North Sea oil pollution is ‘significantly underestimated’, new report suggests

Growing up in Aberdeen, Scotland, the shadow of the Piper Alpha disaster loomed large over our community. A tragic explosion on an oil drilling platform in 1988 claimed the lives of 167 people. At that time, I was fortunate not to know about the impact that disaster would have on the ecosystem. However, the 670 tonne oil spill wreaked havoc on marine life and had a lasting impact on the marine environment that I love to explore.

In recent decades, the number of oil spills and the amount of oil discharged from tankers, rigs, wells, and offshore platforms have gradually declined. Incidents continue to occur around the world, often in areas less monitored than the North Sea, but thankfully the UK has not experienced another disaster on the scale of Piper Alpha since then. I haven’t.

Does this mean the UK oil and gas sector has been cleared of wrongdoing? They probably want you to think that way. However, marine pollution is more than just large oil slicks on the water’s surface.

Even though major oil spills are less frequent, the scale of smaller, more frequent spills remains grossly underestimated, as a new report from ocean conservation charity Oceana, Sea Slick, explains. has been done.

The report reveals the true scale and impact of chronic oil pollution in the UK, showing that the North Sea has been exposed to hundreds of unexplained ‘chronic oil pollution events’ over the years. . These are locations where small amounts of oil are released more frequently than that associated with large spills. The problem stems from poor regulation of the oil and gas sector and a lack of transparency in reporting, allowing oil and gas companies to grade their own homework. Masu.

Currently, a certain amount of oil pollution is permitted as part of the daily operations of oil and gas development. Companies can apply for an oil discharge permit, which allows them to release a certain amount or concentration of oil or chemicals into the ocean. This waste is called “produced water.” The water produced is a by-product of the oil and gas sector and returns to sea surface as wastewater during oil and gas production. Although the water produced may be treated before release, it still contains finely dispersed oil and toxic heavy metals such as mercury and arsenic.

Oceana’s report says oil and gas companies regularly violate statutory produced water permit limits. However, these violations are not registered as accidental oil spills in accordance with official government reporting requirements. In fact, Sea Slick has counted a total of 723 permit violation incidents over the past three and a half years, which equates to 17 oil or chemical spills every month.

Currently, these permit violations are not counted as accidents. In reality, it doesn’t count as anything other than a permit violation. If these unexplained permit breaches were factored into official government data on accidental oil spills, Oceana estimates that the amount of oil spilling into UK waters would increase by at least 43%.

The oil and gas sector wants to reassure the public that chronic oil pollution is quickly dispersed and the risk to marine life and human health is low. Indeed, this might be a more convincing argument if the incidents were rare. But that’s not the case. Over time, the release of toxic chemicals increases, negatively impacting the environment. Between January 2021 and May 2024, there were an estimated 248 breaches of permits within the UK marine protected area network.

Why is this important? Marine sanctuaries are marine areas specifically designated for the protection of marine life and habitat. They were created to protect rare, endangered and important habitats and species.

The release of produced water into areas that have been singled out as particularly important for conservation is shocking. Contaminants associated with chronic oil pollution have been shown to have a variety of effects on marine life. The list is long and includes damage to cells and cell membranes, DNA damage (a common cause of cancer), changes in gene expression, and disruption of reproductive function. As harmful chemicals enter the food chain through farmed and wild-caught fish, the steady leaching of toxic oils and chemical byproducts also poses a risk to human health.

take sanctions seriously

Oceana’s research highlights that oil and gas companies have only been fined twice in the past five years. One cost just £7,000.

The new Government’s Water (Special Measures) Bill will require water companies to clean up Britain’s rivers and seas. Bosses could face up to two years in prison if they fail to cooperate or try to hide data about the sewage spill. The person in charge of the water company was finally held accountable. Will the UK government apply the same rules to the executives of oil and gas companies that are also polluting the sea?

As the Sea Slick report points out, there is overwhelming public support for holding polluters accountable. By properly regulating and fining oil companies that chronically pollute UK waters, the Government can enact and make permanent a commitment to abolish new oil and gas licenses. Dew. It’s time to take action.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.