The most up to date information aimed at helping operators ensure they have the required financial measurements in place to meet the cost of clean-up for an oil release is in guidelines Oil & Gas UK is publishing today.
The Liability Provision Guidelines for Offshore Petroleum Operations aim to assist licensees in demonstrating they can cover their costs for control, response and compensation for any unintended and uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons that might result from their activities.
Louise O’Hara Murray, Environment Manager at Oil & Gas UK, said:
“These guidelines are part of the industry’s preparedness and response plan in the event of an oil release. They outline the level of financial liability required and how this should be declared or demonstrated to the UK’s Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning.
“The guidelines cover exploration, appraisal and production assets and aim to simplify the process and increase transparency for operators by establishing an industry agreed level. Previously each operator was responsible for carrying out their own modelling using a formula in the guidelines to calculate their liability.
“Using the latest 3D modelling techniques, we have modelled theoretical hydrocarbon releases using eight locations on the UKCS under different conditions for a range of release volumes. This helps us more accurately identify the level of financial provision that licensees must have in place in their preparedness plan should an oil release occur.”
These guidelines will replace the Guidelines to assist licensees in demonstrating Financial Responsibility to DECC for the consent of Exploration & Appraisal Wells in the UKCS Issue 1, November 2012 and will be effective from 1 April 2018. You can view the Liability Provision Guidelines for Offshore Petroleum Operations on the Oil & Gas UK website here.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Issued by the Communications Team, Oil & Gas UK. Contact Communications Adviser Lucy Buglass on 020 7802 2404 / [email protected]
Oil & Gas UK is the leading representative organisation for the UK offshore oil and gas industry. Its membership comprises oil and gas producers and contractor companies.
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