THE OFFSHORE PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND PIPE-LINES (ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS) REGULATIONS 1999 (AS AMENDED)
DIRECTION DECISIONS
Pursuant to regulations 6(11) and 6(12) of the above Regulations, the Secretary of State gives notice of the following decision(s), in respect of application(s) made under regulation 6 of the above Regulations requesting a direction confirming that a relevant project need not be accompanied by an environmental statement and confirming the Secretary of State’s agreement to the grant of consent.
| Reference | Operator | Project Name | Quad/ Block | Direction Issued |
| DRA/715 | BP Exploration Operating Co Ltd | Clair Ridge Development Well | 206/08 | 13/09/2019 |
| DRA/658 | ConocoPhillips Petroleum Company U.K. Ltd | Joanne SZ Development Well (S14) | 30/07 | 30/09/2019 |
| Main reasons / conclusions on which decision is based | Main considerations related to marine discharges and atmospheric emissions. Discharges assessed as no risk to marine environment, and atmospheric emissions rapidly dispersed to background levels. Impacts assessed as localised and not significant. | |||
| Mitigation features / measures | Any cuttings contaminated with oil-based mud will be treated offshore prior to discharge or shipped to shore for treatment and disposal. Appropriate controls will be in place to reduce the likelihood of accidental events. | |||
| Reference | Operator | Project Name | Quad/ Block | Direction Issued |
| DRA/649 | Shell U.K. Ltd | Penguins Tybalt Development Well | 211/08 | 02/09/2019 |
| DRA/649 | Shell U.K. Ltd | Penguins Tybalt Development Well | 211/08 | 16/09/2019 |
| DRA/629 | Petrofac Facilities Management Ltd | Warwick 204/30b-A Appraisal Well | 204/30 | 18/09/2019 |
| DRA/710 | Total E&P North Sea UK Ltd | Isabella 30/12d Exploration Well | 30/12 | 20/09/2019 |
| DRA/698 | Nautical Petroleum Ltd | Chimera Exploration Well | 03/17 | 25/09/2019 |
| Main reasons / conclusions on which decision is based | Main considerations related to marine discharges, atmospheric emissions and interference with other users of the sea. Discharges assessed as no risk to marine environment and atmospheric emissions rapidly dispersed to background levels. Impacts assessed as localised and not significant. | |||
| Mitigation features / measures | Any cuttings contaminated with oil-based mud will be treated offshore prior to discharge or shipped to shore for treatment and disposal, and works will be undertaken in accordance with applicable navigational conditions. Appropriate controls will be in place to reduce the likelihood of accidental events. | |||
| Reference | Operator | Project Name | Quad/Block | Direction Issued |
| PLA/712 | Dana Petroleum E&P Ltd | Gannet E PL4418 pipeline stabilisation | 21/30 | 27/09/2019 |
| Main reasons / conclusions on which decision is based | Main considerations related to installation of infrastructure and associated deposit of materials on the seabed, and marine discharges. Discharges assessed as no risk to the marine environment, and impacts assessed as localised and not significant. | |||
| Mitigation features / measures | Deposits will be the minimum required to achieve objectives and appropriate controls will be in place to reduce the likelihood of accidental events. Agreement was given to the issue of consent providing works are undertaken as specified in the application. | |||
| Reference | Operator | Project Name | Quad/Block | Direction Issued |
| PLA/631 | Zennor Pathway Ltd | Finlaggan Development | 21/05, 22/01 & 16/26 | 29/7/2019 |
| Main reasons / conclusions on which decision is based | Main considerations related to installation of infrastructure and associated deposit of materials on the seabed, marine discharges and interference with other users of the sea. Discharges assessed as no risk to the marine environment, and impacts assessed as localised and not significant. | |||
| Mitigation features / measures | Deposits will be the minimum required to achieve objectives and designed to prevent unnecessary interference with other users of the sea. Works will be undertaken in accordance with applicable navigational conditions and appropriate controls will be in place to reduce the likelihood of accidental events. Agreement was given to the issue of consent providing works are undertaken as specified in the application. | |||
| Reference | Operator | Project Name | Quad/ Block | Direction Issued |
| PRA/273 | Equinor UK Ltd | Sleipner T Platform, Utgard Field Commencement of Production | 16/18 | 04/09/2019 |
| PRA/43 | Apache Beryl I Ltd | Start of Production – Storr Field | 09/13 | 20/09/2019 |
| Main reasons / conclusions on which decision is based | Main considerations related to marine discharges and atmospheric emissions. Discharges assessed as no risk to the environment and atmospheric emissions rapidly dispersed to background levels. Impacts assessed as localised and not significant. | |||
| Mitigation features/measures | Appropriate controls in place to reduce the likelihood of accidental events and agreement was given to the issue of consent, providing increases are as specified in the application. | |||
| Reference | Operator | Project Name | Quad/Block | Direction Issued |
| PRA/6 | Perenco UK Ltd | Davy East Field Increase in Production | 53/05 | 04/09/2019 |
| PRA/6 | Perenco UK Ltd | Boyle Field Increase in Production | 49/30 | 04/09/2019 |
| PRA/6 | Perenco UK Ltd | Brown Field Increase in Production | 49/30 | 04/09/2019 |
| PRA/272 | Ithaca Energy (UK) Ltd | Stella North Drill Centre Manifold Increase in Production | 30/06 | 12/09/2019 |
| PRA/189 | Perenco UK Ltd | Galahad Field Increase in Production | 48/12 | 13/09/2019 |
| PRA/29 | Perenco UK Ltd | Mercury Field Increase in Production | 47/09 | 17/09/2019 |
| PRA/84 | Shell U.K. Ltd | Brigantine A Increase in production | 49/26 | 16/09/2019 |
| PRA/143 | BP Exploration Operating Co Ltd | Madoes Field Increase in Production | 22/23 | 20/09/2019 |
| PRA/15 | Total E&P UK Ltd | Alwyn North Increase in Production | 03/09 | 27/09/2019 |
| PRA/15 | Total E&P UK Ltd | Grant Field Increase in Production | 03/15 | 30/09/2019 |
| PRA/15 | Total E&P UK Ltd | Islay Field Increase in Production | 03/15 | 30/09/2019 |
| PRA/15 | Total E&P UK Ltd | Nuggets N4 Increase in Production | 03/19 | 30/09/2019 |
| PRA/41 | CNR International (U.K.) Ltd | Ninian South Increase in Production | 03/08 | 27/09/2019 |
| PRA/42 | Dana Petroleum (E&P) Ltd | Bittern Field Increase in Production | 21/30 | 03/9/2019 |
| Main reasons / conclusions on which decision is based | Main considerations related to marine discharges and atmospheric emissions. Discharges assessed as no risk to the environment and atmospheric emissions rapidly dispersed to background levels. Impacts assessed as localised and not significant. | |||
| Mitigation features / measures | Appropriate controls in place to reduce the likelihood of accidental events and agreement was given to the issue of consent, providing increase is as specified in the application. | |||
Having regard to the relevant application(s) for direction(s) submitted under the above Regulations, the Secretary of State has assessed the project(s) as not likely to have a significant effect on the environment and has given a direction that the application for consent under the Petroleum Act 1998 need not be accompanied by an environmental statement. The main reasons and considerations on which this decision is based are summarised above and have taken full account of the characteristics of the project, the environmental sensitivity of the areas likely to be affected by the project and the nature and significance of the potential impacts, as set out in Schedule 1 to the Regulations.
Excluded Activities
Pursuant to regulation 5(10) of the above Regulations, the Secretary of State gives notice that, having regard to the matters set out in regulations 5(2) and/or 5(2A) and Schedule 1 to the Regulations, the Secretary of State has decided that the operations in respect of which consent is sought would not be likely to have a significant effect on the environment and accordingly no environmental statement need be prepared in respect of the relevant project.
| Reference | Operator | Project Name | Quad/ Block | Exclusion Date |
| EX-59-2019 | Apache Beryl Limited | Buckland PL4435 remediation | 09/18 | 02/09/2019 |
| EX-62-2019 | Perenco UK Limited | Whittle jumper installation PLU4774 | 42/28 | 06/09/2019 |
| EX-63-2019 | Perenco UK Limited | Mercury jumper installation PLU4777 | 47/09 | 06/09/2019 |
| EX-65-2019 | Perenco UK Limited | Wollaston pipeline support PL1929 | 42/28 | 12/09/2019 |
| EX-64-2019 | Perenco UK Limited | Newsham jumper installation PLU4848 | 48/07 | 13/09/2019 |
| EX-66-2019 | Premier Oil UK Limited | Balmoral control umbilical replacement | 16/21 | 19/08/2019 |
| EX-68-2019 | Petrofac Facilities Management Limited | Guillemot A umbilical replacement and stab plate recovery. | 21/25, 21/30 | 30/09/2019 |
| EX-69-2019 | Equinor UK Limited | Utgard Production Extension | 16/18 | 03/09/2019 |
| EX-70-2019 | Premier Oil E&P UK Limited | Catcher Production Extension | 28/09 | 03/09/2019 |
| EX-71-2019 | Shell U.K. Limited | Starling Production Extension | 29/03 | 03/09/2019 |
Further information in relation to all the decisions detailed in this notice can be found on the GOV.UK website at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-environmental-data.
If you have any questions in relation to this notice or the decisions, please contact the Environmental Management Team, Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED), AB1 Building, Crimon Place, Aberdeen AB10 1BJ (e-mail: emt@beis.gov.uk).