Energy Implications and Environmental Analysis of Oil Rigs Decommissioning Options Using LCA Methodology

Barbara Marchetti (), Francesco Corvaro and Marta Rossi
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Barbara Marchetti: Dipartimento di Scienze Teoriche e Applicate DiSTA, Faculty of Engineering, Università degli Studi eCampus, 22060 Novedrate, Italy
Francesco Corvaro: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale e Scienze Matematiche, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Marta Rossi: Dipartimento di Scienze Teoriche e Applicate DiSTA, Faculty of Engineering, Università degli Studi eCampus, 22060 Novedrate, Italy

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-13

Abstract: The decommissioning of offshore oil rigs presents complex environmental challenges and opportunities, particularly in the context of energy transition goals and marine ecosystem protection. This study applies a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach to evaluate the energy and environmental impacts associated with two different decommissioning approaches: full removal and partial removal. The analysis considers greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, material recovery, and long-term waste management. The study demonstrates important energy savings through the recovery and recycling of steel, which offsets energy-intensive operations such as cutting and marine transport. In addition, the analysis underscores the potential of integrating decommissioned infrastructure into offshore renewable energy systems, highlighting synergies with circular economy principles and the decarbonization of offshore operations. The findings highlight the importance of site-specific assessments and integrated policy frameworks to guide environmentally sound decommissioning decisions in offshore energy infrastructure. The analysis shows that full removal results in 14,300 kg CO 2 eq emissions during cutting and transport, compared to 3090 kg CO 2 eq for partial removal. Meanwhile, steel recycling generates environmental benefits of −3.80 × 10 6 kg CO 2 eq for full removal and −1.17 × 10 6 kg CO 2 eq for partial removal.

Keywords: energy transition; decommissioning; recycling; LCA; oil rigs; renewables (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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