On 21 May 2020 the National Agency for Industrial Safety and the Protection of the Environment in the Hydrocarbons Sector (ASEA) published the Industrial Safety, Operational Safety and Environmental Protection Guidelines for the Closing, Dismantling and Abandonment of Hydrocarbons Sector Facilities (Dismantling Guidelines) in the Federal Official Gazette.

The Dismantling Guidelines are mandatory for all hydrocarbon sector facilities (for further details please see "New hydrocarbons sector environmental and safety regulator starts operations") that carry out any of the following activities:

  • closing – the definitive closure of activities;
  • dismantling – total or partial removal, uninstalling, disassembling, reuse and/or safe disposal of an installation's equipment and accessories; and
  • abandonment – actions following the closure and dismantling of an installation ensuring that the project site remains in safe conditions definitely.

Dismantling Guidelines set out several obligations in terms of safety, reporting and risk, including establishing a closing, dismantling and/or abandonment activities programme (CDA programme) for each of the relevant phases. This CDA programme must be filed before the ASEA for approval at least 30 business days prior to the commencement of the closing, dismantling and/or abandonment activities.

Once the CDA programme has been authorised, closing activities will be completed during the following year; proper records of the activities must continue into the dismantling phase.

Likewise, prior to the abandonment activities, a detailed report on the conclusion of the dismantling phase programme will be prepared and filed before the ASEA.

Finally, the abandonment phase will be concluded when the ASEA issues an abandonment letter, recognising compliance with the Dismantling Guidelines.

The Dismantling Guidelines came into force on 22 May 2020; facilities on the definitive suspension of activities (at least 180 calendar days without activity) will have one year to file their CDA programme. Facilities already in the closing, dismantling and/or abandonment phases of a project must file their CDA programme within 120 business days, including a report of the actions carried out so far.