Environmental Performance Management: The Next Step

Abstract

This paper describes the environmental programme developed by Shell U.K. programme developed by Shell U.K. Exploration and Production (EXPRO) aiming at a continuous improvement of its environmental performance. The company operates a total of 33 platforms in the North Sea and has 3 land based gas treatment plants. The paper, therefore, relates mainly to the offshore environment. The programme is driven by adopting a goal setting policy. The plan was initiated mid 1990 when an inventory was made of all gaseous emissions, liquid effluents and solid waste discharges of EXPRO, s operations during 1989. This baseline was used to identify the largest waste streams and to set priorities for the subsequent improvement programme. Areas for improvement are: atmospheric emissions from venting, flaring and the use of Freons and Halons, the use of Oil Based Mud (OBM), produced water and the disposal of industrial waste. The programme has gained momentum and targets programme has gained momentum and targets have been set. Introduction To some extent the environmental performance of the upstream oil industry has performance of the upstream oil industry has been dominated by the accidental spillage of crude oil. In particular large oil spills resulting from tanker accidents in semi-pristine environmental areas have dominated the environmental headlines. Although these environmental accidents can have a significant effect on the company's financial performance, the impact on the environment is rather small. Large oil spills are rare, the impact is relatively short lived and in general without significant long lasting effects. Today most companies will put effort in preventing oil spills and make sure that preventing oil spills and make sure that they have contingency plans in place to tackle the incident whenever and wherever it might happen. An Environmental Management system has been in place in Shell EXPRO for some time concentrating on issues such as Environmental Audits, Environmental Impact Assessments and environmental training. More recently, however, it has become apparent that the environmental impact of a mature oil company is strongly related to its waste streams, and as such represents the on-going environmental impact. P. 55