Services

Orbis offers a full suite of oil spill contingency planning and emergency response support, including:

 

• Development of robust and fit for purpose Oil Pollution Emergency Plans (OPEPs) and Shoreline Protection Plans for both UKCS and International projects
• Oil spill modelling using OILMAP, which has 3D capability
• Stand-alone oil spill modelling studies to feed into risk assessments, including Financial Responsibility and Environmental Impact Assessments
• Sensitivity mapping using ESRI ArcGIS to illustrate the environmental and socio-economic receptors that could be impacted in the event of a spill
• Tabletop exercises to familiarise clients with their OPEP and test their emergency response arrangements
• Capability reviews to identify gaps in client’s oil spill preparedness and response arrangements
• Certified OPEP Level 3 onshore oil spill responders to supplement operator’s oil spill response capabilities

 

Evolving Regulatory Requirements

Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico, regulation and arrangements for oil spill prevention and response have been evolving.  In the UK, the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Advisory Group (OSPRAG) and subsequently the Oil Spill Response Forum, and its Technical Groups, were tasked with co-ordinating the UK’s response to the issues arising from the Deepwater Horizon incident.  This work has resulted in a number of developments, including:

 

• A well capping device to enhance the UK’s capability to respond to a major, sustained release of oil by closing off the well should a major well control incident occur
• OGUK Response Implementation Guides, part of the Oil Spill Response Toolkit, to describe the operational requirements (including equipment and resources) to implement the chosen strategy to an oil spill incident on the UKCS
• New oil spill modelling requirements, including simulation of sub-surface releases (if applicable) and the use of a minimum two year data-set of hydrodynamic and meteorological parameters
• New guidelines (published through PREMIAM) for monitoring and assessing the impact on the marine environment of a subsea release of oil and use of dispersant

 

In addition, implementation of the EU Offshore Safety Directive (2013/30/EU) in the UK has resulted in an amendment to the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998.

 

Orbis has been actively monitoring these changes and maintains a good working relationship with the regulator to ensure that our services remain fit for purpose and compliant with the evolving regulatory regime during this transitional period.