Inter-Governmental Co-operation in the North Sea Oil and Gas Industry

Abstract

Abstract This paper provides readers with an insight into the collaborative work being undertaken by North West European regulatory authorities responsible for oil and gas exploration and production activities in the North Sea. The primary focus is on the current co-operative work and its perceived benefits for industry. It is hoped this co-operative work will enable owners and operators of mobile offshore units to move their vessels more freely around the North Sea, with the minimum of bureaucratic "red tape". There are currently two main areas of inter-governmental co-operation, the "safety case" for mobile offshore units and safety training requirements for offshore workers. Its secondary aim will be to provide a preliminary overview of the work of the North Sea Offshore Authorities Forum multi-national audit team. The first assignment of this team, is an audit of the management system of a mobile offshore drilling unit contractor. With the co-operation of the drilling industry, a candidate, active on four parts of the North West European continental shelf, was chosen. As a consequence, this contractor is therefore required to operate in compliance with four legislatory regimes, namely those of Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway and The United Kingdom. Initial feedback, of the work performed by the audit team, is presented. By focusing on the problems experienced by mobile offshore unit owners, operators and contractors, when moving their vessels from one jurisdiction to another across the North Sea, it is hoped that this inter-governmental initiative will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory supervision and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.