Thursday 22 July 2010

UK Oil Spill Response Group (OSPRAG) Continues its Work Alongside Developments in US

Noting the formation of a joint venture in the US to develop a deepwater oil spill response and containment system, Malcolm Webb, Oil & Gas UK’s chief executive, said: “Oil & Gas UK notes that US industry participants are now embarking on the development of a deepwater oil spill response and containment system particular to the unique operating conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. Excellent collaborative contact already exists between UK and US industry participants and we will ensure that any developments in the US are considered in the course of the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Advisory Group’s (OSPRAG) own work in this area, which began in May and is moving swiftly apace. Indeed, all four of the companies involved in the Gulf of Mexico initiative are also actively involved in the work of OSPRAG.

“The regulatory and operational environment in the UK is very different in many important respects from the Gulf of Mexico. However, our industry is not complacent and OSPRAG, which comprises a joint effort involving not only the operators and drilling contractors but also the relevant regulators and trade unions, is working purposefully to re-assess the industry’s common capabilities, including for capping and containing oil spills.

“The UK industry already has a mutual agreement in place to respond to oil spills through Oil Spill Response (OSR) which provides for surveillance aircraft, aerial dispersant application and large stocks of containment equipment. However, OSPRAG is now looking to see whether, and the extent to which, that existing capability may need to be augmented. Indeed, a contract for engineering design work will be awarded on 1 August and it is expected that engineering of new solutions will be underway this year.

“In the UK there is a legislative arrangement for oil spill response in which the Government has a clear role. Through OSPRAG, very close engagement between the industry and regulators is also taking place as the urgency with which we need to review our response procedures is not lost on us. Importantly, OSPRAG is also liaising very closely with the Gulf of Mexico Joint Industry Task Force to ensure technology developments and lessons learned are shared. In addition to our contact with that group in the US, we continue to work closely with industry across Europe and other parts of the world through the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP).”   Ends

For further information, please contact Sally Fraser on 020 7802 2404.

Note to Editors

1. Oil & Gas UK is the leading representative organisation for the UK offshore oil and gas industry.  Its members, which number over 100, are companies licensed by the Government to explore for and produce oil and gas in UK waters and those who form any part of the industry’s supply chain.
2. The UK has strong and competent regulators in the Department for Energy and the Offshore Safety Division of the HSE who preside over a robust regulatory regime borne out of the recommendations of the Cullen Report (following the Piper Alpha disaster in 1988). This dynamic, goal setting safety regime has served us well for over twenty years of operations during which time nearly 7,000 wells have been successfully drilled in the UK continental shelf (UKCS).
3. For more information on OSPRAG, visit www.oilandgasuk.co.uk/osprag/