Environment Report 2018

ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2018

5.1 Overview 2003–17 PON1 data are publicly available on the BEIS website and updated regularly. 11 The following analysis is based on the PON1 dataset from 2003–17 (excluding the mass of those releases still classified as ‘under review’). Further analysis has been carried out to categorise PON1 data from 2010–17 by product released/hazard category and by source of accidental releases. The amount of chemicals and oil accidentally released to the marine environment has varied over the last 15 years, highlighting the sensitivity of these data to single, low-incidence, high-mass events, as shown in the blue and grey peaks in Figure 26. The largest single oil release in 2017 was 8.24 tonnes. Although no chemical releases greater than 200 tonnes were reported, there were four releases greater than ten tonnes, which accounted for 71 per cent of the total chemicals accidentally released in 2017.

The total mass of chemicals and oil released in 2017 was lower than in 2016, with the reduction in the mass of chemicals released reversing a three-year increase.

The total amount of oil and chemicals accidentally released last year is less than the total mass discharged to sea from assets under permits (see following sections).

Figure 26: Accidental Chemical and Oil Release Mass

1,600

Oil Oil Greater than 50 Tonnes Chemical Chemical Greater than 200 Tonnes

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

Accidental Oil and Chemical Releases (Tonnes)

0

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Source: BEIS July 2018, Oil and Gas UK

11 The BEIS PON1 data are available at http://itportal.decc.gov.uk/eng/fox/pon1/PON1_PUBLICATION_EXTERNAL/viewCurrent

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