BP fined for crude oil discharge

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 12:31

BP Exploration Operating Company Limited (BP) has admitted regulatory failings which led to the discharge of crude oil into the North Sea. The company pled guilty to a contravention of Regulation 3(1) of the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2005 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. The company was fined £7,000 after the discharge of 95 tonnes of crude oil into the sea 75 miles west...Request free trial

BP Exploration Operating Company Limited (BP) has admitted regulatory failings which led to the discharge of crude oil into the North Sea.

The company pled guilty to a contravention of Regulation 3(1) of the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2005 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

The company was fined £7,000 after the discharge of 95 tonnes of crude oil into the sea 75 miles west of the Shetland Isles on 2 October 2016. This discharge was not permitted under the terms of the BEIS permit granted to BP.

The circumstances surrounding the discharge were investigated by the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (‘BEIS’).

BP intended to start production from a newly drilled well on the Clair Phase 1 offshore installation. This was not a routine operation and as such there was a specific written procedure prepared by BP which was to be followed in order to carry out this operation. The procedure specified all of the tasks to be undertaken and it was to be followed by all of the personnel involved.

The investigation found that regular water sampling should have been in place, with the results of this being fed back to the control room. The written procedure was not specific on when results should be provided, or when the control room should request late results. As a result of this process failure a significant amount of crude oil was discharged into the North Sea.

Alistair Duncan, Head of the Health and Safety Investigation Unit, Crown Office, said:

"BP accepted liability and the Crown accepted their guilty plea to the contravention of the Regulations.

“The lack of sufficiently robust procedures could have had a significant environmental impact, had these issues not been addressed.

"Thankfully there was no significant impact to the environment as a result of this incident and the company has introduced improved procedures since then.

“Hopefully this prosecution will serve as a reminder that failing to have sufficiently robust procedures and adhere to the regulations can have potentially serious consequences.”

Notes to editors

BP Exploration Operating Company Limited pled guilty to a charge at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on the 28 July 2020 and was fined £7,000

Charge

on 02 October 2016 at the Clair Phase 1 offshore installation located in the United Kingdom continental shelf block 206/8 approximately 75 kilometres west of the Shetland Isles, being an area designated by Order in Council under Section 1(7) of the Continental Shelf Act 1964 in a position latitude 60 degrees, 41 minutes north and longitude 02 degrees, 32 minutes west you BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED a company incorporated under the Companies Act with registered number 00305943 and having your registered office at Chertsey Road, Sunbury On Thames, Middlesex, TW16 7BP did discharge oil into relevant waters, within the meaning of the aftermentioned Regulations, other than in accordance with the terms of, and conditions attached to, a permit granted in accordance with the aftermentioned Regulations, in that you did discharge crude oil to sea during start-up operations in respect of well A21 there contravening the conditions of the oil discharge permit OLP/70/6 for said offshore installation; CONTRARY to Regulation 3(1) and 16(1)(a) of the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2005, and Section 2 of the Pollution Prevention Control Act 1999

Permit

All oil discharges from offshore oil and gas installations must be carefully controlled to minimise contamination of the marine environment and the life it supports. The Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2005 (‘the Regulations’) prohibit the discharge of oil into relevant waters, other than in accordance with the terms and conditions of a permit which is issued by BEIS (with some exceptions). The concentration of oil in produced water discharges as averaged over a monthly period must not exceed 30 milligrams of oil per litre of water (‘mg/l’). The maximum permitted concentration of oil must not exceed 100 mg/l at any time. The quantity of dispersed oil must not exceed 1 tonne in any 12 hour period. These regulatory limits are included in Oil Discharge Permits that are granted by BEIS to those who operate offshore oil and gas installations. Operators of these installations must identify all planned oil discharges to relevant waters and apply for the appropriate permit on a yearly basis.

BEIS granted BP oil discharge permit OLP/70/6 (Version 2) in respect of Clair on 25 May 2016. The unpermitted discharge of the 2 October 2016 contravened the terms of this permit.