Environment Report 2014

ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2014

• Accidental chemical releases in 2013 represented 0.1 per cent of the total chemicals (permitted and accidental) discharged to the marine environment. Many of these chemicals are hydraulic fluids from subsea systems and flow lines. Hydraulic fluid is largely water-based, has a low hazard potential and, as such, has no significant impact on the marine environment. Well Flow Survey • In 2013, Oil & Gas UK surveyed operators to collate data on 5,121 platform wells, representing the total platform well inventory on the UKCS. Nineteen per cent (992) of these wells are capable of unassisted flow of hydrocarbons to the surface. Only 21 of these, however, are able to flow at greater than 5,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd). • In 2014, additional information was collected by Oil & Gas UK on 5,754 subsea wells on the UKCS. Nine per cent (543) of these wells are capable of unassisted flow to the surface, of which only 90 are able to flow at greater than 5,000 bopd.

• The interim results indicate that only one per cent of all platform and subsea wells in the Oil & Gas UK inventory are capable of flow rates above 5,000 bopd (111 wells out of a total 10,875 wells).

Oil & Gas UK • Oil & Gas UK’s Environment Directorate continues to support members in three key areas in 2014, through the provision of evidence to government, policy makers and North Sea stakeholders; by improving our understanding of the marine environment through collaborative studies; and by providing datasets and resources to members, which help in their everyday environment management activities.

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