Page 61: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Feb/Mar 2014)

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People

Spotlight

By Elaine Maslin launch of three new initia-

In? uencing the decommissioning mindset tives thought to have serious

Brian Nixon’s career has seen independent, focused, forum processes are no longer ? t for potential for improvement him transition from engineer- on decommissioning, guided purpose.’“But, operators are and innovation in this area, ing and project management by the industry—Decom coming to us and saying they Nixon says. to international business North Sea. Decom North Sea has also don’t think they are going to development in Angola. For Four years later, the body grown its national and inter- be able to do this internally. the past four years Nixon has has already had signi? cant national presence, holding

It needs to be on an industry lead industry body Decom achievements. Last year and attending events across platform, so they can go and

North Sea. it piloted and launched a the UK, as well as Norway say ‘it’s not just us, [there Nixon announced his standard decommissioning and the Netherlands. Both are] others’.”

Decom North Sea has now decision to step down as CEO program template. countries have member com- launched a joint industry of Decom North Sea, which The new template – drawn panies on the board. project to address the issue. he helped form, this past up in cooperation with the At the start, decommis-

Nixon’s career started with November, and he is now UK’s Department of Energy sioning was seen as a very an apprenticeship at Babcock ready to consider new chal- and Climate Change (DECC) unattractive assignment for and Wilcox, followed lenges.It is a long way from – set out to streamline and oil and gas professionals— by a BSc in Mechanical his days as an apprentice, but standardize the format for someone else’s job,” Nixon

Engineering from Strathclyde it has been an interesting four decommissioning programs says. “Now we are beginning

University, 15 years at years, he says, with every day throughout the UK North Sea, to see a recognition that this

Motherwell Bridge, and stints a school day because of the whilst still satisfying regula- is a really exciting 30-40-year at Atlantic Power and Gas, learning involved. tory requirements. career opportunity, with inter-

AOC International (which A recent recognition within Decom North Sea is already national dimensions, with became part of PSN), and the sector in the last 6-9 working on a similar project, a huge variety of skills and

Wood Group. months has perhaps been a among others, to create a disciplines.”

At Wood Group he was surprise to many. “The indus- model for an environmental Overall, over the last four seconded to the Angolan try is led by ? rst oil, ? rst gas, impact assessment (EIA). years, there has been a

Other ongoing work is the shortest possible shut- embassy, through what is now growing acknowledgement for looking at well plugging downs, fast modi? cations, UK Trade & Industry, to help the need for more innovative and abandonment (P&A). and so on,” Nixon says. UK ? rms win work in the thinking and collaboration,

A recent workshop saw the “The psyche of the man- newly oil-rich country. Nixon says. agement approval process He was then headhunted by re? ects this. It is geared Scotland’s business develop- around a ‘? rst and earli- ment organization Scottish est’ mindset. Right now, in Enterprise, with whom he decommissioning, the situa- undertook a study of the tion is the reverse of this. energy sector, which identi- “The recognition is that ? ed offshore oil and gas infra- current decision processes structure decommissioning are just not appropri- as an under-resourced sector, ate for decommissioning. but with a potential to be a

Companies in Aberdeen, at huge industry as the hundreds the front edge of deepwater of facilities offshore the UK, decommissioning, are at

Norway, and Netherlands start the point of going to their to require removal.

Houston headquarters to say

In 2009, following 12 ‘we are having to go ahead months’ consultation with with this spending and, the industry, a recommenda- by the way, your estab- tion was approved, sup-

Brian Nixon, outgoing chief executive, Decom North Sea. lished investment decision ported by industry, to form an oedigital.com February 2014 | OE 63 000_OE0214_Spotlight.indd 63 1/20/14 9:06 PM