Pollution occurring during exploration and production on land and at sea

Abstract

In considering oil pollution from exploration and production activities, usually abbreviated to E&P, one must, as in other oil-related activities, differentiate between oil pollution arising from operational and from emergency situations. There are also differences between operations onshore and offshore due to a large degree to differences in environment, the effects of oil on the ecology and the variations in equipment dictated by the environment. We must also differentiate between the various phases of the operation, exploration, production and certain aspects of transportation, although the prevention and risk of oil pollution from pipelines and tankers is considered elsewhere and will not be dwelt on in this chapter.