A joint venture between Shell (via BGEPIL), Reliance Industries (RIL), and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has successfully completed the country's first offshore facilities decommissioning project.

The contract involved the safe removal and abandonment of installations on the mid and south Tapti gas fields in the Arabian Sea, 160 km northwest of Mumbai. The Tapti field ceased production in March 2016. Facilities from the field were divided into two segments: Tapti Part A Facilities were handed over to ONGC, while Tapti Part B, which included 38 wells, five wellhead platforms, and four pipelines, were decommissioned by the joint venture.

Preparations began in 2017, following Shell’s 30 percent, ONGC’s 40 percent, and RIL’s 30 percent stakes in the field under the Panna-Mukta and Tapti (PMT) JV. The project included offshore removal, load-in at the onshore dismantling yard, and the safe plugging and abandonment of 38 wells - all done in compliance with the approved decommissioning plan.

Key contracts were awarded to Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for offshore execution and Chowgule Shipyard (CLSPL) in Ratnagiri for onshore dismantling. Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), and Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD), the project sets a new benchmark for offshore decommissioning in India.