The environmental risk posed by all our activities on the NCS is kept under constant assessment.
Specialised risk tools such as the environmental impact factor (EIF) have been developed together with other offshore operators in order to prioritise risk-reducing measures.
We give great weight to pursuing our operations with a minimum of risk for the environment around us. The risk concept embraces both the probability that discharges/emissions will occur and their consequences.
Official regulators issue permits to cover such actions as discharging produced water or releasing carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Where discharges to the sea are concerned, we seek at all times to reduce their impact by cutting the content of unwanted substances.
The EIF tool has been developed to help us quantify the risk posed by a discharge. It tells us not only the size of the environmental risk, but also which components contribute to this hazard. That is important in identifying the right risk-reduction measures and in setting priorities between them.
A tool has also been developed to provide an EIF for emissions to the air. This is particularly useful when comparing nitrogen oxide releases from different installations in order to assess various emission reduction measures.
Many observers believe that the greatest risk presented by the oil industry is the threat of large acute discharges. We have seen that damage caused by such spills around the world differs considerably, depending on when and where they occur.
Oil spills far out to sea on the NCS have generally had limited environmental consequences. But even small spills from shipwrecks close to the coast can cause extensive damage. Regardless of their environmental impact, however, acute discharges are very unfortunate for a company's reputation.
We devote considerable resources to analysing environmental risk in the event of possible oil spills, and use the results to apply counteracting measures. These can include action to reduce the likelihood of discharges or emergency response systems to limit the consequences of spills.
