Planning and collaboration can do more to cut costs than technology developments says BP’s Win Thornton. An operator has outlined how decommissioning costs in the Gulf of Mexico could be reduced sharply with better planning and collaboration among operators and the supply chain. Win Thornton, vice president of decommissioning at BP Exploration & Production Inc., said costs could be cut by up to 20% if operators coordinated their cessation of production (COP) schedules in order to optimize the deployment of decommissioning teams. – BP’s Win Thornton. Mactech’s Take: The best offshore decommissioning strategy is the one that is safe, effective and efficient. Agility in the field has proven to be a catalyst for effectiveness and efficiencies offshore, and this agility has recently flourished with the breadth and depth of available subsea cutting equipment. The situation can change at a moments notice offshore, and having the right tool for the right job is key. The depth to cut the piles below the seabed will depend upon the prevailing seabed conditions, local scouring, the condition of the piles or legs themselves, and currents. These quickly changing conditions require the ability to adapt in the field and retain a fleet of machining equipment that excels in both dependability and versatility. The truth is that cutting technology efficiencies create time reduction and better cut performance allows for the increased use of concurrent decommissioning practices. This reduces the total time and capital associated with decommissioning projects. This also provides more scenarios to keep divers out of the water as much as possible and, in turn, out of harms way. Read more from the source: decomworld.com