Environment Report 2018

Understanding source trends for past data allows operators to develop plans to target operational areas where accidental releases have been more frequent. However, the limited information included in the PON1 database on the circumstances leading to releases means they are allocated to broad categories. In addition, the impact of individual high-mass releases on the data makes trending difficult. The reported masses are the worst-case estimations for each incident and so the actual amount released is likely to be less. Figure 28 provides a detailed breakdown of release source for 2017. This shows that the largest contributor has changed from production systems and related equipment, as found in previous years, to pipework infrastructure. Although the number of releases in this category has decreased from 51 in 2016 to 32 in 2017, the total mass was 11.7 tonnes, including the year’s single-largest release of 8.24 tonnes. Numerically, there were more releases from hydraulic systems (49), but less oil released by mass (3.65 tonnes).

Figure 28: Accidental Oil Release Mass by Source, 2017

1.53 tonnes

1.56 tonnes

Production Systems & Related Equipment

0.49 tonnes

5

Bulk Transfer Systems

3.65 tonnes

Hydraulic Systems

Other

Drainage Systems

1.42 tonnes

Subsea Systems & Related Equipment

0.28 tonnes

Pipework Infrastructure

11.68 tonnes

2.67 tonnes

Containment

Source: BEIS July 2018, Oil and Gas UK

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