Abandonment/decommissioning under Nigerian legal regimes: A comparative analysis

Abstract

The overall objective of this article is to analyse critically the legal instruments that regulate decommissioning of onshore and offshore platforms in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry vis-à-vis other jurisdictions such as The United States of America (USA) and United Kingdom (UK) with a view to making requisite recommendations for improvement in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry. This article in its introductory part will be devoted to conceptual clarifications of decommissioning and abandonment and differences (if any). Part two is the critical analysis of legislations on decommissioning in Nigeria. Part three is also a critical analysis on legal regimes and practices on decommissioning in other jurisdictions such as USA and UK. Part four is a comparative analysis of legislations and decommissioning practices in Nigeria and other jurisdiction. Part five consists of findings/recommendations made during the research. In the end, conclusions are drawn, part of which is a call for proactive actions by megacorporation and the Nigerian government in the sphere of timeous decommissioning of obsolete and failed platforms, enactment and, or, review of obsolete legislations regulating decommissioning as well as fulfilment of obligations under multilateral environmental treaties that regulate decommissioning and sustainable environmental management and protection.