Environment Report 2019
Understanding source trends for past release 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. The totals for all oil releases are shown in Figure 34, with outlier releases (those greater than 50 tonnes) shown cross-hatched. The following analysis includes direct causation information where this is attributable from the source data. Environmental incidents are complex and usually result from a combination of factors, as demonstrated in the Swiss cheese model. Therefore, the analysis first identified whether the direct cause of releases was a result of a breach in asset or operational integrity. Asset integrity breaches are the direct cause associated with most of the oil released across the period.
Figure 34: Accidental Release Breakdown by Direct Cause
600
Unspecified
Operational
Asset
500
5
400
300
200
Mass of Oil Releases (Tonnes)
100
0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Source: OPRED, May 2019; OGUK
47
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