Specifying performances for Best Available Technique (BAT) evaluations in offshore developments

Abstract

The Climate and Pollution Agency (Klif) consider target of national environmental policies when determining which abatement costs are cost-effective. They demand transparent cost/benefit evaluations from operators when considering both emissions to air in light of the climate policy and dicharges to sea in light of the zero hazardous discharge policy.

This work has established performance evaluation criteria for the documentation of BAT through a BAT report. The requirements and performance specifications could be used by Klif or other parties to assess whether the BAT evaluations (of Environmental Impact Assessments) are sufficient.

The requirements and performance specifications could be used by Statoil to assess and give feedback on BAT evaluations done by contractors.

The performance specifications rated ''Acceptable'' and ''Excellent'' should be used to develop guidelines for BAT evaluations. The performances could be converted to steps in a novel guideline or be used as performance specifications to steps in a guideline developed from another basis, e.g. the BAT Reference Document on Economics and Cross-Media Effects.

It is recommended that Statoil performs an evaluation of the impact different ways of organising HSE work in projects influences the quality of BAT evaluations.

One or preferably more development projects should be evaluated to see whether BAT evaluations were performed in time for BAT to be implemented. Any cases where too late evaluation of processes have blocked the best available techniques or entailed additional costs should be further analysed to find ways to improve company routines to avoid this in the future.

Best practices found in such and a discussion of the place of BAT evalution in the project phases and the information flow between project disciplines would give input to guidelines for scheduling and allocating responsibilities in BAT evaluations. Combined with the requirements to reporting established by this work Statoil could develop complete guidelines for BAT evaluations in projects.