With the backlog of wells due for decommissioning on the rise, the UK’s regulator, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), has issued a stark warning to operators on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), urging them to take steps to decommission permanently inactive wells now to stave off a future scenario where they, alongside taxpayers, will need to face cost hikes and potential sanctions because of the missed decommissioning deadlines.

Within its ‘ Decommissioning Cost and Performance Update ,’ the NSTA highlighted a backlog of over 500 wells, which missed their decommissioning deadline, warning that the figure could grow considerably unless operators quickly ramp up their activities, with more than 1,000 additional wells expected to be due for decommissioning between 2026 and 2030.