Across the industrial, energy and manufacturing sectors, we’re seeing a clear shift. Asset owners are increasingly looking beyond demolition as an end-of-life activity and recognising decommissioning as a strategic business decision.
Early planning, independent technical expertise, robust risk management and sustainability are no longer optional—they’re becoming essential for delivering safe, commercially secure and environmentally responsible outcomes.
At RVA Group, we’ve always believed that successful decommissioning starts long before work begins on site. The right strategy, informed by engineering excellence and objective advice, creates value, reduces risk and enables smarter decisions throughout the asset lifecycle.
As industrial assets continue to evolve, organisations that adopt a strategic, engineering-led approach to decommissioning will be best placed to maximise value, minimise risk and support long-term sustainability goals.
RVA Group continues to support clients across the industrial, energy and manufacturing sectors with independent technical expertise, helping them plan and deliver safe, efficient and commercially successful decommissioning projects that create lasting value.
RVA is delighted to share it has successfully passed their latest certification audit for: • ISO 9001 – Quality Management • ISO 14001 – Environmental Management • ISO 45001 – Occupational Health & Safety Management
Even more pleasing, the audit concluded with zero non-conformances, zero observations, and more than 30 commendations across our management systems.
This outstanding result reflects the hard work, professionalism, and commitment of our team, who continually strive for excellence in everything we do. It demonstrates the effectiveness of our management systems and our dedication to quality, safety, sustainability, and continuous improvement, all of which remain central to how we deliver projects and services for our clients.
The RVA Management System has been specifically developed to manage high-hazard industrial decommissioning and demolition projects, providing a robust framework that supports safe, efficient, and quality-driven project delivery in some of the most challenging industrial environments.
A huge thank you to everyone involved in preparing for and supporting the audit. Your commitment continues to demonstrate what excellence looks like in practice and is a credit to the entire RVA team.
We’re proud of this achievement, but we’re even more focused on what it means for our clients—consistent, safe, and high-quality project delivery.
RVA has delivered projects for clients on every continent so far in 2026 except Antarctica. This Week, RVA’s Director of Engineering Services, Mark Taylor, is travelling to Norway to support an Oil & Gas Operator with the development of an Asset Retirement Obligation (ARO) Study.
With over 35 years of experience and more than 1,000 successfully completed decommissioning, dismantling, and demolition projects, RVA has built a unique database of actual project costs and outcomes. Every ARO we produce is benchmarked against this real-world data, helping deliver robust and defensible cost estimates.
Unlike many estimating approaches, RVA develops AROs from the bottom up, mirroring the way a contractor would plan and price the work. The result is a realistic and transparent estimate that meets operator expectations while complying with AACE International Recommended Practice No. 18R-97.
If your organisation requires support with ARO development, decommissioning planning, or demolition cost estimating, we’d be pleased to discuss how we can help.
For more than a decade RVA has been supporting owners and operators of complex process and production assets in the GCC and the wider Middle East. From the early days from getting to know the culture, establishing relationships and finding reliable partners, to seeking out potential clients, securing and delivering a range of varied complex projects; the experience has been both exciting and educational.
Winding forward 10 years, and having provided a wide range of decommissioning, dismantling and demolition related services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, RVA is now fully established as the gold-standard specialist engineering supplier to many of the region’s largest companies. These include global players in the power generation, chemical, water, desalination, petrochemical, oil and gas sectors.
By leveraging its 35 years hard earned experience gained from successfully completing over 1,000 decommissioning projects, RVA has continued to expand its operations and widened its presence in an area where opportunities continue to grow.
The journey began when RVA was contacted following a serious fire on a refinery site in KSA, with RVA’s role being to support the client in sourcing and engaging with contractors who could safely dismantle the fire damaged assets without further HSE incident. Working closely with the client’s team and regulators, RVA’s site and remotely based engineers ensured the project was completed as planned and importantly, without any disruptions to continuing critical operations.
RVA has established formal agreements with a number of country-based engineering partners who provide a local presence, additional engineering services, and make sure there is total compliance with the regulatory frameworks. Every region has specific cultural and procedural standards and RVA remains conscious that these must always be respected and complied with.
Across its projects, RVA has provided a wide range of services, including but not limited to:
Asset evaluation and monetisation strategy plans Client support with regulators, landowners and offtakers Decommissioning plans Feasibility and options studies Decommissioning and demolition estimates Scope of work and tender package compilation End of asset useful life evaluation Contractor section and procurement support Development of project specific risk assessments and HSE plan Review of method statements, risk assessments and other safe systems of work Contractor onboarding, induction, and compliance verification In-country execution phase project, HSE management and ‘intelligent friend’ capability Management of asset dismantling for relocation
Richard Vann, managing director is quoted as saying “The opportunities for RVA in the Middle East make it an area where our vision is clearly focused. We see the market growing at a greater rate over the next couple of decades, perhaps than anywhere else in the world.”
Our aim is to strengthen and consolidate our presence in the region, while continuing to engage with both existing and prospective clients. Most importantly, we seek to share the knowledge and experience gained through many years of project delivery, helping clients achieve safe, efficient, and cost-effective decommissioning, decontamination, dismantling, and demolition outcomes’.
If you would like to discuss a decommissioning, dismantling or demolition project in the Middle East or GCC region, we would be pleased to help.
From time to time, we like to look back on some of the projects from 25 years ago just to remind ourselves of some of our early days’ experiences.
Today we came across a case study of our first experience where RVA was parachuted in by the client to recover a failed project. Not only had two operatives suffered fatal injuries but also the ongoing safety management regime was unfit for purpose, and the work was significantly behind programme.
RVA’s team made a number of visits to Turkmenistan and helped the client and contractor who was working with antiquated plant and limited resources to complete the project without further incident.
Matthew Waller, RVA Group’s Operations Director is back in Singapore this week to hold meetings and inspect our projects currently underway in the country; a country where RVA first set foot over a decade and a half ago.
For 15 years, RVA has been at the forefront of high-hazard process plant demolition in Singapore—building trusted partnerships, transferring critical expertise, and helping shape safer industry practices. From a single project with INVISTA, a part of Koch Industries, to becoming a recognised partner across Asia, this journey reflects a commitment to precision, collaboration, and delivery.
Article:
From First Project to Trusted Partner
Celebrating a journey of expertise, collaboration, and impact in one of the world’s most advanced industrial landscapes.
From the outset, it was clear that Singapore offered something exceptional. With world-class capabilities in the high-hazard process sector and a highly skilled workforce, the foundations for success were already in place. However, in relatively new and rapidly expanding industrial regions, demolition and decommissioning are often not fully considered, when growth is the main driver. At some point however, the need for specialist support is required and with it, a distinct level of expertise—one that RVA was uniquely positioned to provide.
“It was immediately clear we were working in a fantastic country, with wonderful people and deep technical experience,” RVA reflects. “But there was also an opportunity to contribute something new.”
Building Expertise and Trust
That first project marked the beginning of a long-standing presence in Singapore. Over the years, RVA has worked with leading organisations including Jurong Town Corporation (JTC), Teijin Polycarbonates, Tate & Lyle, Total and other major clients across the region.
Each project has required a careful balance of engineering precision, risk management, and operational discipline. Demolition in high-hazard process environments is inherently complex—demanding a deep understanding of structures, process risks, and potential failure modes.
Yet, beyond technical delivery, RVA’s most meaningful achievement lies in collaboration.
“One of our proudest contributions has been working alongside local Singaporean contractors and their Malaysian teammates—supporting them in developing the knowledge and confidence to safely deliver demolition in high-hazard environments.”
Overcoming Challenges Through Communication
Early on, one of the key challenges was bridging the gap between conventional demolition practices and the strict controls required in high-hazard industrial settings.
The solution was not just technical—it was cultural.
“These experiences reinforced a fundamental principle: success depends on clear communication and shared understanding. When expectations are properly defined and truly understood, projects are set up for success.”
This approach has become a cornerstone of RVA’s work in Singapore—ensuring alignment across teams, disciplines, and cultures.
A Unique Working Environment
Singapore’s dynamic environment has also played an important role in shaping the journey. The balance of urban energy, coastal landscapes, and green spaces creates a unique backdrop for both work and life.
Moments of cultural exchange have also left a lasting impression. One early experience involved arranging a hot works permit to allow a shrine and ceremonial fire as part of a team’s spiritual practice—an example of mutual respect and cultural understanding in action. Another early day’s ‘moment’ was explaining to a group of contractors that the wearing of harnesses for working at height are of no value if not secured to suitable fixed points.
A Defining Milestone
The successful completion of the first project marked a turning point. Recognition from JTC and other Singaporean clients established RVA not just as a specialist provider, but as a trusted partner.
That trust has been built and reinforced over many years of consistent delivery, collaboration, and shared learning.
Looking Ahead
Today, Singapore remains a key part of RVA’s future.
“It’s a great place, with great people and significant opportunity. We continue to see strong potential here.”
As RVA looks ahead, its commitment remains clear: to support safe, efficient, and expertly managed demolition and decommissioning projects—while continuing to strengthen partnerships across Singapore’s industrial sector.
Nothing has changed over the years, and the mission remains the same:
Keep everyone safe, deliver excellence, build trust, add value and help shape safer practices in one of the world’s most demanding environments.
If you’d like to learn more about RVA’s experience in high-hazard decommissioning and demolition projects, or discuss your own requirements, we’d be happy to talk.
RVA is proud to announce the successful delivery of an independent study supporting the preparation for decommissioning and demolition works at the PLOR – PRAX Lindsey Oil Refinery, Immingham.
RVA delivered a robust, fully auditable programme and cost assessment, enabling the client to make confident, data-driven strategic decisions.
By combining deep expertise in industrial decommissioning, demolition engineering, with commercial insight and brownfield redevelopment, RVA continues to support clients across the oil & gas, petrochemical, and heavy industrial sectors—helping them mitigate risk, unlock value, and transition assets with confidence.
Drawing on over 30 years of global demolition and decommissioning experience, our team worked with key stakeholders to assess how proven industry practices from outside the nuclear sector could be adapted to support safer, more efficient project delivery within one of Europe’s most complex nuclear environments.
Through a series of collaborative workshops and process reviews, RVA developed a structured framework of alternative arrangements and methodologies to support future demolition and decommissioning projects across the Sellafield site.
The resulting programme framework is now being reviewed for integration into future working practices, helping to support the ongoing drive to accelerate hazard reduction and site remediation activities.
We are pleased to have supported this important initiative and would like to thank the Sellafield RAD team for their collaboration throughout the project.
RVA recently delivered its spring ‘26 Safety Training Day, bringing together the team via a mix of in-person and online attendance. It was great to see such strong engagement and open discussion across all participants. Bespoke training programmes, continued professional development and understanding how the law is developing are all parts of how RVA remains current in an ever changing sector of engineering.
The topics selected for the day focused on two key topics -shaping our approach to working in decommissioning in 2026.
The morning session was focused on waste management, circular economy and recovery of materials for reuse. So, the question was; how on an industrial demolition project, do we balance the risk of more labour-intensive dismantling methods to maximise opportunities for reuse, whilst recognising that there is a point on the waste hierarchy scale where recycling drivers have to give way to those of safety.
As well as refreshing our knowledge of the UK and European waste management regulations, discussions included which types of equipment and materials offer the best opportunities for reuse? We have recent experience of dismantling whole power stations and process plants for reuse, but what about reuse of construction materials? On one of our projects in Ireland, we are dismantling and recovering structural steel for recertification and future construction use – during the session, a comparative risk assessment identifying hazards associated with dismantling vs. hazards associated with machine demolition weighing up the benefits of recovery for reuse. It led to an interesting discussion, as while we have real life quantitative data for various dismantling and demolition methodologies and our comparative risk assessment methodologies are tried and tested, the real benefits of materials recovery for reuse is much more subjective. Ultimately, the reuse of material is very important for improving our carbon footprint, reducing total energy usage and driving the circular economy so developing our knowledge of opportunities and how to mitigate safety risk to enable environmental betterment is critical for our continued development.
After a good chat over lunch the afternoon segment was centred around asbestos removal best practice and the new EU2023/2668.
Asbestos awareness, including the HSE’s recent announcements on the UK’s position regarding CAR2012 and how the new EU Directive 2023/2668, reducing the control limit, is being transposed into law across the EU. The discussions on EU2023/2668 and the tightened control limit were interesting; the directive had to be transposed into national law by the end of 2025, with the new 10x reduced control limit posing some significant challenges to the asbestos supply chain. The directive was transposed in Ireland at the end of 2025 and we’re currently working with our clients and contractors on implementing the new regulations before consulting with the HSA on a number of practical issues challenging asbestos removal applications. The directive was transposed into Portuguese law at the end of May 2026 and again we’re reviewing how to be certain that we are doing everything that is required to comply with the new Decree Law.
One interesting topic of discussion regarding the new EU Directive is that both new and old Directives (and the new and old national laws) already contained the requirement to prevent exposure or reduce to as low as practicable and how wherever we work, we assure ourselves that we are meeting this requirement of the law. RVA’s experience in working on high hazard projects around the world means that it is a leader in waste management and asbestos removal. Training, continued professional development and staying at the forefront of development in the demolition industry are some of our fundamental drivers.
If you would like to discuss decommissioning, demolition, waste management, material recovery for reuse or asbestos removal services, we’d be pleased to help.
At RVA Group, our values guide how we show up for each other and for the work we do. Teamwork means shared responsibility, mutual respect and a shared commitment to achieving the right standards. There is no “them” and “us” — only one team.
Whether leading a safety briefing or standing shoulder-to-shoulder attending one, the expectation remains the same: safety matters equally to everyone. A strong example of this is the role RVA is playing in the GALP Refinery Demolition Project in Portugal, where being present and engaged means being part of the wider team effort. Whether through our actions or in our overalls, safety matters.
Real safety leadership starts by setting standards and helping everyone play their part in maintaining them.
Control – Communication – Competence → Safety – Security – Standards
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