0993-1564 PIPELINE ABANDONMENT STUDY DRAFT REPORT By H. O. MOHR Research & Engineering, Inc. NORTHWOODS INDUSTRIAL PARK WEST 12287 F.M. 529 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77041 Prepared By: Checked By: ‘Approved By: June, 1994 sessor4.D00 tune 6, 1004H.O. MOHR Research & Engineering, Inc. eer MANAGEMENT SUMMARY In some existing offshore fields around the world, reservoirs are becoming depleted. As production in the older areas becomes marginal and less revenue generating, operators will continue to face new challenges and strategy decisions related to pipeline abandonment, but at an ever increasing frequency, Some pipelines, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, have been in service, underwater at various depths, from 20 to 40 years. The continual public pressure over concerns about pipeline safety and the possible environmental damage hazards coupled with governmental legislative responses in the past few years have brought a new meaning to ‘economically feasible." The operator's strategy, when it is time to abandon a subsea pipeline, will be formulated by decisions involving: Personnel Safety Governmental regulations - local and intemational ‘An engineered plan for abandonment submitted to the controlling government/agency Location and depth of the line © Size and service of the line Required equipment to perform the planned method of abandonment © Overall cost justification The method of abandonment may vary from leaving the pipeline in place to complete removal of the line and returning the seabed to its original natural state. The consensus of most all of the governmental agencies and operators in the offshore (depths greater than 15 feet) world will allow and prefer to leave pipelines in situ upon abandonment. This position is allowed only if the abandoned pipeline: © Isflushed to remove any hydrocarbon content, filled with seawater or other inert material, and has the ends capped and the ends buried. Tonio Doe 7 aoe 6 10Mea H.O. MORR Research & Engineering, Inc. © Will not present any future hazard to navigation, the ecology of the sea or seabed, or to any other user of the sea. © Orif, in the opinion of the controlling government, there is less damage to the ecology of the seabed to leave the line in place than to completely remove it. In consideration of costs to abandon a pipeline, the factor may be ten times or more to remove the line from the seabed than to leave it properly prepared in-place. Tene 6 1954 Tenormboe