Environment Report 2013

ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2013

4.5 Working With Our Regulators We meet regularly with industry regulators (DECC, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Environment Agency) on behalf of our members to ensure open discussion takes place on key upcoming industry issues. Numerous positive outcomes have been brought about as a result of these meetings, for example, improvements to the OPEP approval process and improved resourcing within DECC for OPEP reviews. Also, in conjunction with industry regulators, we have organised a number of workshops, such as on the launch of the enhanced DECC Oil Portal and on suspended wells. Frequent meetings with the regulator allow us to communicate the industry position on a wide range of areas that directly affect the sector, while workshops provide our members with a direct interface with the regulator on relevant topics. This provides an efficient mechanism for the industry to put its position to the regulator, and vice versa, thus, stimulating discussion and providing a means to resolve any specific concerns. 4.6 Working With Other Stakeholders The Environmental Issues Directorate not only engages with a range of industry regulators but also advisory agencies to the regulators, external associations, environmental non-government organisations and external work groups (see figure 2 below).

Figure 2: Industry Engagement Structure for Oil & Gas UK’s Environmental Issues Directorate

External Policy and Work Groups

Regulators

Advisors to Regulators

Chemicals Work Group Environmental and Emissions Monitoring System User Group Marine Planning Stakeholder Focus Group Marine Strategy Forum NORM Strategy Project Board Productive Seas Evidence Group Scottish Non Nuclear Industries Liaison Group Seabed Users and Developers Group Underwater Sound Forum

Department of Energy and Climate Change Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Environment Agency Maritime and Coastguard Agency Marine Management Organisation Marine Scotland Scottish Environmental Protection Agency

 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Joint Nature Conservation Committee Marine Scotland Science Natural England Scottish Natural Heritage

External Associations

Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations Marine Conservation Society Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society

 Energy Institute International Association of Oil and Gas Producers Netherlands Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Association Norwegian Oil & Gas Association

Environmental Issues Directorate

Oil & Gas UK Environment Forum

Oil & Gas UK Oil Spill Response Forum

Oil & Gas UK Decommissioning Forum

Atmospherics Work Group Drilling Fluids Work Group Radiological Issues Group Southern North Sea Environmental Group

Environmental Sensitivities and Modelling Work Group

Drill Cuttings Work Group Task Group 2

Oil Pollution Emergency Plan Work Group Oil Spill Treatment Options Work Group

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