Environment Report 2015

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ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2015
page 6
2. Executive Summary
Industry Emissions and Discharges
• The regulator, the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC), issues permits for discharges and emissions
from offshore installations on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). The potential effects of any such discharge on
the marine environment must be considered as part of the permit application.
• Discharges and emissions are closely monitored offshore and are recorded in the Environmental Emissions
Monitoring System (EEMS) database. Analysis of data from 2000 to 2014 shows an overall general decrease
in discharges and emissions. This is the result of careful management and application of the best available
techniques by industry.
• The average concentration of oil discharged with produced water across the industry was 12.8 milligrammes/litre
last year. This is less than half of the OSPAR1recommended limit and is the lowest concentration since 2000.
• The total amount of production, drilling and pipeline chemicals discharged in 2014 was 20 per cent lower than
the previous year at 105,500 tonnes. More than 74 per cent (approximately 78,400 tonnes) of these discharges
are classified as those that Pose Little Or NO Risk (PLONOR) to the environment.
• There was an overall decline in the total (both water and oil-based mud residue) cuttings discharged to sea last
year compared to 2013. However, there was an increase of 4,000 tonnes in oil-based mud residue drill cuttings
discharged to sea. All such cuttings with oil-based mud residue are treated so that the oil content is less than
one per cent before they are discharged to sea.
• There was a 34 per cent increase in 2014 in the mass of oil-based mud residue cuttings returned for onshore
disposal to over 68,000 tonnes.
• Emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, volatile organic compounds
and methane have steadily decreased since 2000.
• In 2014, just over 190,000 tonnes of waste were returned to shore from UK offshore oil and gas operations, of
which over 55,000 tonnes were reused or recycled.
• There was an 18 per cent reduction in operational waste when compared to 2013 bringing the total to just
over 120,000 tonnes.
• Almost 90 per cent of decommissioning waste, mainly scrap metal, was reused or recycled in 2014.
1 The OSPAR Commission aims to protect and conserve the North East Atlantic and its resources. See