Centurion supported one of the Asia-Pacific’s largest subsea pipeline decommissioning campaigns, an ambitious multi-phase project in the Gulf of Thailand that began in March 2024. Working alongside a leading subsea contractor, we provided a full suite of cutting and recovery tools, workshop cabins as well as personnel to enable the safe and efficient removal of over 335km of aging pipeline.
With Phase 2 now completed, this project highlights the critical role Centurion is playing in delivering practical, cost effective and safe solutions for complex offshore decommissioning.
Scope of Work
Phase 1 which started in March 2024, required the recovery of 64 pipelines ranging from 2 km to 21 km long and 6” to 18” in diameter. Many were encased in concrete weight coating (CWC), adding significant cutting complexity.
Key challenges included:
- Variable and incomplete information on legacy pipeline condition
- Efficient and safe removal methods for CWC and non-CWC lines
- Navigating environmental and regulatory requirements
- Weather and vessel constraints affecting progress
- Selecting cutting tools that maximized performance and reduced downtime
Execution
Centurion worked closely with the project stakeholders to determine the safest and most efficient removal approach. Multiple methodologies were used, including reverse S-Lay and cut-and-recover techniques with shears and chop saws.
To manage the varied pipeline conditions, our team:
- Tailored cutting tool selection to each pipeline
- Ran System Integration Testing (SIT) to validate equipment performance
- Refined methodology continually as real-time offshore learnings emerged
A standout example occurred when a standard blade reached its limits. Instead of slowing the campaign, our engineers worked with the OEM offshore to design a custom CWC-pruner blade. It enabled single-pass cuts where multiple passes had been required, significantly improving speed and reducing wear on equipment.
This practical, solutions-focused approach is core to how we work. Whether it’s modifying equipment, sourcing improved tooling or adjusting methodology on the spot, our team is driven to find safer, more efficient ways to deliver.
Outcome & Value Delivered
By March 2025, Centurion’s work in Phase 1 delivered measurable improvements in efficiency and tool performance:
- 64 pipelines recovered
- 22,000+ shear cuts and 5,000+ chop saw cuts completed
- Optimized tooling across varying conditions, including:
- Tungsten Carbide Tipped (TCT) blades – the fastest performance (16” pipe in 4 min)
- Diamond blades for CWC – 16” CWC in 12 min; 18” CWC in 18 min
- Genesis GSS775 shears for fast and efficient cutting
- Reduced cutting time through better blade selection and improved methodology
Phase 2 – started July 2025
Following the successful delivery of Phase 1, the client re-engaged Centurion to support Phase 2, confident in our performance, problem-solving capability and understanding of the scope.
Phase 2 involved another 12 pipelines totaling 85 km, from 140 m up to 13.7 km in length (6” to 12” diameter). The operation was delivered through coordinated support from Centurion teams in APAC and UK, using a fully integrated spread of subsea tools, control cabins, recovery systems and offshore-certified equipment, all pre-tested and ready for rapid mobilization.
The three-month program involved continuous 24/7 activity aboard the DSV Van Gogh and DLV HQ1200.
Centurion’s role has gone far beyond supplying equipment. Our offshore experience, real-time problem-solving and willingness to engineer better solutions as conditions change have helped make a complex decommissioning program safer, faster and more efficient.
With global demand for subsea pipeline decommissioning growing, the insights gained from this campaign offer a valuable blueprint for operators looking at future projects.
