Improved EU Safety Standards Proposed For Offshore Oil & Gas

The European Commission has proposed a new law which will ensure that European offshore oil and gas production will comply with the world's highest safety, health and environmental standards everywhere in the EU.  

With a stringent safety regime, it is possible to bring the risk of accidents down to the absolute minimum. Damage done to the environment and coastal economies can be significantly reduced if an effective emergency response plan is put in place beforehand.

 

The new draft regulation sets clear rules that cover the whole lifecycle of all exploration and production activities from design to the final removal of an oil or gas installation. Under the control of the National regulatory authorities, European industry will have to assess and further improve safety standards for offshore operations on a regular basis. This approach will lead to a European risk assessment that upgrades continuously by taking into account new technology, new know-how and new risks. It introduces requirements for effective prevention and response of a major accident: licencing companies that have sufficient technical and financial capabilities to control the safety of offshore activities and environmental protection; emergency planning is to be secured before operation; inspections will check the safety of installations; emergency response companies will prepare plans based on rig or platform risk assessments.

 

Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger said that most oil and gas in Europe is produced offshore, often in harsh geographical and geological conditions. Given the growing energy demand, the EU will need all the oil and gas from beneath our seas. But the government need to prevent accidents like Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico from happening. He finds securing best industry practices in all offshore operations is a must.