§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what international agreements to which the United Kingdom is party govern the long-term liability issues of contamination, accidents and maintenance of redundant oil installations that are left in place. [58347]
§ Mr. WilsonThe Oslo and Paris Convention of 1992 (OSPAR) provides for the protection of the Marine Environment of the NE Atlantic. Under the convention the UK has adopted OSPAR Decision 98/3 which provides a regime for the decommissioning of oil and gas installations and effectively prohibits sea disposal. There is a presumption that installations on the UK continental shelf will be brought back to shore for reuse, recycling or final disposal on land. However, the OSPAR Decision recognises that there may be difficulty in removing the 'footings' of large steel jackets weighing more than 10,000 tonnes and in removing concrete installations. As a result derogations may be granted in these cases if the internationally agreed assessment and consultation process shows that leaving such installations wholly or partly in place is justifiable. If a derogation is granted, the permit will specify who will be liable for the remains and require suitable monitoring and management measures to prevent or mitigate any adverse consequences to both the environment and other users of the sea.
In the UK, to ensure the orderly decommissioning of all installations, including those subject to derogation from the OSPAR Decision, the decommissioning of each installation is addressed within a decommissioning programme. The programme assesses the potential decommissioning solutions and determines the most appropriate disposal option by balancing safety, the environment, impact on other users of the sea, technical feasibility and economics. The programme must be approved by the Secretary of State under the Petroleum Act 1998.