In this episode, CEO Francis Norman speaks with Dawn Robertson, Global Director for Oil & Gas at Bureau Veritas, about looking at decommissioning through a different lens.

Dawn has worked across the decommissioning sector for more than a decade, developing Bureau Veritas' global decommissioning offering and working with operators, contractors, regulators and others across the supply chain. With a background in business rather than engineering or science, she brings a commercial perspective to a sector that is often viewed through a technical lens.

Francis and Dawn discuss the changing conversation around decommissioning, including the growing focus on financial exposure, more realistic cost estimates, residual value and the potential to reuse and repurpose existing infrastructure. They also explore why decommissioning should be considered much earlier in an asset's life, including designing new infrastructure with future repurposing opportunities in mind.

The conversation also takes a detour into Dawn's other business, a wraparound childcare service she started to solve a problem she was experiencing herself. What began as a solution for her own family has grown into a business supporting hundreds of children and their families in the north-east of Scotland.

In this final episode of the year, Pawel Rybczynski, Brand and Communications Lead at the Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CODA), is joined by Francis Norman, CEO of CODA, to reflect on 2025 and what it has meant for the Australian decommissioning industry.

The conversation looks back on key milestones for CODA, including the delivery of the Introduction to Decommissioning course, the Waste Disposal Pathways Report and Database, the Northern Territory study, the establishment of Special Interest Groups, and the evolution of CODA’s brand and industry role.

Francis shares his perspective on how Australia’s decommissioning capability is developing compared to global markets, where key opportunities exist, and the importance of collaboration across industry, government and research, including the significance of recent NDRI work and insights gained through partner engagement locally and internationally.

The episode concludes with a forward-looking discussion on what’s ahead in early 2026 and the opportunities that lie ahead for the sector.

In this episode, CEO Francis Norman and General Manager Rean Gilbert are joined by Kelly Smith, Group Head of Environmental and Decommissioning at ASCO, to explore the complexities of waste management in offshore decommissioning. The conversation covers the importance of early planning, the wide range of waste streams generated during decommissioning, and the risks created by fragmented supply chains and poor handovers. Kelly also shares insights into managing NORM, applying circular economy principles, the hidden costs of waste management, and the lessons Australia can draw from the more mature North Sea market. The discussion also looks at how technology, data and traceability are shaping the future of decommissioning waste management.

Get in touch with ASCO via their website - https://ascoworld.com/

Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-jane-smith-crwm-mciwm-02057655/