Control
Environmental Permitting
Environmental approvals, authorisations and consent arrangements.
Documents
- 202631 Mar
Change to the titleholder with operational control of activities guidance note
Guidance for petroleum titleholders on maintaining regulatory compliance when operational control changes. It explains continuing obligations under well operations management plans and environment plans, revised submissions, coordination with NOPSEMA and NOPTA, information access and transitional arrangements. It recommends aligning acceptance of revised plans with the transfer of operational control.
- 202631 Mar
Making submissions to NOPSEMA guideline
This guideline explains administrative arrangements for submitting regulatory documents to NOPSEMA. It covers cover sheets, electronic delivery, searchable PDF formatting, statutory timeframes and resubmissions. Detailed environment-plan provisions address publication, separation of sensitive consultation records, activity descriptions and maps, public-comment reports and financial assurance.
- 202631 Mar
Planning for proactive decommissioning
This information paper explains lifecycle planning for petroleum decommissioning, including progressive removal, permanent well abandonment and increasingly detailed permissioning submissions. It outlines regulatory expectations, alternative end states, long-lead procurement, continued maintenance and changing risk profiles, alongside environmental monitoring and completion reporting to demonstrate that obligations have been met.
- 2026Mar
PON1 Guidance for Reporting Oil and Offshore Chemical Releases
Guidance sets out PON1 notification requirements for oil and offshore chemical releases during offshore oil and gas activities. It distinguishes releases from intentional discharges, specifies reporting responsibilities, timeframes and portal submission, and explains quantity determination and ongoing updates. Appendices address subsea systems, drainage, produced-water caissons, vessels, flaring and excessive powder venting.
- 2026Mar
Wild Birds (Nesting) Advice Note v1 March 2026
Advice for UKCS oil and gas operators protecting nesting birds during installation decommissioning. It explains licensing routes and tests, bird management plans, survey timing and competence, and limitations of deterrent methods. An appended case describes combined deterrents at a Southern North Sea installation without establishing which measure chiefly prevented nesting.
- 202616 Feb
Environmental Alert 001/2026
OPRED clarifies offshore chemical permitting requirements for open and closed systems, including theoretically closed-loop hydraulics. Classification depends on potential discharge to the marine environment, rather than replenishment alone. The alert distinguishes registration and permit obligations, return-to-shore requirements and conditional permission to discharge registered chemicals drained from closed systems.
- 202522 Aug
Petroleum activities and Australian Marine Parks guidance note
Guidance explains environmental assessment, authorisation and consultation requirements for petroleum activities affecting Australian Marine Parks. It addresses park zoning, Director of National Parks consultation, acceptable impacts and ALARP demonstrations, cumulative effects, environmental performance and incident notification. Appended questions clarify class approvals, separate permissions and prior usage rights.
- 202528 Jul
Environment plan content requirements guidance note
Guidance on preparing environment plans for petroleum and greenhouse gas activities submitted to NOPSEMA. It explains environmental descriptions, impact and risk evaluation, acceptable levels and ALARP demonstrations, performance outcomes and standards, implementation systems, monitoring, oil pollution response testing, consultation and incident reporting.
- 202528 Jul
Notification of end of operation of environment plan guideline
This guideline explains how titleholders notify NOPSEMA that an environment plan can end under regulation 46. It covers declarations confirming completed obligations, regulatory verification and acceptance, and the consequences for reporting, levies and activity authorisation. It also distinguishes obligations that cease from record-keeping and statutory duties that remain.
- 202512 Jun
Environmental Alert 001/2025
This alert reminds offshore chemical permit holders that assessed usage and injection concentrations are binding limits. Inspections identified exceedances during abnormal operations and inadequate monitoring by well section during drilling. Operators must establish compliance-tracking mechanisms; these should be available offshore to chemical users.
- 202524 Apr
Communication to Industry regarding the HRA process in the National Site Network and Marine Protected Area Network
OPRED explains protected-area assessment and application expectations for offshore operations. It advises at least eight weeks’ advance submission for specified conservation and bird-protection sites, including assessment of cumulative effects. Rig stabilisation and scour protection requirements emphasise recoverable materials, justification of options, minimised rock placement and recovery as far as practicable.
- 20253 Apr
Petroleum activities guidance note
NOPSEMA guidance explains how titleholders determine whether proposed offshore works constitute petroleum activities requiring an accepted environment plan. It distinguishes title rights from statutory obligations, discusses directions and limited exceptions, and addresses submissions before title grant and works outside title boundaries. Illustrative examples clarify the regulatory definition.
- 2025Apr
JNCC Advice Note – Seabird Survey Methods for Offshore Installations (Black-legged kittiwakes) updated April 2025
Advice on surveying black-legged kittiwakes nesting or roosting on offshore installations. It explains seasonal survey timing, apparently occupied nest counts, optical observation, photography and repeat recording. Guidance addresses hidden nests, chick ageing and completion of fledging, alongside wild birds licensing and limitations of UAV surveys.
- 20246 Dec
Environmental Alert 002/2024
This alert highlights reduced operator notifications of offshore installation movements, leaving navigation warnings inaccurate or outdated. It reminds operators to meet Consent to Locate conditions, including informing UKHO and MCA at least 48 hours before installations arrive on location, and relays UKHO’s requested movement notification stages.
- 2024Dec
Environmental Compliance
An environmental compliance checklist links inspection questions to regulatory authorities and enforcement actions. It covers marine debris, air and water quality, archaeological resources, artificial reefs, marine ecology, protected species and seafloor clearance, checking compliance with lease conditions, approved plans, permits and bureau instructions.
- 202417 Oct
Financial assurance for petroleum titles guideline
Guidance explains petroleum titleholders’ ongoing financial assurance duties for costs and liabilities arising from petroleum escapes. It covers robust cost estimation, independent validation and endorsement of methods, accessible assurance arrangements, environment-plan submissions and regular review. Assurance does not cap liability, and registered titleholders retain individual responsibility for compliance.
- 20247 Jun
Environmental Alert 001/2024
OPRED advises offshore installation operators and owners that a 25% reduction in required fog-signal range is acceptable, allowing 1.5 nautical miles where two are required. Observed reductions should be examined promptly, particularly when repeated, with retesting in optimal conditions and emitter testing to assure compliance with consent conditions and navigational performance standards.
- 202420 May
Consultation in the course of preparing an environment plan guideline
Guidance for titleholders on consultation when preparing environment plans under Australia’s offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas regulations. It explains identifying relevant persons, supplying sufficient information, allowing reasonable response periods and documenting objections and responses. It also addresses communal and First Nations interests, cultural features and NOPSEMA’s assessment of consultation duties.
- 202428 Feb
When to submit a proposed revision of an environment plan guideline
NOPSEMA guidance explains when petroleum titleholders must submit revised environment plans. It distinguishes new activities, significant modifications, new stages, changed environmental impacts or risks, and titleholder changes. It also addresses regulator-requested and five-year revisions, acceptance requirements, documented change assessments and compliance monitoring.
- 202424 Jan
Offshore project proposal decision making guideline
Explains NOPSEMA’s two-stage assessment of offshore project proposals: suitability for public comment and subsequent acceptance or refusal. It addresses environmental impact evaluation, performance outcomes, responses to public comments, World Heritage restrictions and administrative decision-making principles. Project-level acceptance enables further environmental planning but does not itself authorise activities.
- 202410 Jan
Australian dispersant acceptance processes information paper
This information paper compares chemical dispersant acceptance for maritime and offshore petroleum spill response in Australian Commonwealth waters. It explains AMSA product registration and incident-specific approval, alongside NOPSEMA acceptance through environment plans. It discusses surface and subsea application, environmental trade-offs, and activity-specific efficacy and toxicity evaluation.
- 202410 Jan
Considerations for five-year environment plan revisions
This information paper advises petroleum titleholders preparing five-year environment plan revisions for long-term offshore activities. It addresses legislative changes, activity scope, subsea maintenance and decommissioning, spill prevention and response, emissions reduction, consultation and environmental monitoring. It explains expectations for demonstrating ALARP, acceptable impacts and measurable environmental performance.
- 202410 Jan
Consultation on offshore petroleum environment plans brochure
Community guidance explains consultation on offshore petroleum environment plans, including who qualifies as a relevant person, representative bodies’ roles and opportunities for public comment. It outlines information and response-time requirements, how concerns inform NOPSEMA’s assessment, confidentiality rights, and the distinction between consultation and consent.
- 202410 Jan
Environment plan decision making guideline
This guideline explains how NOPSEMA assesses environment plans against statutory acceptance criteria. It addresses proportionate environmental assessment, supported arguments for reducing impacts and risks, acceptable levels, performance monitoring, implementation strategies and consultation. It also outlines administrative decision-making principles and restrictions concerning protected places and threatened species.
- 202410 Jan
Making public comment on offshore project proposals information paper
Explains public participation in NOPSEMA’s environmental assessment of offshore project proposals. Covers submission channels, deadlines, supported objections and claims, and information outside regulatory decision-making criteria. Describes proponents’ responses, NOPSEMA’s subsequent assessment, publication of accepted proposals and consultation reports, and privacy arrangements for commenters.
- 202410 Jan
Offshore project proposal content requirements guidance note
NOPSEMA guidance explains content requirements for offshore petroleum project proposals, including project descriptions, alternatives analysis, cumulative environmental effects and acceptable impact levels. It addresses decommissioning, environmental performance outcomes, mandatory public comment and acceptance criteria, linking whole-project authorisation to subsequent activity environment plans and their monitoring requirements.
- 202410 Jan
Responding to public comment on environment plans guidance note
This guidance explains public commenting on seismic and exploratory drilling environment plans. It describes access to comments, titleholders’ general responses, identification of changes to plans, and resubmission for assessment. It also explains how NOPSEMA considers comments and publishes its response when accepting a plan.
- 2024
SAC Noise Management Regulators Working Group Progress Report 2024
Reviews regulators’ work during 2024 to manage impulsive underwater noise in harbour porpoise Special Areas of Conservation. It describes developer coordination, Marine Noise Registry upgrades, quieter unexploded ordnance clearance, piling noise reduction and proposed limits. Summer analysis for the Southern North Sea indicates disturbance remained below daily and seasonal thresholds.
- 202317 Aug
Offshore Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Guidance
Explains pollution prevention and control requirements for offshore combustion installations, distinguishing installation and plant classifications, aggregation rules and exemptions. Covers permit applications and variations, best available techniques, emission limits, dispersion modelling, monitoring and annual reporting. Appendices provide assessment flowcharts and methods for analysing combustion plant loads and thermal efficiency.
- 2023May
SAC Noise Management Working Group Communications (May 2023)
A regulator update on managing underwater noise in harbour porpoise Special Areas of Conservation. It describes low-order unexploded ordnance disposal, licensing coordination, offshore wind piling standards and improvements to the Marine Noise Registry. Workshop proposals and voluntary activity forecasts seek to improve disturbance assessments and coordination between developers.
- 2023
Ren Split Rule 2023
Unofficial pre-publication text of a joint final rule transferring offshore renewable-energy safety, environmental oversight and enforcement regulations from BOEM to BSEE without changing substantive requirements. It sets out revised regulatory parts, agency responsibilities, facility verification, inspections, environmental reviews, reporting and decommissioning provisions, including alternate uses of existing facilities.
- 2022Aug
PPC Offshore Emissions Monitoring Guidance Rev4
Guidance for managing offshore combustion emissions monitoring under PPC regulations. It explains plant-specific monitoring requirements, baseline surveys, periodic and continuous measurement, reference-condition corrections, certification and reporting. Predictive emissions monitoring requires specific permit approval for compliance use. Direct flare monitoring and combustion carbon dioxide reporting are outside its scope.
- 202110 Jun
Have your say on environmental aspects of offshore energy activities brochure
This brochure explains public participation in environmental approvals for proposed offshore petroleum projects and exploration activities. It describes submission routes, effective comments, deadlines, privacy arrangements and how duty holders and NOPSEMA consider responses. It also distinguishes public comment from consultation with relevant persons during environment plan preparation.
- 2021Feb
SNS RWG Communications (February 2021)
The Southern North Sea Regulatory Working Group outlines challenges in reconciling energy development with harbour porpoise conservation. It discusses potential cross-sector application windows, scientific uncertainties about underwater sound, a funded Strategic Advisory Group and an activity tracker supporting cumulative impact assessment and coordination between developers.
- 2021Jan
UK ETS Civil Penalties Guidance Document
Guidance explaining OPRED’s civil penalty regime for offshore oil and gas installations under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. It covers investigation, establishing liability, representations, discretion and appeals, alongside fixed, formula-based and additional daily penalties. Other enforcement powers include notices, permit revocation and determining reportable emissions.
- 202031 Dec
The Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Production, Unloading and Storage (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2020 – A Guide
Explains environmental assessment and consent procedures under the 2020 offshore EIA regulations. Covers screening, environmental statements, baseline surveys, alternatives, cumulative effects, mitigation and public consultation. Provides application requirements for drilling, pipelines and production changes, including PETS submissions, approval variations, reporting and enforcement.
- 2020Oct
CBA Tool User Aid
Offshore-specific guidance supplements the Environment Agency’s cost-benefit analysis user guide for Industrial Emissions Directive derogation applications. It explains scenario inputs, investment and energy costs, nitrogen oxide damage costs, greenhouse gas valuation and qualitative evidence. Operators must provide supporting data, with offshore adjustments to energy pricing and emissions assessment.
- 2020Jun
Final Consultation Report June 2020
Consultation report examining the evidence behind underwater-noise management guidance for harbour porpoise Special Areas of Conservation. It addresses seasonal disturbance thresholds, effective deterrent ranges, seismic surveys, piling, noise abatement and monitoring. Appended stakeholder submissions dispute assumptions and implementation arrangements, while the authors explain revised advice and remaining scientific uncertainties.
- 201812 Nov
Marine seismic surveys - November 2018
This factsheet explains marine seismic surveying using compressed-air acoustic sources and hydrophone streamers, distinguishing 2D, 3D and repeated 4D methods. It outlines potential effects on marine species, environmental assessment and possible acoustic mitigation measures, alongside NOPSEMA’s assessment of environment plans before proposed surveys can proceed.
- 201817 Aug
Oil spill dispersants at a glance - July 2018
This information sheet explains how chemical dispersants support oil spill response through surface or subsea application. It outlines environmental trade-offs, the need to demonstrate a net environmental benefit, and NOPSEMA’s assessment of oil pollution emergency plans. Timely deployment within the limited effectiveness window is a central planning requirement.
- 2018Aug
Update on Marine Planning in the UK - Guidance Note to Operators - Offshore Oil and Gas Sector Aug 2018
Guidance for offshore oil and gas operators summarises marine planning developments across the UK as at August 2018. It explains how adopted plans should be considered in environmental applications, including proportionate assessment of relevant policies, PETS declarations and supporting information, while distinguishing expectations for draft and non-statutory plans.
- 2018Jun
Methodology for the Sampling and Analysis of Produced Water and other Hydrocarbon Discharges
Technical guidance for sampling and analysing produced water and other offshore hydrocarbon discharges. It describes BEIS infrared and Triple Peak methods, the OSPAR GC-FID reference method, sample preservation, calibration and correlation requirements. Separate procedures cover oil on solids, bi-annual component analysis, online monitor validation and environmental reporting.
- 201716 Nov
Environmental Alert 002/2017
OPRED reminds offshore oil and gas consent holders of requirements to notify UKHO under Consents to Locate. The alert covers advance work notifications, installation coordinates and geodetic datum, chart updates, failures of navigational aids, and damaged or drifting infrastructure, following findings that industry notifications were inconsistent.
- 20162 Nov
Environmental Alert 002/2016
This environmental alert addresses offshore breaches of authorisations for seabed deposits and geological surveys. Investigations identified limited awareness of consent conditions and variation processes, alongside poor onshore–offshore communication. Operators must train relevant personnel and ensure understanding of licence limitations; contraventions can constitute criminal offences and may prompt enforcement.
- 201630 Mar
Proper application of change management processes
NOPSEMA summarises inspection findings on deficient environmental change management, including unassessed cumulative changes and alterations to performance standards. The alert explains environment-plan revision requirements under Regulation 17 and recommends rigorous environmental assessment, documented consideration of changes, and continued reduction of impacts and risks to acceptable and ALARP levels.
- 20151 Apr
Environmental Alert 002/2015
DECC identified environmental permits held by companies other than those responsible for compliance, potentially leaving the responsible companies without valid permits and committing an offence. The alert advises operators to check that existing permits and future applications use the correct company name.
- 201510 Feb
Environmental Assessment
Draft environmental assessment comparing proposed Arctic exploratory drilling rules with alternatives, including no action. It examines pollution prevention, blowout-preventer testing, well monitoring, containment equipment and relief-rig availability in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Analysis considers potential spill consequences, marine wildlife, subsistence practices and additional operational effects.
- 201428 Oct
Environmental Alert 004/2014
This alert addresses gaps in operators’ awareness of PON10 reporting requirements identified during offshore inspections. It reminds operators to report breaches of Consent to Locate conditions for navigation aids immediately to the specified authorities and bodies, and to notify DECC of other non-compliances within 24 hours.
- 201425 Apr
Environmental Alert 002/2014
This environmental alert explains out-of-hours arrangements for emergency seabed deposits exceeding existing consent. The Duty Environmental Inspector may consider a post-direction amendment for emergencies or circumstances that could not reasonably have been foreseen. It distinguishes unvarying deposit consents from amendable pipeline directions and requires urgent follow-up with the Consents Team during office hours.
- 201412 Mar
OPPC Applications Frequently Asked Questions - (updated 12/03/14)
Frequently asked questions explain oil discharge permit applications through PETS, including start dates, supporting attachments, Environmentally Critical Elements strategies and Standard Industry Conditions. The guidance also addresses environmental impact justification, changes to EEMS discharge returns, application review checks and responsibilities for maintaining application details.
- 201320 Sep
Environmental Alert 006/2013
DECC reports increased requests for Emergency Chemicals Variations, including requests attributed to poor chemical tracking and management rather than unforeseen circumstances. Operators must manage chemicals suitably and reserve the system for operational emergencies. Inappropriate requests may be refused, and suspected overuse may prompt investigation.
- 2011Jul
Review and Assessment of Underwater Sound Produced from Oil and Gas Activities and Potential Reporting Requirements under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, July 2011
This research review catalogues underwater sound from oil and gas operations and assesses potential reporting under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. It compares acoustic measurements and marine-animal impact criteria across seismic surveying, piling, explosive decommissioning and continuous sources, highlighting data gaps, conversion uncertainties and differences between proposed reporting thresholds and biological effects.
- 201129 Mar
Offshore Chemicals Regulations 2002 (as amended): Guidance (March 2011)
Guidance explains offshore chemical permitting, registration, environmental assessment and reporting under the amended Regulations. It distinguishes authorised use and discharge from unintentional releases, describes CHARM and OCNS assessment methods, and covers permit variations, monitoring, enforcement and substitution. Annexes explain chemical screening, phase-out planning and annual reporting.
- 200911 Aug
Environmental Alert 004/2009
This alert changes DECC’s emergency chemical permit variation process for PON15 holders from verbal approval to written requests and decisions. Applicants must contact the out-of-hours service, answer all 14 questions by email and formally vary their permit within two working days. Incomplete responses result in refusal.
- 20094 Jun
Environmental Alert 003/2009
This environmental alert summarises recurring findings from offshore inspections, investigations and regulatory application reviews. It identifies inaccurate applications, incomplete permit compliance, deficient pollution-response arrangements and weaknesses in procedures, communication and competence. Operators are reminded to review applications, audit compliance and ensure staff understand permit and incident-response requirements.
- 2007Dec
Quality review of environmental statements for offshore petroleum production and pipeline developments
Research evaluates 35 offshore petroleum environmental statements submitted during 2002–2005 using a modified Lee & Colley review package, alongside interviews and document scrutiny. It examines non-pollution effects, alternatives and mitigation, finding weaknesses in impact prediction, monitoring and residual-impact coverage, and reviews BERR’s assessment procedures.
- 2001Oct
Guidance on Offshore Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001
Guidance explains habitat and species protection requirements for offshore petroleum licensing, surveys, drilling, pipeline authorisations and decommissioning. It describes screening for likely significant effects, appropriate assessment by DTI with JNCC advice, consent decisions, exceptional public-interest provisions, compensatory measures, reviews and appeals.
- 2000Jan
A Review of Environmental Statements Produced for Offshore Oil and Gas Developments
Reviews ten offshore oil and gas environmental statements using the European Commission’s review checklist. Finds weaknesses in alternatives, baseline information, impact prediction and monitoring, comparing findings with regulatory requirements and good practice. Recommends earlier integration of assessment into project planning, dedicated surveys and public reporting of post-auditing results.
- 19833 Oct
Safety Alert 118 - Prohibited Use of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
This alert reminds Gulf of Mexico OCS operators that PCBs are prohibited in lease operations, including associated onshore production facilities. It reproduces NTL 73-3 requirements for draining PCB heat-transfer systems, approved disposal and prior approval of replacement heat-transfer fluids, citing chronic toxicity to the ecosystem.
- Undated
CO2 Venting Guidance
Guidance explains the inclusion of upstream carbon dioxide removal and venting in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme for installations already qualifying through combustion. It covers calculation, fallback and measurement methodologies, emission-factor sampling, uncertainty requirements, permit variations through METS, monitoring-plan updates and reporting obligations, including treatment of unlit flares.
- Undated
Environmental Regulation and Planning Conditions for Onshore Oil and Gas well sites in the UK
Presentation outlining environmental regulation and planning approval for UK onshore oil and gas wells. It addresses surface pollution, well design and hydraulic fracturing risks, extractive waste permits, waste management plans and monitoring after decommissioning. It also explains regulator coordination, protected areas and local planning conditions.
- Undated
FAQs – HSEs
Frequently asked questions explain Hospital and Small Emitter applications for the 2026–2030 UK emissions trading scheme period. Guidance covers Baseline Data Report completion, eligibility conditions, emissions verification and self-declaration, free allocation, and movement between schemes. It distinguishes hospital installations from other applicants and explains the April–June 2025 submission window.
- Undated
Geological Survey Notification Guidance
Guidance explains notification-only geological surveys, recording multiple techniques and combining consent and notification activities in one application. It identifies visual-survey exemptions and proportionate environmental information requirements. Detailed justification and full baselines are not expected, while operations within UK Marine Protected Areas warrant proportionate assessment of potential impacts.
- Undated
Great Black-Backed Gull information and resources signposting
Signposts ecological and conservation evidence for great black-backed gull Wild Birds Licence applications. Covers identification, population trends, behaviour, breeding timing and demographic pressures, including human disturbance. Explains the limited published evidence for breeding on offshore installations and encourages applicants to include more recent evidence.
- Undated
Guidance on Consent to Locate Application Types
Explains Consent to Locate application categories for temporary mobile installations and vessels, permanent surface and subsea assets, pipelines, cables and other operations. Distinguishes operator-requested term consents from indeterminate life consents, addresses navigational hazards and exemptions, and clarifies how Pipeline Works Authorisation affects subsea application categories.
- Undated
Guidance on decommissioning debris surveys and seabed clearance verification
Guidance distinguishes debris recovery from seabed clearance verification during oil and gas decommissioning. It explains when ROV recovery, geophysical surveys and over-trawl methods are appropriate, considering safety zones, seabed disturbance and protected habitats. It also addresses chain-mat remediation of snagging hazards, regulatory review and marine licensing requirements.
- Undated
Guidance on energy assessment methodology
Guidance for independent energy assessments of offshore installations under PPC permit conditions. It sets out site surveys, operator information requirements, energy balances, carbon dioxide forecasting and Best Available Techniques reviews. Potential efficiency improvements are screened and ranked using provisional costs, emissions benefits and consequential effects, with an illustrative compressor-control opportunity.
- Undated
Herring Gull information and resources signposting
Signposts ecological evidence and resources for herring gull Wild Birds Licence applications. Covers identification, conservation status, population trends, behaviour, breeding timing and demographic pressures, including human disturbance. Highlights limited published evidence of breeding on offshore installations and the absence of offshore colony phenology data.
- Undated
Hydraulic Fracturing and Onshore Oil and Natural Gas Development - Industry Standards for Safe and Responsible Development
Erik Milito’s presentation outlines API standards and regulatory frameworks for onshore oil and gas development, including hydraulic fracturing. It discusses groundwater protection through well construction, environmental management, chemical disclosure and community engagement, alongside occupational safety standards and hydrocarbon vapour hazards when opening storage-tank hatches.
- Undated
Integrated Reporting Service (IRS) Guidance
Guidance explains environmental incident and non-compliance reporting through the Integrated Reporting Service for offshore oil and gas activities. It distinguishes notice types, reporting thresholds, submission deadlines, telephone notifications and ongoing updates. Coverage includes oil and chemical releases, material lost at sea, consent breaches, combustion emissions and fluorinated gases.
- Undated
Kittiwake information and resources signposting
Resource signposting for black-legged kittiwake ecology and conservation, supporting OPRED Wild Birds Licence applications. It covers population monitoring, breeding behaviour, variable seasonal timing, demographic pressures and human disturbance. Evidence on nesting at offshore platforms highlights the relevance of installation-specific bird surveys rather than assuming onshore breeding schedules apply offshore.
- Undated
ND Regulations, Planning and Permissions
Presentation explaining hydraulic fracturing technology and North Dakota regulation across the well lifecycle. It examines water supply sustainability, geological confinement, well construction, chemical disclosure and flowback management. Specific measures include cemented casing strings, pressure testing, witnessed well plugging, restrictions on open-pit storage and permitted underground disposal.
- Undated
OPPC Guidance Notes
Revised guidance explains offshore oil discharge permitting, distinguishing authorised discharges from prohibited releases. It covers applications, discharge limits, sampling and analysis, reporting, variations and transfers. Detailed appendices address produced water, drainage, contaminated cuttings, well-operation fluids, sand and scale, alongside exemptions and interfaces with merchant-shipping pollution requirements.
- Undated
PON1 Guidance - Consultation Supporting Document - Summary of Key Contents and Changes
Consultation support summarising changes to OPRED’s PON1 guidance for oil and offshore chemical emissions. It explains notification responsibilities, ongoing releases, withdrawn reporting categories and permit non-compliance reporting. Clarifications distinguish releases from discharges and address drainage systems, subsea chemicals, produced-water caissons, vessels and non-production installations.
- Undated
Quadrant/Block Specific Issues
Guidance on UK Continental Shelf environmental approvals and quadrant-specific constraints for oil and gas activities. It explains assessment and permitting requirements, seasonal drilling and seismic survey concerns, protected habitats and military restrictions. Extensive block tables identify sensitivities, exclusions and supplementary conditions; entries indicating no sensitivities do not override other constraints.
- Undated
Statoil – Statfjord OLS B – Investigation of oil spill
Investigation of an estimated six–seven cubic metres of crude oil released during Statfjord tanker loading. It examines through-wall pitting in loading-hose nipples, seawater-filling practices, maintenance and change-management deficiencies. No unambiguous corrosion mechanism was established. The report also assesses detection, response barriers and dispersant permissions; high winds prevented assessed clean-up measures.
- Undated
Supplementary guidance - Effects of Scope 3 Emissions
Supplementary guidance explains how offshore oil and gas environmental statements should assess downstream scope 3 climate effects. It addresses global baselines, lifetime production estimates, the rebuttable full-combustion presumption, calculation methods, significance and cumulative effects. It also discusses non-speculative mitigation, project-verifiable emissions removal and case-by-case screening requirements.
- Undated
Well Intervention Guidance
This update explains chemical permitting for offshore well intervention, work-over, suspension and abandonment operations. It sets out application arrangements for individual operations and annual campaigns, geographical grouping, permit validity and advance variations. It also addresses identification of wells and intervention units, existing permits and supporting Petroleum Act consent documentation.
- Undated
Working together agreement on regulating unconventional oil and gas developments
Joint Environment Agency and HSE statement sets out coordinated regulation of unconventional oil and gas developments, focusing on shale gas. It describes environmental permitting, well-design assessment, weekly construction reports and joint inspections of hydraulic fracturing operations. A November 2014 review retained the agreement without changes.