Shell, Reliance, and ONGC complete India’s first offshore facility decommissioning project

The Panna-Mukta and Tapti (PMT) joint venture partners - Shell (through BGEPIL), Reliance Industries (RIL), and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) have successfully completed the country’s first offshore decommissioning project with the removal of mid and south Tapti field facilities.

The PMT JV, operator of the Tapti fields under a production sharing contract with the Government of India, comprises ONGC with a 40 per cent participating interest, and RIL and BG Exploration and Production India (BGEPIL-Shell) with 30 per cent each.

The project involved the removal of five wellhead platforms, associated infield pipelines, load-in at the onshore dismantling yard and the safe plugging and abandonment of 38 wells—all executed in line with the approved decommissioning plan.

"Production from the Tapti fields ceased in March 2016, and this project demonstrates a high level of planning, coordination, and compliance with regulatory frameworks while upholding the highest safety and environmental standards," said ONGC.

The PMT JV awarded major contracts to Indian companies Larsen and Toubro (L&T) for offshore execution and Chowgule Shipyard (CLSPL) for onshore dismantling.

Offshore operations have now been completed safely, and dismantling is underway at CLSPL’s facilities in Ratnagiri.