Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 14, 2026
11:19
Measuring Carbon-based Contaminant Mineralization Using Combined CO2 Flux and Radiocarbon Analyses
Published on: October 21, 2016
12.5K
A costing model for offshore decommissioning in California
Andrew Bressler1, Brock B Bernstein1
1Ojai, California, USA.
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management
|April 28, 2015
Summary
Decommissioning California
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Marine Resource Management
- Offshore Decommissioning
Background:
- California's 27 offshore oil and gas platforms are nearing the end of their operational lifespans.
- Evolving regulations, including the rigs-to-reefs program (AB 2503), permit alternative uses for decommissioned platforms.
- Decisions on platform decommissioning methods (complete removal vs. artificial reefs) hinge on cost-benefit analyses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and utilize a mathematical decision model for estimating decommissioning costs of California's offshore platforms.
- To provide detailed cost comparisons between complete removal and partial removal (rigs-to-reefs) scenarios.
- To incorporate uncertainty into decommissioning cost estimates.
Main Methods:
- Designed and implemented the PLATFORM mathematical decision model.
- Integrated Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) cost data for complete removal.
- Calculated partial removal costs and associated uncertainties for various decommissioning scenarios.
Main Results:
- Complete removal of all 27 platforms is estimated to cost $1.09 billion.
- Partial removal, allowing for artificial reefs, is estimated at $478 million.
- Partial removal offers potential cost savings of $616 million.
Conclusions:
- The PLATFORM model provides a robust framework for evaluating offshore platform decommissioning costs.
- Partial removal presents a significantly more cost-effective option compared to complete removal.
- The study supports informed decision-making regarding the future of California's offshore platforms, balancing economic considerations with environmental potential.
More Related Videos
14:44Field Collection and Laboratory Maintenance of Canopy-Forming Giant Kelp to Facilitate Restoration
Published on: June 7, 2024
2.7K
13:35Reefshape: A System for the Efficient Collection and Automated Processing of Time-Series Underwater Photogrammetry Data for Benthic Habitat Monitoring
Published on: June 13, 2025
1.9K
Related Concept Videos
01:26Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
83
Bioremediation is an environmentally sustainable process that employs living organisms—primarily microorganisms—to degrade or neutralize pollutants from contaminated environments. In oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution, bioremediation involves the use of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria to transform toxic compounds into less harmful substances. This approach leverages natural microbial metabolic processes and is considered both cost-effective and ecologically favorable compared to...
83
01:21Design Example: Creating a Hydraulic Model of a Dam Spillway
928
Scaled hydraulic models of dam spillways provide a practical way to replicate and study the intricate flow dynamics of these structures. Often built to a 1:15 ratio, these models allow for observing critical water behavior, such as velocity distribution, flow patterns, and energy dissipation.
928
01:17Clearance Models: Noncompartmental Models
349
Clearance is a pharmacokinetic parameter traditionally defined by compartment models, signifying the rate at which a drug is expelled from the body. However, a noncompartmental model offers an alternative method for assessing clearance, primarily employing empirical data obtained after administering a single drug dose.
The noncompartmental approach capitalizes on extensive sampling data, correlating the volume of distribution to systemic exposure and the administered dosage. This method enables...
The noncompartmental approach capitalizes on extensive sampling data, correlating the volume of distribution to systemic exposure and the administered dosage. This method enables...
349
00:46Bioremediation
23.1K
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
23.1K
01:14Multicompartment Models: Overview
716
Multicompartment models are mathematical constructs that depict how drugs are distributed and eliminated within the body. They segment the body into several compartments, symbolizing various physiological or anatomical areas connected through drug transfer processes such as absorption, metabolism, distribution, and elimination.
These models offer a more comprehensive representation of drug behavior in the body than one-compartment models. They accommodate the complexity of drug distribution,...
These models offer a more comprehensive representation of drug behavior in the body than one-compartment models. They accommodate the complexity of drug distribution,...
716
01:21Mechanistic Models: Overview of Compartment Models
542
Mechanistic models, a category encompassing both physiological and compartmental modeling, differ from empirical models' approaches to incorporating known factors about the systems being modeled. Empirical models describe data with minimal assumptions, while mechanistic models aim to provide a robust description of available data by specifying assumptions and integrating known factors about the system. Compartmental analysis is a key example of a mechanistic model in pharmacokinetics and...
542