Oil spill preparedness and response
Workers aboard the Discoverer Luanda, Angola
Despite every endeavour to prevent them, oil spills can still happen
BP aims to maintain readiness to respond on a global scale, to minimize adverse effects and facilitate rapid mitigation activities.
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill demanded a response at an order of magnitude never required before. We learned a great deal and made advances in response technology and systems. As a result, we are updating our group requirements and are sharing our knowledge with the industry and regulators.
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill demanded a response at an order of magnitude never required before. We learned a great deal and made advances in response technology and systems. As a result, we are updating our group requirements and are sharing our knowledge with the industry and regulators.
Enhanced requirements on oil spill response
A focus on deepwater
In 2011, as a priority, we focused on incorporating the learnings from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response into new technical requirements for BP operations that drill in deep water. New BP drilling operations in deepwater must have access to capping equipment, must pre-plan their relief well, and must be ready to demonstrate to S&OR as well as to the regulator that their oil spill contingency plan takes in all foreseeable risks and includes measures to mitigate the environmental and economic consequences – however unlikely - including worst case.
We began implementing these requirements in Angola, the North Sea, Brazil, the US and Egypt, where we have deepwater drilling active or planned for 2012. Where conformance has not yet been achieved, drilling is delayed until such time as the new requirements have been met. This was the case for one of our rigs in Angola, for example, where operations were delayed for three months until new start-up requirements, including oil spill containment and response capabilities, were met.
In 2011, as a priority, we focused on incorporating the learnings from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response into new technical requirements for BP operations that drill in deep water. New BP drilling operations in deepwater must have access to capping equipment, must pre-plan their relief well, and must be ready to demonstrate to S&OR as well as to the regulator that their oil spill contingency plan takes in all foreseeable risks and includes measures to mitigate the environmental and economic consequences – however unlikely - including worst case.
We began implementing these requirements in Angola, the North Sea, Brazil, the US and Egypt, where we have deepwater drilling active or planned for 2012. Where conformance has not yet been achieved, drilling is delayed until such time as the new requirements have been met. This was the case for one of our rigs in Angola, for example, where operations were delayed for three months until new start-up requirements, including oil spill containment and response capabilities, were met.
Consistent global standards
We are building on this learning to enhance our group-wide oil spill response requirements. These enhanced requirements will obligate relevant businesses to follow a planning process to predict how the spilled oil will behave; identify, assess and understand the environmental and social sensitivities at risk; define effective response strategies; and confirm that appropriate response capabilities are in place. This practice will incorporate our deepwater technical requirements, further enabling a single, consistent process across BP.
The requirements will drive the use of industry-leading predictive oil spill modelling tools, which we intend, coupled with recently enhanced ocean current and wind modelling data in our operating basins, will better inform our oil spill risk scenarios. Across our operating regions, we are also developing improved, higher-resolution sensitivity maps aided by the use of technologies such as remote sensing satellites, deep ocean submersibles and autonomous underwater vehicles.
We are building on this learning to enhance our group-wide oil spill response requirements. These enhanced requirements will obligate relevant businesses to follow a planning process to predict how the spilled oil will behave; identify, assess and understand the environmental and social sensitivities at risk; define effective response strategies; and confirm that appropriate response capabilities are in place. This practice will incorporate our deepwater technical requirements, further enabling a single, consistent process across BP.
The requirements will drive the use of industry-leading predictive oil spill modelling tools, which we intend, coupled with recently enhanced ocean current and wind modelling data in our operating basins, will better inform our oil spill risk scenarios. Across our operating regions, we are also developing improved, higher-resolution sensitivity maps aided by the use of technologies such as remote sensing satellites, deep ocean submersibles and autonomous underwater vehicles.
Contingency planning
Understanding the environmental and socio-economic sensitivities where we operate is an important part of planning for an effective response. We obtain sensitivity information from many sources, including environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs) for many of our projects. These ESIAs include information about the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of planned activities and also the potential impacts that might occur in the event of an unplanned event, such as an oil spill. In 2011, we have used high resolution satellite imagery to enhance our sensitivity mapping across thousands of miles of coastlines, and submersibles to characterise the deep ocean. This has helped us better understand our environmental risks in regions like Angola, Brazil and the USA.
Identifying and assessing environmental and socio-economically sensitive areas helps us to develop appropriate oil spill response and crisis management plans. The objective is to use response techniques to avoid or minimize the environmental and economic impact of a spill to the extent feasible based upon an assessment of the sensitivity of the local environment. These plans are backed up by robust response ‘capability’, the tools and people required to mount an effective response to an incident.
Identifying and assessing environmental and socio-economically sensitive areas helps us to develop appropriate oil spill response and crisis management plans. The objective is to use response techniques to avoid or minimize the environmental and economic impact of a spill to the extent feasible based upon an assessment of the sensitivity of the local environment. These plans are backed up by robust response ‘capability’, the tools and people required to mount an effective response to an incident.
In 2011, BP created significant stockpiles of dispersant and fire boom and contributed to the construction of well capping equipment in its operating regions, including Angola, the UK and the US.
How we work with designated government regulatory bodies in the event of a spill is critical. Sharing learnings and maintaining a dialogue with regulators in the regions we operate is an important part of our approach. In many countries where BP operates, the regulator will ultimately determine appropriate response strategy.
How we work with designated government regulatory bodies in the event of a spill is critical. Sharing learnings and maintaining a dialogue with regulators in the regions we operate is an important part of our approach. In many countries where BP operates, the regulator will ultimately determine appropriate response strategy.
Oil spill response technologies
BP is building upon what we learned during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response, which required rapid innovation of new technologies to cap the well and contain a spill in deep water.
How we use dispersants
BP supports thorough pre-spill analysis of all primary response tools, including dispersants, so that decision-makers are informed on how to best use and combine these tools and can communicate the basis for decisions to the public and to the spill response community. Additionally, we support the utilization of dispersant products with superior performance characteristics to help their effectiveness over the broadest range of offshore spill conditions, but only in circumstances where dispersant use can help minimize overall environmental, economic and safety impacts and provide a net environmental benefit.
To limit the potential environmental and economic impacts of oil spills in an offshore marine environment, an effective response strategy should consider all effective techniques, including booming, mechanical on-water recovery, shoreline clean up, dispersant application, and controlled in situ burning, for use where appropriate.
How we use dispersants
BP supports thorough pre-spill analysis of all primary response tools, including dispersants, so that decision-makers are informed on how to best use and combine these tools and can communicate the basis for decisions to the public and to the spill response community. Additionally, we support the utilization of dispersant products with superior performance characteristics to help their effectiveness over the broadest range of offshore spill conditions, but only in circumstances where dispersant use can help minimize overall environmental, economic and safety impacts and provide a net environmental benefit.
To limit the potential environmental and economic impacts of oil spills in an offshore marine environment, an effective response strategy should consider all effective techniques, including booming, mechanical on-water recovery, shoreline clean up, dispersant application, and controlled in situ burning, for use where appropriate.
We are committed to advancing the industry’s technical understanding and capability in using and monitoring dispersants in offshore oil spill response in a manner that is environmentally protective and effective. We are supporting scientific research to better understand the effectiveness and environmental impact of subsea dispersants.
Large-scale controlled in situ burning
We developed new techniques involving multiple teams being deployed at the same time, during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response. We are codifying these techniques to contain, control and direct burns – and we are continuing to invest in fire boom technologies.
Enhanced booming and skimming
In our response efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, we utilized new skimming techniques, including enhanced booming and skimming, as well as offshore fluid separation on vessels and barges.
We are now sharing these new techniques and learnings with organizations across the world.
Large-scale controlled in situ burning
We developed new techniques involving multiple teams being deployed at the same time, during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response. We are codifying these techniques to contain, control and direct burns – and we are continuing to invest in fire boom technologies.
Enhanced booming and skimming
In our response efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, we utilized new skimming techniques, including enhanced booming and skimming, as well as offshore fluid separation on vessels and barges.
We are now sharing these new techniques and learnings with organizations across the world.
Working with our industry peers
We continue to engage with our peer companies in the oil and gas industry to share what we have learned about oil spill response and work together to implement recommendations for improving oil spill prevention, intervention capabilities and response. BP is active in a number of industry forums related to oil spills, including work groups facilitated by the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, the American Petroleum Institute and the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association, and non-profit oil spill response co-operatives, such as Oil Spill Response Limited.
BP is also engaged with a number of country-specific collaborations on oil spill containment and response. For instance, BP is a permanent member of the Marine Well Containment Company, a not-for-profit, independent company that provides well containment equipment and technology in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the Marine Spill Response Corporation and Clean Gulf Associates, non-profit mutual aid oil spill response organizations. In the UK, we are involved in the Subsea Dispersant Injection Work Group. We also participate in committees working on related issues in Angola, Australia, Brazil and Norway.
BP is also engaged with a number of country-specific collaborations on oil spill containment and response. For instance, BP is a permanent member of the Marine Well Containment Company, a not-for-profit, independent company that provides well containment equipment and technology in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the Marine Spill Response Corporation and Clean Gulf Associates, non-profit mutual aid oil spill response organizations. In the UK, we are involved in the Subsea Dispersant Injection Work Group. We also participate in committees working on related issues in Angola, Australia, Brazil and Norway.
Our performance
Number of oil spills and other losses of primary containment
There were 228 oil spills of one barrel (159 litres) or more in 2011. We include spills that were contained, as well as those that reach land or water. The loss of primary containment metric includes any unplanned or uncontrolled release of material, excluding non-hazardous releases (such as water) from a tank, vessel, pipe, railcar, or other equipment used for containment or transfer.
We believe this is a more comprehensive metric than the number and volumes of oil spills as it also includes gaseous releases and non-hydrocarbon releases.
We believe this is a more comprehensive metric than the number and volumes of oil spills as it also includes gaseous releases and non-hydrocarbon releases.
Number of oil spills and other losses of primary containment
Volume of oil spilled (excluding Gulf of Mexico spill)
The volume of oil spilled from primary containment was approximately 0.6 million litres in 2011. The chart below excludes the volume of oil spilled in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The US government and third parties have announced various estimates of the flow rate or total volume of oil spilled from the Deepwater Horizon incident. The Multi-District Litigation beginning in 2012 in New Orleans will address the amount of oil spilled. While we understand that an estimate of flow rate or total volume spilled is of interest to many of our stakeholders, BP’s efforts to address the potential environmental and social impacts have not been limited by the precise volume of the spill.
Alaska oil spills
Following the 2006 Prudhoe Bay oil spill in Alaska, BP in Alaska, along with our other sites, has undergone a programme of pipeline repairs or upgrades, improved corrosion monitoring, preventative maintenance and the implementation of new company standards for control of work and integrity management. While Alaska remains a challenging operating environment, there has been significant and demonstrable progress. The Alaska region saw a reduction in reportable spills in 2011 compared with 2010. The most significant spill of 2011 was a 1,764 gallon spill of a methanol/water mix as a result of a pressure test to check for leaks. These checks are standard industry practice where the line is filled with fluid and the pressure is increased above operating levels to ensure new pipe work will function as designed when it begins carrying oil. The small area of affected tundra was fully remediated.
Attestation
The information on this page forms part of the information reviewed and reported on by Ernst & Young as part of BP's 2011 sustainability reporting.
Related link
Applying the lessons learned from the Gulf of Mexico
Case study
Related downloads
An overview of the lessons learned that we are sharing globally
