More than £15bn will be spent on decommissioning work in the North Sea oil and gas industry over the next decade, according to a new report.
Industry body Oil and Gas UK's 2019 Decommissioning Insight Report said there was "growing competitiveness" and the sector was more efficient.
The findings indicate decommissioning now represents just under 10% of the industry's overall expenditure.
An annual spend of about £1.5bn is predicted.
The oil and gas industry says specialist firms are becoming more efficient at removing platforms and pipelines.
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The oil price has fallen this morning after Saudi Arabia said its oil production is back to normal after the attacks on oil facilities on 14 September.
It said it has restored its oil production capacity to 11.3 million barrels per day.
Brent Crude is down 1.65% to $62.06.
The Seahorse Trust is granted a judicial review of a government decision to allow oil drilling off Dorset.
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Kevin Keane
BBC Scotland's environment correspondent
Drilling in the UK sector in 2018 was at its lowest level since the 1960s but analysts predict a North Sea pick-up.
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The energy giant makes the move after pressure from investors, including the Church of England.
Read moreIndustry body Oil and Gas UK predicts expenditure to run at about 20% lower than forecast in 2017.
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Azinor Catalyst says its discovery in the North Sea which could contain as many as 50 million barrels.
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Today Programme
BBC Radio 4
With the level of drilling so low in the North Sea, does that mean the industry will be lobbying the government for tax breaks - in time for the Autumn Statement in November?
Not necessarily.
Oil & Gas UK's chief executive Deirdre Michie says: "What we're looking for from the government is a stable fiscal regime that they have put in place and we have worked with them to do that.
"Actually we have the Exchequer secretary up in Aberdeen a couple of weeks ago and he re-confirmed the government's commitment to [a stable fiscal regime] because they understand the importance of this industry in terms of security of energy supply, of jobs and they recognise that investors are looking for confidence because, of course, their decisions are all long-term and they need to know they can put their monies here rather than anywhere else."
Today Programme
BBC Radio 4
Oil & Gas UK, the association is releasing its annual economic report on the industry today and activity is slow to say the least.
Oil & Gas UK's chief executive Deirdre Michie tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Over the years we have seen quite a decline in the drilling activity generally, whether it is exploration or development.
"Years ago we would have seen those numbers up in the 20s to 30s in exploration terms and development into the 80s to 100s so when we're seeing these numbers, especially in exploration that is a real concern, as our report has highlighted."