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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Statistics for Decommissioned Platforms on the OCS

Statistics for Decommissioned Platforms on the OCS

  • As of May 31, 2013, there are approximately 2900 production platforms on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Production platforms are the structures located offshore from which oil and natural gas are produced. Unlike drilling rigs, which typically move from location to location, production facilities remain in the same location throughout a project's duration.
  • As of February 23, 2015, BSEE data indicates that there are 241 platforms which fit the criteria of idle iron. In addition, there are currently 294 platforms on expired or terminated leases.
    • Of the 535 platforms eligible for decommissioning, 396 are located in water depths less than 100 feet
    • Of the 535 platforms, 130 are located in water depths from 100 to 500 feet
    • Of the 535 platforms, 9 are located in water depths 500 to 5,000 feet
    • Of the 535 platforms, 0 are located in water depths greater than 5,000 feet
Structures Removal Permit Applications As of: September 19, 2017
Final Disposition

 
Total
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
(as of 9/19/2017)
Reuse
102
1
4
2
2
1
19
16
4
3
1
16
13
18
2
0
0
Rigs-to-Reefs
431
3
23
8
21
20
34
35
40
53
40
28
36
36
18
17
19
Scrapping/Shore
2840
125
191
144
118
164
124
176
237
223
352
282
186
198
115
123
82
Total
3353
129
218
154
141
185
177
227
281
279
393
326
235
232
135
140
101

 

Structures Removed on the GOM OCS As of: September 19, 2017  
Structure Type

 
Total
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
(as of 9/19/2017)
Caissons
1072
43
74
101
41
52
60
59
80
57
113
98
99
84
38
73
24
Platforms
1459
61
70
64
65
46
82
74
129
142
152
147
105
88
70
164
35
Mobile Offshore
Production Units
3
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
SEMI
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
SPAR
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
Mini-Tension
Leg Platforms
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Well Protectors
250
18
24
29
17
16
17
19
24
19
28
40
18
29
5
17
5
Total
2857
122
169
194
123
115
160
153
233
218
293
285
222
203
113
254
64

 

 

Artificial Reefs On The Federal OCS

There are more than 500 approved Reef Sites on the Federal OCS. A majority of the TX and LA reef sites contain Rigs-to-Reef; however, the MS, AL, and FL reef sites primarily contain other artificial reef materials.

Additional information can be located in the Offshore Infrastructure Dashboard as well as within the Rigs-to-Reef Program: