Environmental Protection In The Context Of North Sea Oil Developments
Authors: Appelbee Jane Francesca , Johnson Cliff Smith 
Published: December 2007

The activities of the oil industry, as with any technological development, invariably cause changes in the environment which may be desirable but more commonly harmful.

Against a general understanding of the sources of risk from North Sea oil operations and a resume'of known effects of oil in the marine environment, methods of assessing potential impact are considered. Major emphasis is given to the basis and role of both biological and chemical baseline studies. Following a critical examination of the problems of biological baseline investigations, the value of the hydrocarbon baseline/monitoring programme is developed. Both sediment and shellfish programme is developed. Both sediment and shellfish systems are examined, the latter including their potential use as bioindicator species. potential use as bioindicator species

Introduction

Oil pollution has received technical, scientific and legal consideration for many decades but two developments stimulated a major increase in attention - the oil spill from the Torrey Canyon in 1967 and then the recent discovery and rapid exploitation of North Sea oil reserves.

Just when one is beginning to be convinced that lessons had been learned and all committee effort, legislation, regulations, guidelines and contingency planning etc., has led to a more efficient planning etc., has led to a more efficient environmental protection policy some major incident occurs which questions all. Recently, we have had a major blow-out at Ekofisk (April, 1977) and then the world's largest oil spill from the tanker, the 'Amoco Cadiz' (March 1978) off Brittany, thus throwing back to the discussion table the whole question of environmental risk from oil operations. Even the minor spill from the Eleni V off the East Anglia coast seems to have produced several problems in contingency planning.

Current research identifies that oil operations pose a significant threat to the marine environment pose a significant threat to the marine environment and it is the role of the biologist to provide informed opinion and guidance for policy decisions which will favour the protection of the marine environment within the development/operation of any oil facility.

Although this paper gives a brief resume of oil pollution and the general problems of environmental pollution and the general problems of environmental protection in relation to the oil industry it protection in relation to the oil industry it concentrates on the role of the marine biologist and the interaction of his activities with other 'disciplines' in the industry.

SOURCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FROM NORTH SEA OIL OPERATIONS.

At the global level there have been many attempts to assess the inputs of petroleum hydrocarbons into the marine environment (NAS, 1975). Marine transportation appears, by current estimates, to make the major contribution. Prior to offshore oil discoveries the major sources of oil entering the North Sea were:-tankers–cleaning operations–bilge discharges–vessel accidents–terminal operationsother Shipping–bilge discharges–vessel accidentsrefineriesindustrial and municipal wastes including urban run-off.

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