Shell, Reliance and ONGC set benchmark with India’s first offshore facilities decommissioning project
Currently ranked 86th, Reliance is the largest private sector company from India to be featured in Fortune’s Global 500 list of 'World’s Largest Companies' for 2024.
In a significant achievement for India's energy sector, the Panna-Mukta and Tapti (PMT) joint venture, comprising Shell (through BGEPIL), Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), has successfully completed the nation's first offshore facilities decommissioning project. This involved the safe removal of mid and south Tapti field facilities, including five wellhead platforms and associated pipelines, along with the plugging and abandonment of 38 wells, all in adherence to the approved decommissioning plan. Production from the Tapti fields had ceased in March 2016.
This milestone project highlights a high degree of planning, coordination, and regulatory compliance, all while maintaining stringent safety and environmental standards. Aligning with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, major contracts were awarded to Indian companies Larsen and Toubro (L&T) for offshore execution and Chowgule Shipyard (CLSPL) for onshore dismantling. With offshore operations now safely concluded, dismantling is currently underway at CLSPL’s facilities in Ratnagiri, further bolstering India's domestic capabilities in both offshore and onshore energy infrastructure.
The Tapti decommissioning project has also played a pivotal role in shaping India’s regulatory and operational framework for offshore decommissioning. Developed through collaboration with key stakeholders such as the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), and Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD), this project establishes a benchmark for future offshore energy transitions in India, drawing from global best practices and adapting them to local conditions. Globally, offshore decommissioning is a complex undertaking, and the success of the Tapti project underscores the potential of multi-stakeholder collaboration in achieving environmental responsibility, safety, and efficiency in India’s evolving energy transition.
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About Reliance Industries Ltd
Reliance is India’s largest private sector company, with a consolidated revenue of Rs 10,71,174 crore (USD 125.3 billion) and net profit of Rs 81,309 crore (USD 9.5 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2025. Reliance’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, advanced materials and composites, renewables (solar and hydrogen), retail and digital services.
Currently ranked 86th, Reliance is the largest private sector company from India to be featured in Fortune’s Global 500 list of 'World’s Largest Companies' for 2024. The company stands 49th in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings of 'World’s Largest Public Companies' for 2024, the highest among Indian companies. Reliance has been recognised in Time's list of the 100 Most Influential Companies of 2024, marking the only Indian company to have achieved this honour twice.
Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.