Environment Report 2014

ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2014

4.2.1 Decadal Overview from 2003 to 2013 Figure 15 reveals no clear trend in the volume of chemical and oil released to the marine environment over the past decade. The volume of oil and chemicals released is variable and is sensitive to single, low incidence, high volume events. For example, almost half of the 2009 peak chemical volume was the result of two incidents: a 320-tonne release of corrosion and gas hydrate inhibitors from a third party collision with a pipeline and a 216-tonne release of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic system failure. Similarly, the 2007 peak (highlighted in blue in Figure 15) was the result of a single 230-tonne release of hydraulic fluid as a result of hydraulic system failure. There is a marked decline in release volumes in recent years with chemical release volumes falling sharply since 2009 and oil release volumes since 2010.

Figure 15: Accidental Chemical and Oil Release Volumes on the UK Continental Shelf from 2003 to 2013

Oil

Oil Greater than 50 Tonnes

Chemical

Chemical Greater than 200 Tonnes

1,600

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

Tonnes

600

400

200

0

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Source: DECC April 2014

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