1. The Expanding Scope of Asset Decommissioning
Decommissioning is no longer confined to oil and gas operations. Increasingly, companies across energy, manufacturing, and technology sectors are evaluating end-of-life strategies for physical and digital infrastructure. These transitions demand careful planning to meet environmental, regulatory, and ESG expectations.
Energy Infrastructure and Offshore Projects
Offshore oil, gas, and wind installations face significant legal and technical challenges during decommissioning. Our lawyers advise on permit withdrawal, seabed clearance, waste disposal, and environmental restoration obligations, while negotiating cost recovery and liability allocation with regulators and contractors.
Manufacturing, Industrial, and Technology Facilities
Industrial plants, refineries, and data centers present unique decommissioning concerns—from hazardous waste management to data destruction. SJKP LLP assists clients in designing safe and compliant dismantling procedures, minimizing operational disruption and post-closure liabilities.
2. Legal and Regulatory Framework
Decommissioning requires engagement with a complex web of domestic and international regulations. Our team helps clients navigate permitting, environmental assessments, and compliance reporting, ensuring that project closure aligns with statutory and contractual obligations.
Permitting, Compliance, and Environmental Obligations
Our attorneys guide clients through permitting withdrawals, remediation standards, and environmental liabilities under laws such as CERCLA, RCRA, and NEPA. We coordinate with environmental consultants and agencies to ensure compliance and mitigate enforcement risks.
International Standards and Cross-Border Coordination
For global companies, decommissioning often spans multiple jurisdictions. We help align projects with international standards such as ISO 14001 and the OSPAR Convention, managing cross-border waste transfers and multinational regulatory coordination.
3. Financial, Tax, and Contractual Considerations
Decommissioning projects involve significant financial and tax implications. From securing cost recovery to structuring funding mechanisms, our lawyers provide strategies that balance compliance with commercial efficiency.
Decommissioning Cost Recovery and Tax Efficiency
We assist clients in claiming tax deductions, credits, and reimbursements related to decommissioning expenditures. Our tax professionals help optimize accounting treatment and leverage available fiscal incentives.
Contractual Risk Allocation and Funding Models
SJKP LLP advises on cost-sharing mechanisms, escrow structures, and joint venture agreements. We help allocate liabilities among partners and contractors through carefully drafted decommissioning clauses and performance guarantees.
4. Risk Management, Insurance, and Dispute Resolution
Decommissioning often triggers disputes over responsibility, timing, and cost. Our lawyers provide proactive guidance to mitigate risks through contractual planning, insurance coverage, and alternative dispute resolution.
Insurance Structuring and Coverage Analysis
We review and negotiate decommissioning insurance policies, including environmental liability, contractor’s pollution, and business interruption coverage. Our Insurance Recovery team helps clients recover claims efficiently.
Claims, Arbitration, and Enforcement
When disputes arise, we represent clients in arbitration, litigation, and enforcement actions worldwide. Our experience across jurisdictions allows us to resolve complex cross-border disputes efficiently.
5. ESG and Sustainable Transition
Sustainable decommissioning is a growing expectation in corporate governance. We help clients incorporate ESG principles into asset retirement, focusing on resource recovery, community engagement, and long-term environmental restoration.
Circular Economy Approaches
We advise clients on material reuse, recycling programs, and carbon offset integration, helping align decommissioning efforts with circular economy goals.
Environmental and Community Restoration
Our team collaborates with stakeholders to plan land rehabilitation and habitat restoration, ensuring that post-decommissioning sites contribute positively to local ecosystems and communities.
6. Why Choose SJKP LLP for Asset Decommissioning Counsel
Integrated Expertise. Global Coordination. Proven Results.
SJKP LLP’s Asset Decommissioning team integrates expertise in environmental law, corporate transactions, tax, insurance recovery, and ESG strategy to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end support. From early planning through post-closure monitoring, we help clients achieve compliance, manage liabilities, and uphold environmental stewardship while protecting enterprise value.
03 Nov, 2025
