Calls for Proposals

Decommissioning offshore petroleum production programs requires extensive knowledge as it is highly technical, occurs in harsh and vulnerable offshore environments and involves a complex regulatory regime. There have only been three offshore petroleum production projects to decommission in Canada, all of which have been in the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore. Gathering lessons learned from this experience, as well as from other international jurisdictions, would be useful for industry, regulators and governments preparing for possible future decommissioning and abandonment requirements in the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador offshore as early as 2030.

Objective:

This Call for Proposals will provide up to $200,000 of funding over two years for a desktop study examining lessons learned and best practices in international offshore decommissioning and abandonment. The study should consider the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to decommissioning and abandonment around the globe (e.g., removing infrastructure versus leaving it in place) and examine how other jurisdictions have approached major environmental, social, and human health and safety considerations for alternative abandonment methods. The study should evaluate whether these lessons learned and best practices could be applied in the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador offshore area given prevailing legislative and regulatory requirements.

The desktop study could inform potential future funding decisions on broader research programs that may include experimental field work and studies on habitats, species and concerns specific to the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador offshore context.

Closing date: September 30, 2025, 23:59 ET

Eligible funding recipients must be:

A legal entity validly incorporated or registered in Canada, for example:

• For profit and not for profit organizations such as companies, industry associations, research associations, etc.;
• Indigenous organizations and groups;
• Community groups;
• Canadian Post-Secondary Institutions; or,
• a federal, provincial, territorial, regional or municipal government, or one of their departments, agencies or research centres.

How to submit a Full Project Proposal:

Step 1: Download the Applicant Guide (PDF, 417 KB) and review thoroughly.

Step 2: Download and complete the Application Form (DOCX, 45 KB) and the Project Milestones and Budget (XLSX, 18 KB).

Step 3: Submit your Full Project Proposal (the Application Form and the Project Milestones and Budget) by 23:59 ET on September 30, 2025, via email to the ESRF Secretariat (ESRF-FEE@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca) with the subject “FPP – Decommissioning and Abandonment - APPLICANT NAME”.

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