Oil and gas: OSPAR EMS recommendation
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-05)

The recommended environmental management system (EMS) designed to achieve the general objectives of the OSPAR Offshore Strategy.

Overview

The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (the OSPAR Convention) was opened for signature at the ministerial meeting of the former Oslo and Paris Commissions in Paris on 22 September 1992. The convention entered into force on 25 March 1998 and has since been ratified by the UK in addition to Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland. It has also been approved by the European Community and Spain.

Reporting requirements

In line with the convention and reporting requirements, all operators controlling the operation of offshore installations on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) should have in place an environmental management system (EMS) designed to:
- achieve the general objectives of the OSPAR Offshore Strategy
- achieve the environmental goals of the prevention and elimination of pollution from offshore sources and of the protection and conservation of the maritime area against other adverse effects of offshore activities, and
- maintain continual improvement in environmental performance
The EMS should:
- be implemented at a strategic level and integrated into corporate plans and policies
- identify the organisation’s impacts on the environment and set clear objectives and targets to improve its management of these aspects and the organisation’s overall environmental performance
- be designed to deliver and manage compliance with environmental laws and regulations on an ongoing basis, and to quickly initiate corrective and preventative action in cases of legal non-compliance
- deliver good resource management
- incorporate assured performance metrics that demonstrate the above and can be communicated in a transparent manner
Further information about the requirements on operators:
- Environmental Management System Requirements in relation to OSPAR Recommendation 2003/5 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7eadc2ed915d74e6225c90/DECC_Guidance_and_Reporting_Requirements_-_updated_May_2014.pdf) (PDF, 419 KB, 19 pages)
- EMS Annexes for Completion – November 2015 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7f33f1e5274a2e8ab4abf4/EMS_Annexes_December_2015.docx) (MS Word Document, 42.3 KB)
EMS Public statements
- Public statements relating to 2024 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2024-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2023 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2023)
- Public statements relating to 2022 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2022-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2021 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2021-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2020 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2020-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2019 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2019-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2018 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2018-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2017 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2017-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2016 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2016-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2015 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2015-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2014 operations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-and-gas-public-statements-relating-to-2014-operations)
- Public statements relating to 2013 operations (https://itportal.decc.gov.uk/web_files/ems/2014/ems-2014.htm)
- Public statements relating to 2012 operations (https://itportal.decc.gov.uk/web_files/ems/2013/ems-2012.htm)
- Public statements relating to 2011 operations (https://itportal.decc.gov.uk/web_files/ems/2012/ems-2011.htm)
- Public statements relating to 2010 operations (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20121217150741/https://og.decc.gov.uk/en/olgs/cms/environment/about_the_offs/enviro_inspect/2010/2010.aspx)
- Public statements relating to 2009 operations (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20121217150741/https://og.decc.gov.uk/en/olgs/cms/environment/about_the_offs/enviro_inspect/2009/2009.aspx)
- Public statements relating to 2008 operations (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20121217150741/https://og.decc.gov.uk/en/olgs/cms/environment/about_the_offs/enviro_inspect/2008/2008.aspx)
- Public statements relating to 2007 operations (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20121217150741/https://og.decc.gov.uk/en/olgs/cms/environment/about_the_offs/enviro_inspect/2007/2007.aspx)
- Public statements relating to 2006 operations (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20121217150741/https://og.decc.gov.uk/en/olgs/cms/environment/about_the_offs/enviro_inspect/2006/2006.aspx)
Please direct all general enquiries to:

Business Support Team: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)