Stakeholder Engagement in the Decommissioning Process

When done well, planning for closure serves as a foundation for sustained socioeconomic well-being, beneficial reuse of project assets, and accountable decision-making. This ultimately contributes to an operator’s social license.

October 4, 2021

Oil and Gas Facilities

<b>Engaging stakeholders in the impact assessment process, as well as the selection of management measures, provides an opportunity to contribute to project decision-making, or procedural fairness. </b>

The idea of a “social license to operate” is not a new concept. However, much focus has been on establishing such a concept in the early stages of development. What is now emerging is the need to obtain and maintain a social license at later stages of a project—at decommissioning and beyond. The complete paper highlights some of the challenges in maintaining a social license to operate during the decommissioning process.

Defining Social License to Operate

This term refers to the ongoing acceptance of a project, company, or industry by its stakeholders.

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