Exploration and Environment - Interaction or Dilemma?
Authors: Pehrson Iver 
Published: December 2007

The paper briefly introduce activities at Norwegian Continental Shelf, before stating a description of actual international agreements, i.e. conventions, protocols and affiliated annexes on environment versus exploration at sea. The paper also indicate Norwegian legislation and regulations concerning environmental issues and demands.

Exploration areas on Norwegian Continental Shelf has so far been opened stepwise, and regarding experience and practice, the paper gives an overview of impact assessments and the industry's environmental program. The environment risk analysis is put forward as a basic issue to accomplish environmental challenges in exploration activities. An environmental strategy is discussed in view of a total sustainable run of life, i.e. connection between evaluation of (new) areas, throughout licensed phases with exploration, development and production. Also methods and implementation through identification, use of vulnerability criterias and classification in ecological components.

The paper describe the environmental program to near-shore exploration activities, especially drilling operations, outside the coastline of Mid- and North-Norway. The program consist of both imposed and requested issues - establishing acceptance criteria, environmental risk analysis, carrying out impact analysis etc., plus a plan for information to regional and municipal authorities, local surroundings and media.

An essential utilizing fresh thinking is the practice of oil collection from well testing with M/V Crystal Sea.

Introduction

In an aspect of Sustaining Global Progress as is the theme of the conference, this paper give a description of the challenge the oil-industry is facing regarding focus on environmental topics. As an introduction it is natural to give a short historical background and presentation of activities concerning exploration in Norwegian waters, emphasized upon vulnerable areas. Both the first 5 years of "hope and glory" and the next decade was concentrated in the North Sea; the first blocks on the Norwegian Continental Shelf were put on offer in 1965, while the 5th Licensing Round in 1979 also opened up blocks north of 62 N. Although environmental issues had a growing focus, and the Norwegian waters, the cliffs and the coastline all are of great importance to different categories of marine life, commercial fish stocks as well as eggs and larvae, seabirds and sea mammals, this issues were not really put into force until approx. 11 years later. In 13th Round, (awarded March 1991) the first time limits of drilling operations were introduced in a couple of blocks in near-shore areas outside Mid- and North-Norway. A handful of time-restricted blocks i north (plus one in the North Sea) was awarded in 14th Round (1993), while in the last Licensing Round (15, offered 1995, awarded Jan. 29. this year), the oil companies could obtain a more predictable view to actual environmental restrictions. In the 15th Round offer, the Ministry announced time- and activity restrictions on several blocks and areas, so the applicant companies could have this as guidelines towards environmental issues. This obstacles gave a real challenge to face for the exploration activities, making great demands to our interactive performance.

In Norwegian waters the NPD sites three areas of maturity (see map attached hereto as Fig. 1). So far a total of approx. 830 exploration wells have been completed (or temporarily abandoned) on the Continental Shelf, of which 53 north of 70 N (Barents Sea). Future exploration activities will be determined by a number of factors, the most important being discoveries and future awards. If the level of activity of today is maintained, about 30-40 wildcats and appraisal wells will be initiated yearly in Norwegian waters.

Background

International agreements. Environmental issues and demands in international "agreements" regarding oil- and gas exploration at sea mainly consist of Conventions, Protocols and affiliated Annexes. Examples of references are found in the literature. However, the most relevant in that respect concerning exploration at Norwegian Continental Shelf would be:

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