01
End-state definition
Establishing the agreed end state for the asset — cleared brownfield, retained structure, remediated landholding or redevelopment-ready parcel — and the regulatory and commercial requirements that define it.
Closure Studies
Industrial & Mine Closure Studies Across Australia
Professional Projects provides independent closure studies, demolition planning and decommissioning advisory for mining, industrial, energy and infrastructure assets throughout Australia. We help asset owners define closure scope, understand costs and risks, assess delivery options and prepare for procurement and execution.
What we do
Clarity on what closure involves before the decisions are made.
A closure study is the foundation of a well-managed industrial asset transition. It defines the end state, identifies the full scope of decommissioning, demolition and remediation work, establishes a realistic cost and programme, and gives decision-makers the information they need to plan and fund the transition.
Professional Projects Group prepares and reviews closure studies for industrial and mining asset owners — bringing independent, delivery-grounded advice to the decisions that shape how an asset is closed, what it will cost and how long it will take. Our specialist contribution to mine closure is the physical asset side: decommissioning, demolition, associated cost planning and delivery strategy. We work alongside environmental, geotechnical and regulatory specialists rather than replacing them.
Closure study services
What a closure study covers.
02
Scope of work development
Defining the full scope of decommissioning, demolition, remediation and associated work required to achieve the end state — structures, plant, equipment, utilities, hazardous materials and site boundaries.
03
Cost estimation
Preparing independent cost estimates for the closure scope — including decommissioning, demolition, hazardous materials removal, isolation and decontamination, temporary works, waste classification and disposal, scrap and asset recovery, remote mobilisation, underground infrastructure and project management costs.
04
Programme development
Developing realistic closure programmes that account for operational interfaces, retained assets, regulatory approvals, contractor mobilisation and site access constraints — including remote and regional project locations.
05
Risk assessment
Identifying and assessing the key risks to closure — hazardous materials, structural condition, unknown underground conditions, regulatory approvals, operational interfaces, contractor risk allocation and programme dependencies — and advising on how they should be managed.
06
Procurement strategy
Advising on the procurement strategy for the closure work — how to package the work, what contract structures suit the risk profile, and how to engage the market to achieve competitive and commercially sound outcomes.
Why it matters
The decisions made in a closure study shape everything that follows.
Closure studies prepared without delivery experience tend to underestimate scope, underestimate cost and underestimate programme. The gap between the study estimate and the actual cost of closure is one of the most common sources of financial surprise for industrial asset owners.
Professional Projects Group brings direct decommissioning and demolition delivery experience to closure studies. Our team has managed the closure of major industrial assets including oil refineries, chemical plants, automotive manufacturing facilities and defence infrastructure — and we know where the gaps typically appear.
Our closure studies are prepared to support real decisions — investment approvals, board submissions, regulatory commitments and procurement processes. They are grounded in what the work actually involves, not what it looks like from a distance.
Service coverage
Closure Studies, Demolition & Decommissioning Planning Across Australia
Professional Projects supports projects across Victoria (VIC), New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), Tasmania (TAS), the Northern Territory (NT) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Our service coverage includes Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin and Canberra, as well as regional and remote project locations.
Clients engage us for early planning, document and asset-information reviews, site assessments, scope development, cost planning, procurement support and delivery oversight. Site attendance is agreed to suit the project — we work effectively from document review through to on-site advisory, depending on the stage and the owner's needs.
Our closure study and decommissioning planning services are relevant to mines and mineral-processing plants, oil refineries, chemical plants, fuel terminals, power stations, energy infrastructure, manufacturing facilities, ports, Defence facilities and other heavy-industrial assets throughout Australia.
Common questions
Closure studies — what owners ask.
What should an industrial closure study include?
A thorough industrial closure study should cover end-state definition, full scope of decommissioning and demolition work, hazardous materials identification, remediation requirements, regulatory approvals, cost estimate with assumptions and exclusions, programme, risk register and procurement strategy. The depth of each element depends on the project stage and the decisions the study needs to support.
How accurate should a closure cost estimate be?
The accuracy of a closure cost estimate depends on the quality of the underlying scope and hazardous materials information. A study-level estimate based on a defined scope and a hazardous materials register should be accurate to plus or minus 30 to 40 percent. Greater accuracy requires more detailed scope development and site investigation. Key cost drivers include hazardous materials volume and classification, structural complexity, temporary works requirements, waste disposal routes, remote mobilisation and contractor risk allocation.
When should a closure study be commissioned?
A closure study should be commissioned as early as possible — ideally two to five years before the planned closure date for a major asset. Early studies give owners time to plan the transition, fund the work, obtain regulatory approvals and develop a competitive procurement process. Commissioning a study after the shutdown decision is announced limits the options available and often results in a compressed, more expensive procurement.
Who should prepare an industrial closure study?
Closure studies are best prepared by advisers with direct industrial decommissioning and demolition delivery experience — people who understand the practical constraints of scope, sequencing, hazardous materials and contractor management. Generic project management consultants or environmental consultants without demolition experience tend to underestimate the complexity and cost of the physical closure work.
Do you support mine closure specifically?
Yes. Our specialist contribution to mine closure is the physical asset side — decommissioning of processing plant and infrastructure, demolition planning, cost estimation and delivery strategy. We work alongside environmental, geotechnical, rehabilitation and regulatory specialists rather than replacing them. We have experience on mine and mineral-processing closure projects across Australia.
Do you work in regional and remote Australia?
Yes. We support projects across all Australian states and territories, including regional and remote locations in Western Australia, Queensland, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania. Site attendance is agreed to suit the project — we can work effectively from document review and remote advisory through to on-site engagement depending on the stage and the owner's needs.
Start a conversation
Planning an industrial or mine closure?
We work with asset owners on closure studies, decommissioning planning and asset transition strategy across Australia. Contact us to discuss your project.
Related insights