HC Deb 23 July 1993 vol 229 cc518-9W
Mr. Ainger

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to announce the next round of offshore licensing for oil and gas exploration.

Mr. Eggar

No decision has been taken yet as to whether or when there will be another round of offshore oil and gas licensing.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that discharges of all oil contaminated cuttings from exploration and appraisal wells are prohibited in line with Her Majesty's Government's commitment at paragraph 28.1(iii) of the final declaration of the third international conference on the protection of the North sea; and by what date he expects the prohibition to take effect;

(2) by what date Her Majesty's Government expect to prohibit discharges of all oil contaminated cuttings in United Kingdom waters in line with their commitment at the third international conference on the protection of the North sea (paragraph 28.1(i) of the final declaration); and what steps he is taking to ensure this commitment is met.

Mr. Eggar

At the meeting of the Oslo and Paris Commissions on 22 September 1992, Ministers approved a PARCOM decision on the use of oil-based muds. This decision did not prohibit discharges of oil-contaminated cuttings, but set out definitions, rules and principles to avoid marine pollution from this source. The rules and principles state that the average oil content on cuttings discharged into the sea shall not exceed the target standard of an average 10 grammes of oil per kilogramme of dry cuttings. This standard is to be achieved as soon as possible and practicable and, in any event, have full effect for exploration and appraisal drilling no later than 31 December 1993 and for all wells no later than 31 December 1996.

Discharge of oil cuttings is an offence under section 3 of the Prevention of Oil Pollution Act 1971, unless an exemption from this provision has been granted under section 23. All exemptions are subject to conditions which require the operator to comply with the PARCOM decision, and to sample, analyse and report to the Department the oil content of the discharged cuttings.