The Panna-Multa and Tapti (PMT) joint venture partners, Shell PLC, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), have successfully completed India’s first offshore decommissioning project. The project involved removing facilities from the mid and south Tapti fields, which stopped production in March 2016. It included the dismantling of five wellhead platforms, associated pipelines, and the plugging and abandonment of 38 wells, all in accordance with the approved decommissioning plan. ONGC holds a 40% stake in the venture, with RIL and BGEPIL-Shell each holding 30%.
Pankaj Kumar, Production Director at ONGC, highlighted the complexity and safety focus of India’s first offshore decommissioning project, emphasizing its importance in India’s energy landscape. To support the “Make in India” initiative, the PMT joint venture awarded contracts to Indian firms Larsen and Toubro for offshore work and Chowgule Shipyard for onshore dismantling. While offshore operations are complete, dismantling continues at CLSPL’s Ratnagiri facilities. The project also established a benchmark for India’s offshore decommissioning regulatory and operational framework, developed in collaboration with stakeholders like MoPNG, DGH, and OISD, following global best practices tailored to local conditions.
The successful completion of the Tapti offshore decommissioning project marks a milestone for India’s offshore energy sector, setting a new benchmark for responsible decommissioning. Nipun Pradhan, Managing Director at BGEPIL and GM Shell Upstream India, credited global expertise and strong collaboration for its success. Sanjay Barman Roy, President of E&P at Reliance Industries, emphasized the project’s role in strengthening local supply chains and supporting the Indian government’s “Make and Break in India” initiative.
