ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2013
page 13
4.5 Working With Our Regulators
We meet regularly with industry regulators (DECC, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, the
UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the
Environment Agency) on behalf of our members to ensure open discussion takes place on key upcoming
industry issues. Numerous positive outcomes have been brought about as a result of these meetings, for
example, improvements to the OPEP approval process and improved resourcing within DECC for OPEP
reviews. Also, in conjunction with industry regulators, we have organised a number of workshops, such as on
the launch of the enhanced DECC Oil Portal and on suspended wells.
Frequent meetings with the regulator allow us to communicate the industry position on a wide range of
areas that directly affect the sector, while workshops provide our members with a direct interface with the
regulator on relevant topics. This provides an efficient mechanism for the industry to put its position to the
regulator, and vice versa, thus, stimulating discussion and providing a means to resolve any specific concerns.
4.6 Working With Other Stakeholders
The Environmental Issues Directorate not only engages with a range of industry regulators but also advisory
agencies to the regulators, external associations, environmental non-government organisations and external
work groups (see figure 2 below).
Figure 2: Industry Engagement Structure for Oil & Gas UK’s Environmental Issues Directorate
External Policy and Work Groups
Chemicals Work Group
Environmental and Emissions
Monitoring System User Group
Marine Planning Stakeholder Focus Group
Marine Strategy Forum
NORM Strategy Project Board
Productive Seas Evidence Group
Scottish Non Nuclear Industries Liaison Group
Seabed Users and Developers Group
Underwater Sound Forum
Regulators
Department of Energy and Climate Change
Department for Environment Food
and Rural Affairs
Environment Agency
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Marine Management Organisation
Marine Scotland
Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
Advisors to Regulators
Centre for Environment Fisheries and
Aquaculture Science
Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Marine Scotland Science
Natural England
Scottish Natural Heritage
External Associations
Energy Institute
International Association of Oil and
Gas Producers
Netherlands Oil and Gas Exploration and
Production Association
Norwegian Oil & Gas Association
Environmental Issues
Directorate
Environmental
Non-Governmental Organisations
Marine Conservation Society
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
Oil & Gas UK
Environment Forum
Atmospherics Work Group
Drilling Fluids Work Group
Radiological Issues Group
Southern North Sea Environmental Group
Oil & Gas UK
Oil Spill Response Forum
Environmental Sensitivities and
Modelling Work Group
Oil Pollution Emergency Plan Work Group
Oil Spill Treatment Options Work Group
Oil & Gas UK
Decommissioning Forum
Drill Cuttings Work Group
Task Group 2
