Shell, Reliance, ONGC set benchmark with India鈥檚 first offshore decommissioning project
The Panna-Mukta and Tapti (PMT) joint venture partners (Shell, Reliance Industries and ONGC) have completed the country’s first offshore facilities decommissioning project with the safe removal of mid and south Tapti field facilities.
The milestone project involved 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.
The PMT JV awarded major contracts to Indian companies Larsen and Toubro for offshore execution and Chowgule Shipyard for onshore dismantling. Offshore operations have now been completed safely, and dismantling is underway at Chowgule’s facilities in Ratnagiri.
The Tapti decommissioning project also played a pioneering role in shaping India’s regulatory and operational framework for offshore decommissioning. Developed collaboratively with key stakeholders including the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) and Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD), the project sets a benchmark for future offshore energy transitions, rooted in global best practices and adapted for Indian conditions.
