Environment Report 2016

3.4 Atmospheric Emissions The extraction, stabilisation and export of hydrocarbons involve several processes that give rise to atmospheric emissions. These include combustion to provide electrical power and drive compressors and pumps; flaring of excess gas for safety and during well testing; and incidental releases from tank loading, as well as firefighting and refrigeration equipment.

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Combustion and flaring result in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2

), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH 4

) and

oxides of nitrogen (NO x

) and sulphur (SO x

). Small amounts of nitrous oxide (N 2

O) are also emitted. Releases of

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volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and CH 4

may occur during tank loading, while firefighting may release halons.

The Kyoto Protocol defines six greenhouse gases (GHG) including CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2

O, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),

perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ). It is generally accepted that GHG emissions are contributing to anthropogenic global climate change. GHG emissions stem from a number of sources such as hydrocarbon combustion, including those emissions generated through oil and gas operations. Atmospheric emissions from the offshore oil and gas industry are controlled by several pieces of legislation that require operators to undertake emissions monitoring, reporting and management measures. There are over 20 atmospherics-related European legal instruments 25 that are applicable to various different sites in the oil and gas industry, such as the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), carbon tax, strict flaring restrictions, emission and discharge permits, and the requirement to use the best available techniques (BAT) and to assess power from shore for new developments. Further information on the regulation of atmospheric emissions is given the appendix.

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Atmospheric Emissions in Context Provisional BEIS data show that 497 million tonnes of CO 2

equivalent (CO 2

e) GHG emissions were emitted in the UK

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in total in 2015 – down 3 per cent from 2014 – of which 405 million tonnes were CO 2

emissions 26 . The largest fall in

CO 2 emissions came in the energy supply sector (13 per cent reduction) given the change in fuel mix for electricity generation and lower coal usage.

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In 2015, 14.7 million tonnes of CO 2 of which 13.2 million tonnes were CO 2

e GHG emissions were released on the UKCS – 3 per cent of total UK emissions – emissions 27 . This is comparable to the Norwegian Continental Shelf, where

14.2 million tonnes of CO 2

e were emitted last year 28 .

25 Since the UK voted to leave the EU, Oil & Gas UK is working with its members to make this transition as smooth as possible to maintain our world-class and robust environment regime on the UKCS. 26 See http://bit.ly/GHGe2015 27 Source is EEMS. This covers all installations on the UKCS that report emissions to BEIS, which includes some mobile installations and installations not reportable under the EU Emissions Trading System. Therefore, the number of CO 2 emissions quoted here is higher than in Oil & Gas UK’s Economic Report 2016 . 28 See http://bit.ly/NOGevn16

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