Wireline Spring 2018

Oil & Gas UK | News Round-Up

16. Environmental performance captured in key report Oil & Gas UK’s Environment Report 2017 provides a comprehensive picture of the environmental performance of the UK offshore oil and gas industry up to the end of 2016. Data and analysis of emissions to atmosphere, discharges to sea, accidental oil and chemical releases, and waste disposal are captured in this annual report, gathered via metrics set by the regulators. The overall trend shows that discharges, emissions and accidental releases are still trending downwards. While production has gone up, emissions and discharges have not gone up by the same proportion last year. Louise O’Hara Murray, environment manager at Oil & Gas UK, says: “For the last two years the sector has focused on improving the efficiency of its offshore operations – increasing production while halving unit operating costs despite the challenges of a maturing oil and gas basin. This work has also brought improvements in environmental performance in several key areas, demonstrating that increasing efficie cy can also reduce impact on the environment rather than generating greater risk.” i

Environment Report 2017 Facts and Figures Permitted Offshore Emissions and Discharges Internal use only until 00.01 am on 12 December i ures Per itted Offs r E issions an is r s Intern l s l l . c r Environment Report 2017 Facts and Figures Permitted Offshore Emissions and Discharges Internal use only until 00.01 am on 12 December

The report is available to download at http://cld.bz/QWQ7dwt.

When applying for a permit for emissions and discharges, industry must consider potential environmental effects and their mitigation hen applying for a per it for e issions and discharges, industry ust consider potential environ ental effects and their itigation When applying for a permit for emissions and discharges, industry must consid r potential environmental effects and their mitigation

The total volume of produced water discharged to sea under permit fell by 6 per cent The total volu e of produced water discharged to sea under per it fell by 6 per cent The total volume of produced wat r discharged to sea under permit f ll by 6 per cent

More produced water was reinjected into the subsurface than ever before in 2016 ore produced water was reinjected into the subsurface than ever before in 2016 More produced water was reinjected into the subsurface than ever before in 2016

Of the chemicals discharged to sea under permit, Of the che icals discharged to sea under per it, Of the chemicals discharg d to sea under permit,

All emissions and discharges are strictly controlled and permitted by the industry’s environmental regulator – All e issions and discharges are strictly controlled and per itted by the industry’s environ ental regulator – All emissions and discharges are strictly controlled and permitted by the i ust y’s environm ntal regulator –

72% 72% 72%

were classified as those that Pose Little Or No Risk (PLONOR) to the environment were classified as those that Pose Little Or No Risk (PLONOR) to the environ ent were classified as those that Pose Little Or No Risk (PLONOR) to the environment

to aid hydrocarbon recovery and minimise discharges to sea to aid hydrocarbon recovery and minimise discharges to sea to aid hydrocarbon recovery and minimise discharges to sea

The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning The Offshore Petroleu Regulator for Environ ent and Deco issioning The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Envi nment and Decommissi ing

to 155 million cubic metres in 2016 to 155 million cubic metres in 2016 to 155 million cubic metres in 2016

The amount of waste returned to shore decreased by 22% in 2016 – the lowest in a decade The a ount of waste returned to shore decreased by 22% in 2016 – the lowest in a decade The amount of waste returned o shore decreased by 22% in 2016 – the lowest in a decade

The proportion of associated gas flared continues to fall The proportion of associated gas flared continues to fall The proportion of associated gas flared continues to f ll

Total greenhouse gas emissions comprise Total greenhouse gas e issions co prise Total greenhouse gas emissions c mprise

3 % %

of production have been falling since 2013 of production have been falling since 2013 of production have been falling si ce 2013

of the UK's total emissions of the UK's total e issions of the UK's total emissions

Environmental Performance Benchmarking Enviro t l rf r r i Environmental Performance Benchmarking

The average concentration of oil in produced water fell in 2016 The average concentration of oil in produced water fell in 2016 The average conc ntration of oil in produced water fell in 2016

Production increases outpaced chemical discharges to sea in 2016 Production increases outpaced che ical discharges to sea in 2016 Production increases outpaced chemical discharges to sea in 2016

The average total emissions per operator fell in 2016 The average total e issions per operator fell in 2016 The average total emissions per operator fell in 2016

Accidental Oil and Chemical Releases Accidental Oil and Chemical Releases Accidental Oil and Chemical Releases

Accidental oil releases represented Accidental oil releases represented Accidental oil releases represented

Accidental chemical releases Accidental che ical releases Accidental chemical releases

of all accidental chemical releases fell into the low risk or PLONOR categories 84% of all accidental che ical releases fell into the low risk or PLONOR categories of all accidental chemical releases fell into the low ri k or PLONOR categories

0.00014% 0.00014% 0.00014%

Image © iStock.com/mauribo

make up less than 0.1% of the total chemicals used offshore ake up less than 0.1% of the total che icals used offshore make up less than 0.1% of the tot l chemicals used offshore

of total production in 2016 of total production in 2016 of total production in 2016

Download the infographics at http://bit.ly/envfacts.

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oilandgasuk.co.uk/environmentreport