OGP lauds EU offshore safety agreement

Brussels, 1 March, 2013: The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (OGP) welcomes the political agreement on offshore safety reached by the European Parliament and Council.

The upstream oil and gas industry has worked constructively to support the legislative process and looks forward to further co-operation with regulators during implementation.

OGP believes that this Directive takes a Europe-wide approach to ensuring high standards of safety, while taking into account the necessary flexibility required for the diversity of oil and gas operations in European waters.

This Directive is a positive step since it will help to safeguard existing, well-functioning regimes whilst driving safety across all Member States. The Directive is founded on the proven ‘goal-setting approach’ which has been developed over the past 20 years by the countries around the North Sea.  This is a key concept for a robust safety regime that will strengthen the EU’s indigenous offshore oil and gas production, which is an essential part of Europe’s energy mix and vital to security of supply.

Some areas of concern remain. These include requirements around managing risk and the reduced implementation period and will have to be addressed to provide clarity for operators and national regulators.

‘Building on the positive outcome of the Offshore Safety Directive, OGP  welcomes further constructive dialogue with the EU institutions on new ways to improve the safety of the EU’s offshore oil and gas activities,’ says the Association’s Executive Director Michael Engell-Jensen.  ‘Protecting people and the environment are top priorities for OGP’s membership.’

For further information contact: rachel.bonfante@ogp.be

For more information on OGP, and to read about our work on offshore safety, visit our website at www.ogp.org.uk

Notes for editors:

OGP’s members include most of the world’s leading publicly-traded, private and state-owned oil & gas companies, oil & gas associations and major upstream service companies. OGP members produce more than half the world’s oil and about one third of its gas.

OGP represents the upstream oil and gas industry before international regulators and legislators. From its headquarters in London, OGP represents the industry in such UN bodies as the International Maritime Organization and the Commission for Sustainable Development. OGP also works with the World Bank and with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It is also accredited to a range of regional bodies that include OSPAR, the Helsinki Commission and the Barcelona Convention.

OGP Brussels provides an essential conduit for advocacy and debate between the upstream industry and the European Union (EU). This involves regular contact with the European Commission and the European Parliament.

OGP also helps members achieve continuous improvements in safety, health and environmental performance and in the engineering and operation of upstream ventures. OGP’s extensive international membership brings with it a wealth of know-how, data and experience. OGP committees and task forces manage the exchange and dissemination of this knowledge through publications and events around the world.