Environment Report 2017

5.1 Overview from 2003 to 2016 PON1 data are publicly available on the BEIS website 15 and updated regularly. The following analysis is based on the PON1 dataset from 2003-16 (excluding the mass of those releases still classified as ‘under review’). Further analysis has been carried out to categorise PON1 data from 2010-16 by product released/hazard category and by source of accidental releases. The amount of chemicals and oil accidentally released to the marine environment varies over the last 14 years, highlighting the sensitivity of these data to single, low incidence, high mass events, as shown in the blue and grey peaks in Figure 27 below. One oil release greater than 50 tonnes was recorded last year, and although no chemical releases greater than 200 tonnes were reported, there were eight releases greater than ten tonnes. Between them, these nine incidents accounted for 83 per cent and 66 per cent, respectively, of the total oil and chemicals accidentally released in 2016. Although there has been an increase in the mass released since 2015, the figures for last year maintain the consistent downward trend since the peak in chemical releases in 2009 and the peak in oil releases in 2012. Total oil released in 2016 was also slightly below the annual average from 2003-16, while chemical releases were less than half the annual average over that period.

1

2

3

4

5

The total amount of oil and chemicals accidentally released last year is less than the total mass discharged to sea under permits (see the following sections).

6

Figure 27: Accidental Chemical and Oil Release Mass

1,600

7

Oil Oil Greater than 50 Tonnes Chemical Chemical Greater than 200 Tonnes

1,400

)sennoT( sesaeleR lacimehC dna liO latnediccA

1,200

8

1,000

9

800

600

10

400

200

11

0

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Source: BEIS July 2017, Oil & Gas UK

15 The BEIS PON1 data are available at http://bit.ly/dataPON1

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