INSITE Research Programme – Phase 3 tender for research

Contract Type: Fixed-term based on the proposed scope

Start Date: From 12th September 2025

Available Funding: Submission costs should be in the £50,000 to £500,000 range.

Bids at the upper end of the range should address more than one of the invitations to tender.

Phase 3 research tenders:

INSITE Programme team have announced three Invitations To Tender for Phase 3 of the Programme:

1. Decommissioning Effects

A comprehensive review of short-term effects of different decommissioning strategies for subsea oil and gas structures, to include full removal, partial removal and leave in place options, recommending key environmental variables to be considered for decommissioning activity.

2. Fate of Pipelines

An investigation of the fate of materials from rigid oil and gas pipelines decommissioned in place and their potential for impact in the marine environment over the long-term, to include a synthesis of pipeline breakdown literature, accelerated material breakdown studies and dispersal modelling to reveal effects and risks over short (0-5 years), medium (5-30years) and long-term (30-100+ years) time frames.

3. Social Attitudes and Perceptions of Decommissioning Marine Artificial Structures

An investigation into the attitudes and perceptions towards the decommissioning of oil and gas platforms and offshore wind farms, alongside how shipwrecks are managed, to determine if perceptions change when participants are provided with the latest information about the environmental effects, such as shifts in marine biodiversity, and social and economic considerations, including costs, related to decommissioning or whether structures are left in place.

About the INSITE Programme:

The INSITE Programme is an innovative European-wide research programme that has so far attracted nearly £10 Million total funding and delivered 18 projects, with 17 UK, Dutch, German, Belgian, and Norwegian research institutions. Since 2015, INSITE has fostered collaboration between the scientific community and the oil and gas industry. INSITE Phase 2 ends in August 2025, with Phase 3 research commencing soon. The programme aims to advance knowledge on their impact on marine environments and ecosystems, ensuring sustainable ocean management.

INSITE Phase 3 has two operational stages: the project phase and the impact phase. Successful projects will start research around September 2025 and deliver their findings by March 2027.

Further details of the scope and requirements for each of these research projects, the application and assessment criteria, and commissioning process are all available at: https://insitenorthsea.org/phase-3-tenders-for-research/

The initial call for outline proposals is open until 23:59 25 May 2025.