Planning & Development | Decommissioning Services

A key element of developing a decommissioning, demolition and land remediation strategy for an asset is the characterisation of the potential hazards and contaminants throughout the structures and processes.

A sampling and characterisation plan addresses risks and collects maximum information about the facility. Chemical, biological, and radiological analysis adds to the data inventory. A complete physical survey underpins the data.

It is usual for characterisation work to be part of a larger project scope and will typically address:

• Site familiarisation
• Understanding earlier processes and systems used at the site within each area
• Understanding the type and nature of manufactured materials, the products and chemicals used and the wastes produced
• Establishing an understanding of the current physical condition of the various process pipelines, services, and equipment
• Establishing any residual contamination within these items with a targeted sampling and inspection strategy
• Developing a hazard risk assessment matrix

Characterisation commences with the design of the approach which might include:

• Desktop study and development of the History File
• Confirmation of likely contaminants (chemotoxic, biological, radiological)
• Confirmation of likely isotopes and markers
• Prior Radiological Risk Assessment
• Definition of action levels

Implementation of the characterisation process will address:

• Target hotspots
• General assurance
• Designated areas (prior RRA)
• Direct probe and smear to probe
• Coupons and samples

The areas requiring investigation will most likely include; ducts, filters, vessels, service runs, pipes, etc. The investigation will take the form of visual inspections and sampling work.

Analysis can be undertaken local in situ or at accredited labs (UKAS etc.).

A key part of developing a decommissioning, demolition and land remediation strategy for an asset is a comprehensive risk assessment of the structures, services and potential hazards and contaminants throughout the structures and processes.

Effective risk management is key to the success of frameworks and projects. KDC understand risks change through the life cycle of a project; Thus the approach to managing them, will change with them. KDC facilitates effective and collaborative risk management based on the diagram below:

Key enablers for our risk management process are:

• Ownership for specific risks belongs to the entity best placed to manage it. We must involve each party with the early identification of risks to make sure the correct assignment.
• Creation of a Risk Management Plan approved by KDC and the customer.
• Risk identification through a risk workshop.

• We undertake a qualitative and quantitative evaluation for each risk identified. Qualitatively for probability of occurrence/ impact; quantitatively for cost and programme impact. This will show which risks call for more robust management. We will divide every risk an owner.

A key element of developing a decommissioning, demolition and land remediation strategy for an asset is a comprehensive solution design.

KDC are specialists in designing decommissioning, demolition and land remediation solutions across a wide range of industries including; nuclear, energy and natural resources, utilities, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, public sector and general industrial.

A key element of our service is an accurate survey of the asset and all potential hazards.

The physical investigation work scope is likely to include the following elements:

• The most likely areas requiring investigation will be ducts, filters, vessels, service runs, pipes, etc. The investigation will take the form of visual inspections and sampling work. The chosen sample point locations will have considered the access restrictions caused by the congested nature of the pipe runs and the potential for materials that contain asbestos being present.
• Accessing specific process pipes, services and facilities via a variety of methods which may include cold cutting.
• We will collect samples using swabs and specialist grabs depending on the particular area being sampled.
• Specialist independent and accredited laboratories will undertake analysis.  This may include several laboratories depending on the complexity of the analysis, and KDC have established relationships with suitable laboratories.

The results will produce an updated hazard risk matrix within a detailed report. The hazard matrix is a live document easily updated from the initial desk study, following physical sampling results and during the actual decommissioning itself.

The report will include annotated drawings showing the locations of the sampling and any areas of concern.  We will adopt a simple colour coding traffic light system.  This will identify process plant items, which are:

Green – They need no further cleaning before decommissioning and we could recover items for scrap or for non-hazardous landfilling.

Amber – Some contamination may be present and may present a low risk for the decommissioning of the facility.  They need some cleaning before dismantling or decommissioning.

Red – Deemed to be high risk and make up potential hazardous waste. Further cleaning is likely before dismantling or decommissioning.

The report will ultimately help produce a detailed Scope of Work document for the decommissioning of the facility.

KDC are familiar with and have the extensive knowledge and practice of acting as Principal Contractor and other roles within the CDM regulations 2015.

Many of our projects need KDC to take the role of the Construction Design and Management (CDM) principal contractor. For this, and other roles taken up by KDC’s experienced people, we gain support through rigorous repeatable processes and documentation, such as the construction phase SHE plans for the project.

We are corporate members of MaPS, have registered practitioners within the business and achieved the NFDC certificate of compliance with CDM regulations following an audit of procedures and site activities.

KDC sites have competent and experienced site managers who, with the help of on-site supervisors, are responsible for the running of the site and passing information between sub-contractors, KDC and the project team, including Client and any Principle Designers.

This practical experience of implementing the legislation and procedures allows KDC to offer customers support with CDM related matters.

KDC can offer budgetary advice for your potential projects.

Many of our projects follow the customer’s strategic review of their assets and business.

It is at this stage that KDC can support the development of business plans by providing budgetary advice.

Our vast experience across a multitude of site types and industries allows accurate assessment of the decommissioning, demolition and remediation costs and the likely credits achievable through scrap processing or plant resales.

Ensuring reasonable accuracy at this stage can avoid “shocks” further into the project. Good budgetary advice can often allow businesses to offset decommissioning costs with revenue from plant resale and scrap processing.

Developing and reviewing deconstruction options can improve SHE and financial performance, and KDC can offer this service.

Planning the deconstruction strategy can impact SHE performance and financial performance on a decommissioning project.

Many of our projects benefit from “optioneering” of various deconstruction strategies. For example, perceived efficiencies from one approach may result in a greater risk profile. Equally, perceived high risk methods can often reduce exposure of personnel to lengthy medium risk activities.

By adopting this approach, KDC delivered an explosive demolition safety case on a live petrochemical plant. This may appear high risk, but a detailed analysis of the deconstruction strategy highlighted the overall reduced risk for the project team.