Nexstep, National Platform for Re-use & Decommissioning, is the joint initiative of the Dutch state, represented by EBN, and the Dutch oil and gas industry, represented by Element NL, with the clear ambition to contribute to the safe and environmental friendly re-use and decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure in the Netherlands.

For more information: About Us

Nexstep will stimulate and facilitate the Dutch agenda for re-use and decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure with the aim to:

• have zero safety incidents
• create minimum environmental impact
• realize cost reductions through efficiency

Re-purpose means the use of reservoirs, decks, jackets, pipelines or wells for alternative purposes, e.g. CO₂ storage, transformer locations for wind farms, power to gas and other renewable or geothermal energy activities.

For more information: Re-use explained

Re-use means the re-use of reservoirs, decks, jackets, pipelines or wells for a similar or new purpose. Examples of this are; the relocation of offshore platforms to produce from other reservoirs or the conversion of reservoirs and wells to provide underground storage

More information: Re-use explained

Decommissioning involves different activities for wells, facilities and pipelines.

• For wells this means P&A or ‘Plug and Abandon’. With this technique the well is made safe and closed permanently after operations are complete. This is done through installation of (cement) plugs, seals and liquids in the well bore, cutting of the casing below seabed or land surface, thereby returning the seabed or land surface to its original state.
• For offshore installations (platforms) it means cleaning and removal of decks, jackets, and piles. For onshore installations it means cleaning and removal, returning the site to its original state.
• For pipelines it means cleaning and securing in place, potentially removing where necessary.

More information: Decommissioning explained