§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Energy how he proposes to exercise his judgment in assessing whether or not a site, which has been used for hydrocarbon development, has been cleared to his satisfaction in accordance with the terms of the licence; and in particular (a) whether the obligation to clear the site relates only to the production platform itself or to the associated pipelines and onshore installations, (b) whether the obligation to clear the site requires materials to be removed only to the extent that they are a hazard to shipping, or whether the obligation is more extensive and (c) whether pilings and parts of the structure below the seabed must be removed.
§ Mr. GrayAt present, I expect any disused offshore sites to be completely cleared. This applies to platforms, whatever their function, to sub-sea manifolds and well heads. This would mean in practice that structures would have to be removed to a given depth, between 3 and 5 metres below the sea-bed. Pipe-lines may also need to be cleared. Requirements for the clearance of installations onshore would be the concern of the local planning authority.
Operators are required to satisfy me that the site has been cleared of loose debris from an area which can be said to have been affected by their operations. In the case of abandoned well heads for example, this must cover an area of at least 70 metres radius around the site. Clearance must be verified either by visual survey or by another improved technique appropriate to the visibility and conditions.