Reviewing Strategic Environmental Assessment Practice in the Oil and Gas Sector

Abstract

The exploitation of oil and gas resources poses several challenges to sustainability. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is broadly recognised as an important instrument to promote sustainability-driven decision-making. This paper aims at exploring to what extent current SEA processes for the oil and gas contribute, procedurally and substantively, to more strategic and sustainability-oriented decisions. To this purpose, we developed a framework for reviewing SEA reports, based on the strategic thinking model for SEA. The framework covers focal elements for enhancing SEA practice and it is structured into nine assessment parameters (object of assessment, entry point, interactivity, scope of assessment, strategic reference framework, process, participation, findings/outcomes, proposal for follow-up), and corresponding key questions. The framework was used to review 11 SEA reports related to both offshore and onshore oil and gas developments. The case studies are in different geographical contexts, and reflect examples of the broad range of SEA procedures existing worldwide. Our review provided evidences of those SEA aspects that play a crucial role in order to recognise more targeted and strategic information on which analysis should be based. This can provide substantive insights to improve the quality of SEA reports, as well as to better design more sustainability-oriented outcomes in the oil and gas sector. In particular, additional attention should be paid to stakeholders involvement from early stage of the procedures; identification of key environmental, social and economic factors; analysis of cumulative and synergistic effects in the long-run; fact-based provisions and recommendations for more integrated mitigation and monitoring management strategies for follow up.