OIL AND GAS STANDARDISATION

Oil & Gas Standardisation

Abstract

The petroleum and natural gas industries use a great number of standards developed by industry organisations, through national and regional standardisation bodies, by the individual companies in the industries and by international standards bodies. The use of these standards enhances technical integrity, improves safety, reduces environmental damage, and promotes business efficiencies that result in reduced costs. The current, intensified period of international standards development reflects the global nature of the industry and the imperative to operate more effectively and reduce costs further. International standards for the petroleum and natural gas industries are the area that is the focus of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (OGP) through its Standards Committee.

Chapter I: Introduction

Introduction

The Standard Agreements have been developed by Oil & Gas UK and are issued in good faith for use in the UK offshore oil and gas industry. However, they may not be appropriate for every circumstance and do not deal with every eventuality. By accessing a copy of any of these Standard Agreements, the user accepts that the individual members of Oil & Gas UK and their respective companies, organisations and associated bodies shall have no liability, whether in contract, tort/delict (including negligence) or howsoever, for any loss arising out of their use and that it is the user's responsibility to take legal advice in each instance, in particular but without limitation on any relevant changes in law since the Standard Agreement was issued.

In the international oil exploration and production industry, the guidelines and standards of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP - formerly the Oil Industry International Exploration and Production Forum) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) are particularly influential. The OGP represents oil and gas companies from around the world, and the API, through the history of the dominance of US oil companies in the international oil industry, has a strong influence in the industry. The guidelines of various NGOs and IGOs are also influential, including the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Standards Organisation (ISO), the World Bank, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

The OGP has prepared several guidelines regarding onshore oil operations, on its own and in conjunction with IGOs and NGOs such as UNEP and IUCN, which represent “internationally acceptable operating practices” and “internationally acceptable goals and guidance on environmental protection during oil and gas exploration and production operations”, including guidelines addressing: oil operations in tropical rainforests; exploration and production operations in mangrove areas; oil exploration in arctic and subarctic onshore regions; waste management; and decommissioning for onshore exploration and production sites.

The voluntary codes and guidelines of the international oil industry generally contain one or more of three broad types of standards or guidelines that assist in protecting the environment. The first of these are standards for equipment and products, such as construction requirements for underground storage tanks and pipelines. Poorly designed, constructed or outdated equipment may pose a ...