As efforts towards a low carbon energy transition continue, questions are increasingly raised as to what should be done with the rigs, cables and turbines that have come to the end of their lifecycle. Decommissioning of marine artificial structures, including oil and gas infrastructure, pipelines and cables, and in the future, offshore wind turbines and their associated infrastructure marks this final phase.
Currently, the UK goal is that decommissioning of these marine artificial structures should aim to achieve a clear seabed. And while returning to a clear seabed may seem to be a simple goal, there is no clear consensus about the best approach to this.
How, for example, is a clear seabed defined? Does this entail also clearing the biodiversity that has settled on structures that have been in place for decades? What are the potential risks of returning to a clear seabed associated with ingrained metal pollution within these structures and associated substrates? Does the goal of returning to a clear seabed extend to the thousands of wrecks found across the UK's seabed?
Through this online panel discussion, a range of experts will bring their views on how a clear bed should be defined and thoughts as to what this might mean from their perspective and sector.