Development and Implementation of an Environmental Management System Conforming to the ISO 14001:1996 Standard at an Independent Oil and Gas Company
Authors: Shemaria Mark 
Published: December 2007

Tidelands Oil Production Company (Tidelands) is one of the first domestic independent oil and gas companies to obtain certification of an Environmental Management System (EMS) conforming to an International Standard known as ISO 14001:1996. The purpose for the development of the ISO 14000 program is to promote "effective environmental management systems" throughout the company. ISO 14000 requires that environmental management meet the specific requirements as defined in the standard. This requires that environmental be given the same level of consideration and integrated with the more traditional management factors such as finance, human resource, engineering and operations, when making business decisions.

ISO 14000 outlines specific requirements for an EMS to formulate policy and set objectives and targets, considering the significant aspects of the operations and legal requirements. Conformance with objectives is achieved through the implementation of operational controls, training and verification of the implementation of the EMS.

The EMS results in improved environmental and economic performance through written operating procedures and training for those aspects of operations that can have a significant impact on the environment. This heightens employees' awareness of potential problems that could result from routine activities. Since the EMS is integrated throughout the organization, more time is spent reviewing potential environmental consequences and ways to minimizing impacts. Additionally, the corrective action system requires taking a root cause approach to system and operating nonconformances or problems. Third Party certification shows the community that the operator has in place a system to provide a high level of environmental performance.

Introduction

Businesses around the world are coming under increasing pressure to reduce or eliminate the environmental impacts of their operations because of public concern about the environmental sustainability of human activities. Companies must implement effective EMS allowing them to better control the environmental aspects relating to their operations.

In the fall of 1996, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published the ISO 14001 standard setting out the requirements for an EMS. This voluntary standard gives businesses an internationally-recognized and accepted framework for implementing and maintaining a system for environmental management. However, the standard contains no environmental performance requirements. These will be determined by the company depending on the location of its operation and specific requirements and objectives for that location.

Since being issued the ISO 14001 Standard for Environmental Management Systems has been well received, especially in the international community. Like ISO 9000, the International Quality Standard, it is becoming a requirement for domestic and international companies. Acceptance of this EMS has been furthered by the international community's fondness for the philosophy of "sustainable development." This is the concept wherein companies should leave behind sufficient resources for future generations to continue appropriate levels of industrial and societal output and growth.

Companies have broad considerations when assessing the implications of pollution, ranging from regulatory to public image concerns. Increasingly, it is important for companies to position themselves as good corporate citizens who are responsive to the long term good of the community. This not only affects their image, but can even affect their ability to conduct business.