Sunday 7 November 2010

Oil & Gas UK Seminar to Focus on Changing Environmental Issues

Oil and gas companies agree they must take their responsibility to the environment seriously. However, the environmental legislation which they must adhere to is changing and the upcoming Oil & Gas UK Environmental Seminar, sponsored by Aker Solutions, will discuss the associated challenges facing companies across a broad range of areas.

As domestic and international policies around the protection of marine biodiversity change, so too must industrial operations. The next five to 10 years will see a significant shift in the way activities are managed, through a system of marine planning and marine protected areas.

This has the potential to impact companies’ ability to maximise oil and gas production. Oil & Gas UK’s next seminar, held at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on 18 November, will provide a broad overview of the challenges and highlight some of Oil & Gas UK’s activities in response.

Delegates on the day will hear from leading experts including scientists, academics and representatives from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change).

Oil & Gas UK’s environmental issues director, Mick Borwell, said: “Environmental policies are changing in order to put the focus on protecting biodiversity in the marine environment and promoting sustainable use of the sea.

“As a result, oil and gas companies need to be fully aware of these changes and stay ahead of the game, as the changing ‘seascape’ could impact on their operations.

“This seminar will be of particular interest to environmental practitioners and also to operations managers who need an overview of how these issues could potentially affect their business.”   Delegates on the day will gain an understanding of how new strategies from the European Commission and OSPAR may affect operations and how the UK licensing and regulatory regime is developing. Also discussed will be the work commissioned by Oil & Gas UK to demonstrate the industry’s effective management of environmental risk.

Delegates will also hear about the progress and upcoming work of OSPRAG, the advisory group set up by Oil & Gas UK after the Gulf of Mexico incident to review the UK’s oil spill prevention and response practices.

Also, for the first time at an Oil & Gas UK Environmental Seminar, one of the presentations will focus on environmental activities and issues in the oil and gas supply chain.

In the final presentation of the day, delegates will gain an insight into marine planning and the development of a network of marine protected areas. The session will include a presentation on the interaction between seismic surveys and marine mammals.

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS

The Oil & Gas UK Environmental Seminar will take place on Thursday 18 November 2010, between 9am and 5pm at the Gordon Suite, AECC, Aberdeen.

For further information or to book a place, please click here  or contact Louise Wood at events@oilandgasuk.co.uk or on 01224 577 250.