Offshore petroleum industry commits to environment
Posted: 24 April 2006
 Send this article
 Print this article
Companies exploring for oil and gas within New Zealand's EEZ have agreed to work according to best practice environmental guidelines, Environment Minister David Benson-Pope said.
The Ministry for the Environment and Maritime New Zealand, together with the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand, have completed best practice environmental guidelines for offshore petroleum activities in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone. This is the area from 12 to 200 nautical miles offshore.
“We want to protect the marine environment but allow for responsible exploration of New Zealand’s petroleum resources at the same time," said David Benson-Pope. "These voluntary guidelines are a first step to protecting this remote territory.”
At the moment, companies do not have to assess and manage environmental effects before they undertake development activities in the Exclusive Economic Zone as comprehensively as under the Resource Management Act. The Government is currently working on an Oceans Policy that will address this. Until then, the voluntary guidelines provide offshore petroleum companies with environmental best practice.
Mike Patrick, Executive Officer of the association said the industry is supportive of the guidelines: "Our members always want to minimise the environmental impacts of their work. The association has played a major role in formulating these guidelines and we are very supportive of their use.
"We are keen to play a further role in the Oceans Policy that Government is now working on. We are also eagerly awaiting the introduction of the Marine Protection Rule 200 that will set standards for the discharge of pollutants from petroleum production installations," said Dr Patrick.
Environmental Best Practice Guidelines for the Offshore Petroleum Industry are available on www.mfe.govt.nz, www.maritimenz.govt.nz and www.pepanz.org.
Posted by Editor Pipeline Magazine
Information supplied by companies
or PR agencies who are responsible for content. Send press releases
to info@pipelinedubai.com |
