Environment Update
John Rintoul
Environmental Issues Manager
Oil & Gas UK
• The representative body for the offshore oil
and gas exploration and production industry
within the United Kingdom
• Just under 400 member companies
• Large integrated oil and gas companies
• Independent E&P operators
• Large contractors
• SME contractors
Member’s Primary Business
Oil & Gas UK Strategic Objectives
• Maximise recovery from the UKCS
• Sustainable long term future for the UK
Supply Chain
• Raise positive profile and reputation of the
industry
O&G UK Directorates
Environment
Health &
Safety
Operations
Communications
& Events
Economics
Finance
Oil & Gas UK
Environment Directorate
What do we do?
• Keep up to date with National and International
environmental legislation
• Respond to consultations on behalf of the industry.
• Work with the regulators to determine the best way of
implementing new (and existing) regulations offshore
• Ensure that Oil & Gas UK members are kept informed
of potential implications.
Who do we engage with??
External Policy
&Work Group
Regulators
Environment
Directorate
eNGO’s
Advisor's to
Regulators
External
Associations
But most importantly
Environment
Forum
Fora and
Work Groups
Oil Spill
Response
Forum
What does the Environment Forum do?
• Ensure effective management of
environmental issues through the input of
specialist knowledge and operational
experience.
• Enhance engagement of all member
company specialists.
• Improve the speed of response to new issues
and to enable more effective lobbying.
Environmental Forum – Work Groups
• Oil Based
Mud
Cuttings
• EU ETS
• MODU
Drainage
Water
Drilling
Fluids
Waste
Atmospheric
Emissions
Radiological
Issues
• NORM
Disposal
External Engagement
• Consultations
– Provide industry response to regulatory consultations.
• Stakeholder Events
– Attending to ensure positive industry profile
– Ensuring that the industry has input if required.
• Regulator Interface
– Attending regular meetings with the main regulators
and advisors to the regulators, DECC, Marine Scotland,
Scottish Government, Joint Nature Conservation
Committee, MMO etc.
OSPAR
Produced Water
Risk Based Approach
Implementation of the RBA - UKCS
• Working Closely with DECC
– Pulled together an Industry Work Group to discuss the
implementation offshore.
• What’s new
– Need to undertake toxicity testing.
– Need to undertake modelling of the discharge
• When is it starting
– Next year, nine tranches – 11 platforms per tranche.
Regulation Implementation
EU Directive
Safety of Offshore Oil & Gas
th
Operations (12 June 2013).
EU Safety (and Environment) Directive
• Needs to be implemented by mid 2015
• Early stages at present and concentrating on Annex IX –
“Sharing of Information & Transparency”.
• From environmental aspect we need to influence
/determine:
– “A major environmental incident”
– “Failure of a Safety and Environmental Critical Element”
– “Unintended release of oil”
• Work groups set-up to work with HS&E and DECC to work
the implementation.
• Ensure that there are no unexpected consequences.
Oil Spill Response Forum
OPEP
WG
Environmental
Sensitivities
Oil Spill
Response
Forum
Oil Spill
Treatment
Options
Environmental Sensitivities WG
Oil Waste Management