater collaboration.

The NSTA Decommissioning Team works with industry, through a combination of regulating and influencing, to minimise the cost and emissions impact of decommissioning; and support the repurposing of infrastructure particularly in advancement of energy transition opportunities.

This is done through interacting closely with industry to deliver the post hydrocarbon phase of the life cycle of offshore oil and gas infrastructure, supporting re-use and repurposing where appropriate and delivering cost effective decommissioning as required. The NSTA is a statutory consultee for OPRED on Decommissioning Programmes (DPs) and works closely with other regulatory and industry bodies. They are also the regulator for well decommissioning, which represents almost half of the forecasted decommissioning spend for the UKCS.

Working with industry and stakeholders to identify and deliver a 35% decommissioning cost reduction is a key priority. This is driven by developing industry benchmarks and cost estimates and promoting and influencing change in the way work is planned and delivered.

The NSTA decommissioning team’s role is to ensure that decommissioning is carried out cost effectively in accordance with regulatory requirements consistent with the OGA Strategy which includes assisting the Government with meeting its net zero target and enabling the energy transition.

The decommissioning stewardship engineer role is a primary focal point with UKCS operators during late life operation and decommissioning planning and execution phases. The role consults and interacts closely with a wide range of operators/licensees and has responsibility for understanding and driving operators decommissioning performance improvement and cost efficiencies consistent with the full spectrum of the NSTA objectives and decommissioning strategic priorities.

A combination of influence and regulatory activities will be undertaken. The role coordinates, monitors and verifies decommissioning plans, decommissioning readiness and regulatory compliance utilizing a wide range of tools, including performance metrics, benchmarks and analysis of industry performance and costs. The role will identify and steward delivery of “tactical” interventions and performance improvement / cost reduction actions and plans with the operators.

The role coordinates all necessary input from other NSTA directorates and spans the full decommissioning work breakdown structure.

The development of a capable UKCS decommissioning supply chain is key to delivery of the objective. The role interfaces closely with the NSTA supply chain team and coordinates necessary input from the supply chain in the process of stewardship.

The role acts as a formal consultee in a number of areas and specifically UKCS Decommissioning Programmes as part of OPRED’s regulatory consultation process plus Well decommissioning and PWA consents.

The role will report to the NSTA decommissioning manager who has responsibility for UKCS decommissioning cost stewardship.