Brussels, 10/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - Under the terms of the future bill on the security of offshore oil and gas activities amended by the European Parliament in committee, companies operating oil rigs at sea will be obliged to submit reports on major dangers and emergency intervention plans before being granted a drilling licence. The licences will be granted only if the company is able to prove that it has sufficient funds to put right any environmental damage.
On Tuesday 9 October, the energy committee of the European Parliament approved by 48 votes in favour, seven votes against and one abstention the amended draft regulation to replace the current patchwork of laws governing offshore drilling activities in the 27 Member States of the EU. The aim is to prevent environmental disasters such as the oil slick which resulted from the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon platform in the Gulf of Mexico in spring 2010. The rapporteur Ivo Belet (EPP, Belgium) will lead the trialogue negotiations with the Council to put the finishing touches to the final text.
By virtue of the amendments made to the initial text of the Commission, which was presented in autumn 2011 (see EUROPE 10484), anybody applying for a drilling licence will be obliged to prove that they have the ability to put right any potential damage, by providing evidence of an appropriate financial guarantee to cover the liabilities related to its drilling activities. The company's drilling activities will not be able to start until the national authorities have ruled that this guarantee is valid and effective. Drilling companies will be obliged to submit to the public authorities, at least 24 weeks before operations start, a special report describing the drilling installation, any major risks and special provisions to protect workers, and this must be re-examined every five years. Oil and gas companies will also be obliged to present an emergency intervention plan, detailing all available equipment and resources, actions planned in the event of an accident and all provisions required to limit risks and alert the authorities as soon as possible. At the same time, the member states will have to do prepare external emergency intervention plans covering all offshore drilling installations under their jurisdiction, clarifying the role of the drilling companies and their liability in terms of costs in the event of an accident, and those of the competent authorities and emergency intervention teams.
The energy committee also gave the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) a clearer and greater role in accident prevention, helping the Commission and member states to prepare and execute emergency intervention plans and to assess and check ecological damage.
Although the Commission has proposed that the bill be a “regulation” which is directly binding on all member states, the energy committee wants a “directive”, which lays down the objectives but leaves it up to the member states to decide on how to achieve them. (EH/transl.fl)