Plugging Away

In this episode, CEO Francis Norman speaks with Dawn Robertson, Global Director for Oil & Gas at Bureau Veritas, about looking at decommissioning through a different lens.

Dawn has worked across the decommissioning sector for more than a decade, developing Bureau Veritas' global decommissioning offering and working with operators, contractors, regulators and others across the supply chain. With a background in business rather than engineering or science, she brings a commercial perspective to a sector that is often viewed through a technical lens.

Francis and Dawn discuss the changing conversation around decommissioning, including the growing focus on financial exposure, more realistic cost estimates, residual value and the potential to reuse and repurpose existing infrastructure. They also explore why decommissioning should be considered much earlier in an asset's life, including designing new infrastructure with future repurposing opportunities in mind.

The conversation also takes a detour into Dawn's other business, a wraparound childcare service she started to solve a problem she was experiencing herself. What began as a solution for her own family has grown into a business supporting hundreds of children and their families in the north-east of Scotland.

In this episode of Plugging Away, recorded at ONS 2026 in Stavanger, Francis Norman is joined by Kristine Wille Hilstrøm of Square Advisory and Tim Croucher of Go Radical P&A to discuss the International Well Decommissioning Collaborative (IWDC) and the challenge of improving plug and abandonment (P&A) around the world.

The IWDC brings together organisations from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and the UK to share knowledge, identify technology gaps and support the development of more efficient, reliable and lower-cost approaches to well decommissioning. As a founding member, CODA is working alongside its international partners to address challenges that extend well beyond individual jurisdictions.

Kristine and Tim share their experiences working on P&A innovation in their respective regions, including the work being undertaken through the IWDC and Go Radical P&A. The conversation explores the potential for rigless P&A to reduce costs and environmental impacts, as well as the challenges that can prevent promising technologies from making the transition from development to commercial use.

They also discuss the need for more consistent approaches to technology qualification and risk assessment, and how collaboration between industry, technology developers and regulators could help accelerate the adoption of new solutions across different regions.

Get in touch with Tim - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-croucher/

Get in touch with Kristine - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-wille-hilstr%C3%B8m-2508a04/

Get in touch with Francis - https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisnorman/

In this episode, CEO Francis Norman and General Manager Rean Gilbert are joined by Kelly Smith, Group Head of Environmental and Decommissioning at ASCO, to explore the complexities of waste management in offshore decommissioning. The conversation covers the importance of early planning, the wide range of waste streams generated during decommissioning, and the risks created by fragmented supply chains and poor handovers. Kelly also shares insights into managing NORM, applying circular economy principles, the hidden costs of waste management, and the lessons Australia can draw from the more mature North Sea market. The discussion also looks at how technology, data and traceability are shaping the future of decommissioning waste management.

Get in touch with ASCO via their website - https://ascoworld.com/

Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-jane-smith-crwm-mciwm-02057655/

In this episode, CEO Francis Norman sits down with Sue McCarrey, CEO of NOPSEMA, to discuss the regulator's role in Australia's evolving offshore decommissioning industry.

The conversation explores the significant progress being made across Australia's decommissioning landscape, the importance of planning and risk management, and how NOPSEMA assesses new technologies and approaches while maintaining safety and environmental standards.

Sue also shares her perspective on major upcoming projects, alternative end states, the lessons Australia is drawing from international experience, and the opportunities to continue building Australia's decommissioning capability into the future.

CODA General Manager Rean Gilbert is joined by CODA CEO Francis Norman, CODA Board Member Pia Turcinov, XODUS Decommissioning Manager Carrie McIntosh, CB&I Commercial Director APAC Simona Chady, and CODA Communications Lead Pawel Rybczynski to discuss the launch of CODA's new Women in Decommissioning Special Interest Group.

Together, they explore why diversity of thought, experience and discipline is essential to Australia's growing decommissioning industry, the importance of visible role models and allies, and how creating more opportunities for women benefits the industry as a whole. The discussion also highlights the broad range of careers that contribute to decommissioning, challenging the perception that it is solely an engineering profession while encouraging the next generation of professionals to get involved.

CEO Francis Norman is joined by Tommy Angell and Rachael Brand from Offshore Network to discuss the evolution of decommissioning conferences and the growing momentum across the offshore decommissioning sector.

The conversation explores how Offshore Network first entered the decommissioning space, the role conferences play in bringing together operators, regulators, contractors, and the wider supply chain, and how industry collaboration has evolved over recent years. Tommy and Rachael reflect on the rapid growth of D&A Australia, the increasing openness across the sector, and the importance of creating environments where organisations can openly share both successes and challenges.

Francis, Tommy, and Rachael also discuss the similarities emerging across international markets, the value of face-to-face engagement in an increasingly digital world, and some of the major themes shaping current industry conversations, including vessel scarcity, ports and infrastructure, and collaboration.

The episode also provides a preview of this year’s D&A Australia conference, taking place in Perth on 23–24 June 2026.

CODA CEO Francis Norman speaks with Harald Linga from SWIPA about the role of research and collaboration in advancing well plugging and abandonment.

Hosted by SINTEF and supported by the Research Council of Norway and a broad group of industry partners, SWIPA brings together operators, researchers and universities to explore new approaches to well barrier design and performance. Harald shares insights into the structure of the program, including its focus on material science, large-scale testing and the development of solutions that can be taken forward into industry.

The conversation explores how emerging barrier materials such as geopolymers and bismuth alloys are being tested under challenging conditions, as well as the importance of building confidence in new technologies. Francis and Harald also discuss the potential for shorter plug designs, rigless P&A operations and the longer-term ambition to significantly reduce the cost of well plugging, particularly for subsea wells.

CODA CEO Francis Norman speaks with representatives from Offshore Norge about how Norway is preparing for the next phase of offshore decommissioning.

Joining the conversation are Anne-Lise Søyland, Magnus Svensson and Michael Bishop, who share insights into the role Offshore Norge plays in bringing industry together and supporting collaboration across the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

The conversation explores how collaboration between operators, suppliers and regulators has become a defining feature of the Norwegian offshore industry. The Offshore Norge team discuss their specialist networks, industry guidance and technology roadmaps aimed at improving how decommissioning and well-plugging activities are planned and delivered. They also highlight the importance of sharing lessons from projects, strengthening the supplier market and attracting the next generation of engineers and specialists who will play a key role in delivering decommissioning work into the future.

In this episode of CODA’s Plugging Away podcast, Francis Norman speaks with Nina Ringøen from Havtil about the role of regulation and oversight in preparing for the next phase of offshore well plugging activity in Norway.

Formerly known as the Petroleum Safety Authority, Havtil acts as both a supervisory authority and knowledge directorate for the Norwegian offshore sector. Nina explains how the Norwegian regulatory model is built on openness, transparency and trust, with audit findings shared publicly so the wider industry can learn from both successes and mistakes.

The discussion explores the current state of wells on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and the preparations underway as more wells move toward permanent plugging and abandonment. Francis and Nina also discuss the challenges of introducing new well barrier technologies, the time required to qualify them for offshore use, and the importance of international collaboration between regulators and industry to share knowledge and lessons learned as decommissioning activity increases globally.

Contact Nina: nina.ringoen(at)havtil.no

In this episode of Plugging Away, CODA CEO Francis Norman speaks with Nick McNally, Managing Director of Decom Engineering, about innovation, international growth and the evolving demands of decommissioning.

Nick shares the unconventional path that led him from chartered accountancy and international beer distribution to leading a specialist cutting technology business operating across Australia, Brazil, North America and Europe. He reflects on Decom Engineering’s pivot during COVID, the development of its expanding subsea and onshore saw range, and how product innovation has opened new markets.

The discussion explores the role of precision cutting in pipeline, flexible and umbilical removal, and the growing need to better integrate offshore and onshore workflows.