ENVIRONMENT REPORT
2015
page 22
Oil &Gas UK continues tomonitor closely the development of the Large Combustion Plant Best Available Techniques
Reference Document (LCP BREF) produced under the IED. The LCP BREF puts forward monitoring requirements
and Best Available Techniques Associated Emissions Levels (BAT AELs) for CO and NO
x
, which may be particularly
challenging for some installations due to the unique operating conditions of turbines offshore.
The release of ozone depleting substances is controlled by European Commission (EC) Regulation No 744/2010
amending EC Regulation No 1005/2009 with regard to the critical use of halons. Operators of refrigeration and
air-conditioning systems, heat pumps and fire-protection equipment must prevent leaks of controlled substances
(i.e. halons, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and fluorinated gases (F-Gases)) and
repair detectable leakages as soon as possible.
VOC emissions are controlled through the requirements for consent to vent applications under the Energy Act
1976. Applications require medium- and long-term plans for reducing venting.
It is evident that there is a complex mixture of schemes in the UK that aim to improve energy efficiency and
reduce GHGs. The offshore oil and gas industry would welcome a clearer and more efficient approach to offshore
emissions legislation in the UK. Oil & Gas UK is actively working with the regulators to that end.
Trend Data
Figure 11 opposite shows that there has been a sustained decrease in CO
2
emissions offshore since the early
2000s. Factors such as the decline in production and volumes of produced water over the same period have been
influential in reducing emissions. The introduction of key legislative instruments, such as the PPC Regulations and
the EU ETS, has also led to energy efficiency management measures being implemented that may have aided
emissions reductions. Market trading conditions, such as the EUA price and changes to the allocation of free
allowances, may have had a role to play.
In the future, policy changes such as the introduction of the Market Stability Reserve (MSR) will have an
increasing influence
26
as it is expected to increase the EUA price. A higher EUA price may influence decision making
processes when evaluating the economics of emissions reductionsmeasures, which are part of thewider petroleum
economics context.
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For more information see Appendix A of Oil & Gas UK’s
Economic Report 2015
available to download at
www.oilandgasuk.co.uk/economicreport