Cessation of Production Readiness Review

Decisions in the CoP Context Often Remain Unsettled

In many late-life assets, decisions shaped by Cessation of Production are discussed repeatedly but not formally closed.

Life-extension investments are considered but not committed. Operating philosophy evolves incrementally. Integrity scope is revisited. Emissions investments are delayed. Indicative CoP timing shifts without a clearly articulated basis.

The individual choices are familiar. What is less often explicit is how they fit together, what trade-offs they reflect, and under what conditions the position would change.

The consequence is lack of explicit commitment to a coherent direction.

The Decision Context

Cessation of Production (CoP) defines the point at which hydrocarbon production ceases permanently. It influences a cluster of interdependent decisions:

• Life-extension and integrity investments
• Operating cost structure
• Emissions strategy
• Infill and incremental reserves activity
• Export assumptions
• Decommissioning sequencing

What the Review Assesses

The Cessation of Production Readiness Review applies structured Decision Quality principles to the full decision set shaped by CoP timing.

• The clarity of the decision framework
• The relevance of alternatives considered
• The explicitness of trade-offs
• The treatment of material uncertainties
• The internal consistency of economic logic
• The ability of stakeholders to commit

What You Gain in Three Weeks

• An independent assessment of the quality of your CoP-context decisions
• Disciplined challenge of assumptions — within your organisation and, where relevant, between partners
• Explicit visibility of trade-offs across value, risk and timing
• Focused testing of material uncertainties
• A clear view of strengths and fragilities
• Defined next steps where appropriate

How It Works

Week 1: Define the decision set, objectives, value metrics and assumptions.

Week 2: Examine alternatives, test trade-offs and assess uncertainty.

Week 3: Assess decision quality and commitment, identify actions required.