ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: A QUANTUM LEAP FORWARD OR NOTHING NEW FOR THE E&P INDUSTRY?

Abstract

There has been a recent tendency for an increasingly sophisticated approach to managing the socalled 'soft' issues such as quality, occupational health, safety, and the environment which are of importance to modern business enterprises. Increasing sophistication brings with it new terminology which can often confuse rather than clarify. Environmental management systems are in vogue today as evidenced by standards organisations in many countries defining their recommendations. The purpose of this paper is to explain what is meant by environmental management systems and to demonstrate that they have in fact been in place for many years in the petroleum exploration and production industry.

The first part of the paper will outline the purpose and importance of having a management system to assure environmental protection. The reasons for recent interest by regulators and standards organisations will also be explored. The essential elements of an environmental management system will then be described with examples of its application to the petroleum industry. Particular reference will be made to activities associated with the North West Shelf Gas Project which is operated by Woodside Offshore Petroleum.