| | OSPAR’s Offshore Industry Committee (OIC) met in March at the kind invitation of the Government of Norway in Stavanger. Delegates had the opportunity to see core samples and drill cuttings from exploration and production wells on the Norwegian shelf as well as oil and reference samples stored in the Norwegian Offshore Directorate. They were also invited to visit the Norwegian Petroleum Museum and learn about the technological advances in offshore oil and gas activities and the big climate challenge posed by greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.
These visits inspired OIC discussions on which products to deliver for OSPAR’s Ministerial meeting in Vigo (Spain) on June 26 to highlight OSPAR’s world leading work on decommissioning under Decision 98/3 on the disposal of disused offshore oil and gas installations. OIC discussed an approach to promote the advancement of decommissioning technologies and agreed a roadmap to monitor and reduce the number of derogation applications in the next 5 years based on the implementation of OSPAR measures.
OIC’s Expert Assessment Panel (EAP) monitored and assessed the 2023 data on discharges, spills and emissions from oil and gas installations and will look into how to report heavy metals in produced water. The EAP also updated the database of offshore installations which is used for operational purposes including aerial and satellite surveillance of maritime pollution. In the future new and repurposed installations used for carbon dioxide storage will be reflected in the database.
OIC finalised the work on the effects of oil sheens from produced water discharges recommending its management by Contracting Parties at national and installation level.
In relation to OSPAR’s Harmonised Mandatory Control System for offshore chemicals (HMCS) work continues to harmonise this system to the REACH Regulation. OIC agreed to update the Harmonised Offshore Chemical Notification Format (HOCNF) and its guidelines and to add TKPP (tetrapoassium pyrophosphate) to OSPAR List of Substances/Preparations Used and Discharged Offshore which are Considered to Pose Little or No Risk to the Environment (PLONOR). Discussions were held on the recent inclusion of all per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances to the OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action (LCPA) and its impact on the HCMS. The implementation reports on OSPAR Recommendation 2006/3 on environmental goals for the discharge of chemicals that are, or which contain, substances identified as candidates for substitution were presented and will be published.
OIC discussed a draft of legal provisions to amend the OSPAR Convention in relation to carbon dioxide capture and storage and hydrogen production and storage activities, to make sure that these activities are covered by Annex III of the Convention on offshores sources.
OIC is recommending that OSPAR amend dates for three of the operational objectives under the review of the North-East Atlantic Environmental Strategy (NEAES) 2030 to reflect new commitments and delays in non-OSPAR related activities.
OIC has also agreed on their next assessment which will be published in 2028 following the 2023 Offshore Industry Thematic Assessment.
The Vice Chair of OIC, Robert Dörband (Germany), chaired the meeting and will be supported by a second Vice-Chair, Teresa Munro (United Kingdom), elected at the meeting. Together they will lead the Committee during the next intersessional period when the decommissioning activity is expected to continue increasing in the OSPAR Maritime Area and the storage of carbon dioxide in geological formations in depleted oil and gas reservoirs and saline aquifers is an emerging offshore activity to offset carbon emissions from carbon-intensive industries. |
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