Decommissioning and Abandonment Strategies in Oil & Gas Training Course

Course overview

Every oil and gas asset eventually reaches the end of its productive life, and what happens next is becoming as important as how it was developed. Decommissioning and abandonment cover the work of permanently plugging wells, removing or repurposing structures, and restoring sites, all under heavy regulatory and environmental scrutiny and at a cost that can run into billions for a single field.

This course explains how decommissioning is planned and carried out: well plugging and abandonment, offshore structure and subsea removal, environmental management and remediation, and the governance and economics behind it. It is built for professionals who need to understand the full life-cycle end of an asset and the decisions that shape it.

Why this matters

Decommissioning liabilities are large, long-dated, and increasingly visible to regulators, investors, and the public. A poorly planned program can overrun badly, leave environmental problems, or fall foul of obligations that outlast the asset's owners.

Understanding this work matters because the choices made decades earlier, and the way a program is governed and costed, determine whether an asset is retired safely and affordably. As fields age and the energy transition accelerates, this knowledge is moving from a niche concern to a core part of asset management. This course builds that understanding.

What you will be able to do afterwards

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

• Explain the phases and drivers of decommissioning and abandonment.
• Describe well plugging and abandonment principles.
• Outline approaches to offshore structure and subsea removal.
• Relate environmental management and remediation requirements.
• Discuss the governance, liabilities, and economics involved.

Course outline

Unit 1: Introduction to decommissioning and abandonment

The course opens with the scope and drivers of the work.

• What decommissioning and abandonment involve.
• Drivers: end of field life, economics, and regulation.
• The decommissioning life cycle and planning horizon.
• Key stakeholders and obligations.

Unit 2: Well plugging and abandonment (P&A)

This unit covers permanently securing wells.

• Objectives and principles of well P&A.
• Barriers, cement plugs, and well integrity.
• Sequencing a P&A operation.
• Verifying and documenting abandonment.

Unit 3: Offshore structures and subsea infrastructure removal

This unit covers taking facilities out of service.

• Platform, topside, and jacket removal options.
• Subsea infrastructure and pipeline decommissioning.
• Reuse, partial removal, and rigs-to-reefs considerations.
• Heavy-lift and logistics planning.

Unit 4: Environmental management and site remediation

This unit covers restoring the site.

• Environmental impact assessment for decommissioning.
• Waste handling, recycling, and disposal.
• Site remediation and monitoring.
• Meeting environmental obligations and standards.

Unit 5: Governance, economics, and future of D&A

The final unit covers the controls and the outlook.

• Regulatory frameworks and approval processes.
• Cost estimation and provisioning for liabilities.
• Contracting and project governance.
• The energy transition's effect on decommissioning demand.

How the course is delivered

The course is led through structured explanation, documented project case studies, and group discussion of how programs are planned and governed. Participants examine real decommissioning scenarios, cost structures, and environmental requirements and work through the judgments involved. The content is educational; named standards and regulations are covered as subject matter and do not imply any approval or certification. It connects naturally to Energy Transition and Decarbonization in Oil & Gas.

Who should attend

This course suits oil and gas asset and project managers, facilities and operations engineers, environmental and regulatory staff, and finance professionals who deal with decommissioning liabilities. It works for those new to the topic and for experienced staff who want a fuller view of the end-of-life phase. A grounding in oil and gas operations helps but is not essential.

About EuroQuest International Training

EuroQuest International Training was founded in 2015 by a team with more than 25 years of combined experience in professional training. The institute has delivered over 1,000 courses to more than 15,000 participants, and is headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, with training hubs in Dubai, London, Barcelona, Istanbul, Vienna, Paris, and Geneva. Courses are designed and reviewed by practitioners and updated to reflect current practice in each field.

Frequently asked questions

Does the course cover both onshore and offshore decommissioning?

Yes. Well plugging and abandonment apply across both, and a dedicated unit covers offshore structures and subsea removal, noting where onshore and offshore programs differ in scale and method.

Do I need an engineering background to attend?

No. The course explains the technical work in accessible terms and gives equal weight to environmental, governance, and economic aspects, so it suits a range of oil and gas professionals.

How does the energy transition affect this topic?

The transition is bringing forward the end of life for many assets and increasing decommissioning activity, so the course treats it as a driver of demand and addresses it directly in the final unit.

Related courses

• Offshore Oil and Gas Operations and Logistics
• Asset Integrity and Reliability Management in Oil & Gas
• Environmental Monitoring and Compliance in Geosciences
• Oil and Gas Project Management and Risk Mitigation

Register for this course

To reserve a place or ask about scheduling and city options for the Decommissioning and Abandonment Strategies in Oil & Gas course, use the registration and enquiry options on this page and the EuroQuest team will follow up with the details you need.