Most UK North Sea assets are being dismantled in Britain - not abroad.
New figures have confirmed the situation, amid concerns of overseas yards winning decommissioning work.
Information obtained by Energy Voice shows that British yards won dismantling for 26 of the 39 oil and gas facilities removed from the UK North Sea between 2018 and 2021.
That includes a series of heavy, high-value assets like the Brent and Ninian platforms, alongside smaller prizes like the dozen V-field assets from Harbour Energy's southern North Sea portfolio.
The 26 do not include the Shell Curlew FPSO vessel, which ultimately went to Norway for dismantling, or the Voyageur Spirit vessel, currently laid up at Kishorn but not being recycled at this stage.
It comes amid a series of high-profile wins for overseas yards in recent months, such as the Foinaven FPSO vessel heading to Denmark for dismantling, despite bids from a yard in Scotland just 20 miles away from where it is currently laid up, and the Brae Bravo going to Norway.
A freedom of information request to the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) showed that records had not been kept for 22 of the 39 assets which were removed from 2018 to 2021, raising concerns about local content targets.
However, a response from Harbour Energy stated that 17 of these "unknowns" - assets from the southern North Sea - have all been dismantled at Veolia and Able facilities at Great Yarmouth and Teesside respectively.
Harbour said: "The NTSA is aware of the dismantling-and-recycling arrangements for all these installations."
Will Rowley, chief executive of Offshore Solutions Group and former head of industry body Decom North Sea, said: "The poor record-keeping is still an issue as every operator has to submit a detailed plan to the NSTA to gain approval.
"This reflects the continued low priority of decom within the wider NSTA's thinking."
On the figures and its decommissioning commitment, the NSTA pointed to actions to support the supply chain to win work.
A spokesperson told Energy Voice: "The NSTA has taken action to answer the UK supply chain's calls for a clearer picture of upcoming UKCS project activity, including decommissioning, both through our Pathfinder website and Decommissioning Data Visibility Dashboard. Improving visibility of near-term contracting opportunities gives suppliers more confidence to invest in skills and technologies.
"In line with revised guidance published on August 30, supply chain action plans will be used to monitor and track the UK local content commitments outlined in the North Sea Transition Deal relating to energy-transition projects and decommissioning activity."
The regulator also pointed to its advocacy of well-decommissioning campaigns to deliver "deliver substantial cost efficiencies, reduce emissions and give suppliers confidence to invest".