Industrial Plant Decommissioning Project Management Course

Course Introduction

The Industrial Plant Decommissioning Project Management Course provides participants with the knowledge, tools, and practical approaches required to plan, coordinate, execute, and close out industrial plant decommissioning projects safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively. Decommissioning involves the controlled withdrawal of industrial facilities from service, the isolation and removal of equipment, the management of hazardous materials, the dismantling of structures, the treatment of waste, and the preparation of sites for future use, redevelopment, or restoration. These projects frequently involve complex technical interfaces, ageing infrastructure, hazardous substances, environmental liabilities, regulatory approvals, contractual obligations, and substantial uncertainty regarding existing plant conditions. This course examines the complete decommissioning lifecycle, from strategic planning and feasibility assessment to execution, environmental remediation, documentation, and final site handover. Participants develop a structured understanding of how to establish project governance, define scope, allocate resources, manage risks, and deliver decommissioning outcomes that meet safety, environmental, operational, and commercial objectives.

Successful industrial plant decommissioning begins with a thorough understanding of the facility, its operating history, installed assets, process systems, structural condition, and potential hazards. The course explores asset registers, engineering drawings, equipment inventories, historical maintenance records, process descriptions, hazardous material surveys, and site investigations as essential inputs to decommissioning planning. Participants examine how to identify residual hydrocarbons, chemicals, asbestos-containing materials, contaminated equipment, stored energy, pressurised systems, electrical hazards, confined spaces, and other conditions that can affect safe dismantling. The programme also addresses the importance of verifying the completeness and reliability of legacy documentation, investigating undocumented modifications, and conducting field surveys before finalising project assumptions. Emphasis is placed on establishing a defensible asset baseline, defining decommissioning boundaries, identifying dependencies between process units, and determining the technical investigations required to reduce uncertainty before work packages are authorised.

A major component of the course focuses on developing decommissioning strategies and engineering execution plans that align technical requirements with project priorities. Participants examine alternatives such as mothballing, partial decommissioning, staged shutdown, equipment recovery, selective dismantling, complete demolition, and site restoration. The programme considers how asset condition, residual economic value, future land use, access constraints, equipment reuse potential, waste classification, and environmental obligations influence strategy selection. Participants learn to coordinate process shutdown, system isolation, decontamination, disconnection of utilities, structural dismantling, heavy lifting, transport, demolition, and remediation activities through a logical and controlled sequence. Particular attention is given to constructability reviews, temporary works, lifting studies, dismantling methodologies, crane access, laydown areas, logistics planning, and interface management. The course highlights the importance of ensuring that engineering decisions, work sequencing, and contractor methodologies remain aligned with site-specific hazards, regulatory requirements, and approved project objectives.

Health, safety, and environmental management are central to industrial plant decommissioning because dismantling activities can expose workers, surrounding communities, and the environment to hazards that differ substantially from those encountered during normal operations. The course examines process isolation, lockout/tagout, stored-energy control, confined-space entry, hot work, work at height, lifting operations, excavation, demolition, and hazardous material handling within an integrated risk management framework. Participants explore the development of decommissioning hazard registers, task risk assessments, method statements, permit-to-work arrangements, emergency response plans, and contractor safety requirements. Environmental management topics include hazardous waste identification, contaminated soil and groundwater, chemical residues, emissions, wastewater, spill prevention, waste segregation, and authorised disposal or recovery routes. The programme also addresses the management of asbestos, lead, persistent contaminants, and other hazardous materials where present, emphasising competent specialist involvement and compliance with applicable legislation. Through structured planning and verification, participants learn how to reduce exposure, prevent uncontrolled releases, and protect the workforce, neighbouring facilities, and the wider environment.

Effective decommissioning project management also requires disciplined control of schedules, costs, procurement, contracts, resources, and stakeholder expectations. This course examines the development of work breakdown structures, execution schedules, critical path networks, resource plans, cost estimates, contingency allowances, cash flow forecasts, and progress reporting systems tailored to complex industrial shutdown and dismantling projects. Participants consider how to estimate costs for decontamination, specialist labour, cranes, heavy transport, temporary utilities, waste treatment, environmental monitoring, demolition, and site remediation. The programme also addresses procurement strategy, specialist contractor selection, equipment salvage arrangements, waste management contracts, insurance considerations, and commercial risk allocation. Participants explore change control, variation management, claims prevention, productivity measurement, cost forecasting, and the management of unforeseen conditions discovered during dismantling. Particular emphasis is placed on coordinating operational personnel, engineering teams, environmental specialists, regulators, contractors, asset owners, insurers, and future site users through clear reporting arrangements, defined responsibilities, and timely decision-making.

The course concludes by integrating project controls, environmental restoration, asset disposition, documentation, and post-decommissioning assurance into a comprehensive delivery framework. Participants examine how to track completion against approved milestones, verify the removal or safe retention of plant systems, reconcile asset inventories, document hazardous waste movements, and confirm that residual risks have been appropriately addressed. The programme explores site remediation planning, contaminated land assessment, environmental verification, demolition completion records, as-built updates, regulatory closeout, and the preparation of handover dossiers for future owners or developers. Emerging issues such as digital asset records, three-dimensional site scanning, data-driven dismantling plans, circular economy practices, material traceability, carbon reduction, and the recovery of reusable equipment are considered as part of modern decommissioning strategies. Participants also examine lessons learned, knowledge retention, workforce transition, community engagement, and the long-term implications of decommissioning decisions. By the end of the programme, participants will be better prepared to manage the technical, commercial, environmental, and organisational complexities of industrial plant decommissioning while supporting safe execution, responsible resource recovery, regulatory compliance, and successful site transition.

Duration

5 days

Who Should Attend

• Industrial project managers responsible for planning and delivering plant shutdown, decommissioning, dismantling, demolition, and site restoration projects.

• Plant managers and operations leaders overseeing facility closure, production cessation, process shutdown, equipment isolation, and transition to decommissioning activities.

• Mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, and process engineers involved in assessing plant assets, preparing dismantling plans, coordinating engineering interfaces, and supervising removal works.

• Decommissioning engineers and technical specialists responsible for developing execution methodologies, equipment removal strategies, temporary works requirements, and technical work packages.

• Health and safety managers, occupational safety professionals, and permit coordinators responsible for risk assessments, energy isolation, contractor safety, emergency planning, and safe work controls.

• Environmental managers and environmental consultants involved in hazardous waste management, contaminated land assessment, pollution prevention, environmental monitoring, and site remediation.

• Quantity surveyors, cost engineers, commercial managers, and contract administrators responsible for estimating, budgeting, procurement, variations, claims, and financial closeout.

• Construction managers, demolition contractors, and site supervisors coordinating dismantling sequences, lifting operations, structural demolition, equipment recovery, and logistics.

• Asset integrity and maintenance professionals responsible for equipment registers, asset condition assessments, maintenance histories, residual asset value, and disposal or recovery decisions.

• Procurement and supply chain professionals managing specialist contractors, waste disposal services, heavy lifting equipment, transport providers, and recovery markets for reusable assets.

• Hazardous materials specialists and industrial hygienists involved in identifying, assessing, controlling, and removing asbestos, lead, chemical residues, and other hazardous substances.

• Risk managers and project controls specialists responsible for decommissioning risk registers, schedule management, contingency planning, progress measurement, and performance reporting.

• Industrial facility owners, investors, and corporate executives evaluating plant closure options, decommissioning liabilities, redevelopment opportunities, and long-term asset management strategies.

• Regulatory compliance officers and government or public-sector professionals involved in environmental permits, industrial closure requirements, demolition approvals, waste tracking, and site handover.

• Consultants and professionals seeking to develop expertise in decommissioning strategy, circular economy practices, industrial asset recovery, contaminated site management, and sustainable facility transition.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Develop integrated industrial plant decommissioning project management plans that define scope, objectives, governance, technical requirements, responsibilities, delivery milestones, and acceptance criteria.

• Assess plant documentation, asset registers, site conditions, process systems, and hazardous material information to establish a reliable baseline for decommissioning decisions and execution planning.

• Evaluate decommissioning alternatives, including staged shutdown, mothballing, selective dismantling, asset recovery, complete demolition, and site restoration, based on technical, commercial, and environmental considerations.

• Plan safe process shutdown, equipment isolation, decontamination, utility disconnection, dismantling, demolition, and removal activities using structured sequencing and verified work procedures.

• Identify and manage decommissioning risks associated with stored energy, hazardous substances, structural instability, lifting operations, confined spaces, contaminated materials, and unexpected site conditions.

• Prepare realistic decommissioning schedules, resource plans, cost estimates, procurement strategies, and cash flow forecasts that account for specialist services, waste management, dismantling, and remediation requirements.

• Integrate occupational health and safety, environmental protection, hazardous waste controls, emergency preparedness, and regulatory compliance into decommissioning project execution plans.

• Apply project controls, change management, contractor performance monitoring, cost forecasting, progress measurement, and risk reviews to maintain effective control over scope, schedule, and budget.

• Establish responsible asset recovery, waste segregation, recycling, material traceability, and disposal arrangements that support environmental obligations and circular economy objectives.

• Coordinate project closeout, environmental verification, asset reconciliation, regulatory documentation, residual risk management, and final site handover to support compliant and sustainable site transition.

Comprehensive Course Outline

Module 1: Fundamentals of Industrial Plant Decommissioning

• Overview of industrial plant decommissioning across manufacturing, chemical processing, oil and gas, power generation, mining, pharmaceutical, and other industrial sectors.

• Understanding the decommissioning lifecycle, including strategic evaluation, shutdown planning, asset isolation, dismantling, waste management, remediation, and final handover.

• Defining project objectives, scope boundaries, stakeholder requirements, regulatory obligations, asset ownership responsibilities, and measurable decommissioning success criteria.

• Establishing project governance, decision-making authority, reporting structures, multidisciplinary coordination arrangements, and interfaces between operating and decommissioning teams.

Module 2: Asset Assessment, Site Surveys, and Decommissioning Feasibility

• Reviewing plant drawings, process diagrams, equipment registers, maintenance histories, operating records, structural information, and available environmental documentation.

• Conducting asset verification, site walkdowns, three-dimensional surveys, condition assessments, and identification of undocumented modifications or inaccessible systems.

• Identifying hazardous substances, residual process materials, contaminated equipment, asbestos-containing materials, lead-based coatings, and other site-specific hazards requiring investigation.

• Evaluating decommissioning options using asset condition, recoverable value, site access, future land use, technical complexity, environmental liability, and estimated lifecycle cost.

Module 3: Decommissioning Strategy and Engineering Execution Planning

• Comparing mothballing, partial closure, staged decommissioning, selective dismantling, equipment relocation, complete demolition, and site restoration strategies.

• Developing engineering execution plans that define work packages, dismantling sequences, temporary works, equipment removal methods, technical interfaces, and acceptance requirements.

• Coordinating process shutdown, isolation, decontamination, utility disconnection, structural removal, heavy lifting, waste transport, and remediation within a logical work sequence.

• Conducting constructability reviews, lifting assessments, access planning, crane positioning studies, temporary support design coordination, and verification of safe dismantling methodologies.

Module 4: Shutdown Management, Isolation, and Decontamination

• Planning controlled plant shutdowns, process termination, inventory reduction, equipment emptying, system cleaning, and preparation for safe decommissioning operations.

• Establishing lockout/tagout procedures, isolation registers, electrical disconnection controls, pressure release requirements, and verification of zero-energy conditions.

• Managing chemical cleaning, purging, flushing, degassing, residue removal, and decontamination of tanks, pipelines, vessels, reactors, and process equipment.

• Coordinating permit-to-work systems, confined-space entry, hot work, simultaneous operations, isolation handovers, and formal release of systems for dismantling.

Module 5: Dismantling, Demolition, and Heavy Equipment Removal

• Developing dismantling methodologies for industrial machinery, structural steelwork, pipework, tanks, pressure vessels, conveyors, electrical installations, and auxiliary equipment.

• Planning crane operations, rigging, heavy lifting, cutting, segmentation, temporary support, load transfer, and controlled removal of oversized or difficult-to-access components.

• Managing demolition sequencing, structural stability, falling-object hazards, exclusion zones, dust suppression, vibration, temporary access, and protection of adjacent facilities.

• Coordinating transport routes, lifting equipment availability, laydown areas, equipment storage, salvage inspection, and safe removal of recovered assets from the project site.

Module 6: Health, Safety, Environmental, and Regulatory Management

• Developing decommissioning-specific hazard registers, task risk assessments, safe work method statements, emergency response plans, and contractor safety management arrangements.

• Managing stored energy, electrical hazards, confined spaces, work at height, hot work, hazardous atmospheres, structural instability, and high-risk lifting activities.

• Planning hazardous material surveys, specialist removal activities, waste classification, environmental sampling, pollution prevention, and legally compliant hazardous waste transport.

• Identifying applicable permits, environmental approvals, occupational safety requirements, demolition regulations, reporting obligations, and evidence needed to demonstrate compliance.

Module 7: Project Scheduling, Cost Estimation, Procurement, and Commercial Control

• Preparing work breakdown structures, logic-linked schedules, critical path analyses, milestone plans, resource allocation models, and integrated decommissioning execution programmes.

• Estimating costs for shutdown, decontamination, specialist labour, equipment hire, dismantling, heavy lifting, waste treatment, demolition, environmental monitoring, and remediation.

• Developing procurement strategies for specialist contractors, waste management providers, heavy transport, recovery services, equipment rentals, and long-lead decommissioning resources.

• Applying budget control, cash flow forecasting, variation management, contractor payment assessment, claims prevention, contingency management, and final cost forecasting.

Module 8: Waste Management, Asset Recovery, and Circular Economy Practices

• Establishing waste inventories, segregation procedures, classification protocols, material traceability, storage requirements, transport arrangements, and disposal documentation.

• Evaluating opportunities to recover, refurbish, resell, relocate, recycle, or repurpose machinery, structural components, electrical equipment, and other recoverable industrial assets.

• Managing hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams, including contaminated metals, oils, chemicals, insulation, demolition debris, electronic waste, and potentially contaminated soil.

• Applying circular economy principles, responsible material sourcing, waste minimisation, carbon reduction measures, and lifecycle evaluation to improve environmental and commercial outcomes.

Module 9: Project Controls, Stakeholder Coordination, and Risk Management

• Establishing project dashboards, progress measurement systems, cost and schedule reports, risk registers, action trackers, and performance indicators for decommissioning work packages.

• Managing uncertainty associated with undocumented plant conditions, hidden contamination, inaccessible equipment, structural deterioration, unexpected residues, and changes in disposal requirements.

• Coordinating asset owners, operators, contractors, regulators, environmental specialists, local authorities, insurers, neighbouring facilities, and future site users.

• Implementing change control, decision logs, early-warning processes, issue escalation, lessons learned, contractor performance reviews, and evidence-based corrective action planning.

Module 10: Site Remediation, Project Closeout, and Future Site Transition

• Developing remediation plans for contaminated soil, groundwater, drainage systems, underground structures, residual chemicals, and other identified environmental liabilities.

• Verifying decommissioning completion through site inspections, environmental testing, asset reconciliation, waste manifest reviews, documentation checks, and confirmation of agreed acceptance criteria.

• Preparing as-built records, decommissioning dossiers, hazardous material records, regulatory submissions, maintenance history archives, residual risk registers, and final handover documentation.

• Evaluating digital asset records, three-dimensional site models, sustainable redevelopment, future land use, workforce transition, community engagement, and post-project performance reviews.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue 

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group (at a discount of 10% to 50%) at requested location all over the world. The Onsite course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, buffet lunch, airport transfers, Upskill gift package, and guided tour.

Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808

Terms of Payment:

Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better.