Drilling and Reservoir EngineeringWell Plugging, Abandonment and Decommissioning
A well that is abandoned badly becomes a permanent leak path that nobody may own once the licence expires. Plugging and abandonment is the last engineering job on a well and the one with the longest consequences. Delegates begin with regulatory expectations and the permanent barrier requirements found in NORSOK D010 and UK industry guidelines, then assess the well: records review, cement and casing condition, and annular pressure history. Plug design and placement follow, covering rock to rock barriers, cement plug setting, section milling, perforate wash and cement methods and alternative barrier materials. Rig, rigless and vessel based abandonment are compared on cost and risk. Wellhead removal, site restoration and long term liability close the course. Delegates leave able to plan and estimate an abandonment campaign.
Course objectives
- Interpret regulatory and industry requirements for permanent abandonment
- Assess legacy well records and current barrier condition
- Design permanent barriers that seal across the full cross section
- Select between section milling, perforate wash and cement and alternative materials
- Plan cement plug setting and verification
- Compare rig, rigless and vessel based abandonment options
- Estimate abandonment cost and schedule for a well campaign
- Plan wellhead removal and site restoration
Who should attend
- Well engineers planning abandonment campaigns
- Decommissioning managers and project engineers
- Regulators reviewing abandonment programmes
- Well integrity engineers
- Asset managers carrying late life liabilities
Course outline
- 01Regulation and liability in abandonment
- 02Permanent barrier requirements
- 03Well assessment and records review
- 04Cement plug design and placement
- 05Section milling and perforate wash and cement
- 06Alternative barrier materials
- 07Abandonment methods and campaign planning
- 08Wellhead removal and site restoration
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 November to 4 December 2026 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 21 to 25 December 2026 | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | |
| 11 to 15 January 2027 | Maputo, Mozambique | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | |
| 18 to 22 January 2027 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate | |
| 1 to 5 March 2027 | Cape Town, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 8 to 12 March 2027 | Lagos, Nigeria | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate |
Well Plugging, Abandonment and Decommissioning
From R8,500