Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012

BP in the Gulf of Mexico
bp.com/sustainability
Verified Environmental Statement
2010-2012
About our report
In this Verified Environmental Statement, we look at the
environmental impacts of our offshore exploration and
production activities in the Gulf of Mexico over the
calendar years 2010, 2011 and 2012. The report provides
insight into our performance and management
approach in four key areas of environmental impact:
atmospheric emissions, permitted water discharges,
spills and waste. Unless otherwise stated, the data are
limited to facilities at BP’s major offshore operating sites
in the Gulf of Mexico and include data from production
and drilling activities.
Deepwater Horizon data excluded
This report does not cover data related to the Deepwater
Horizon accident and spill that occurred in the Gulf of
Mexico in 2010 as the accident and its aftermath are the
subject of ongoing litigation.
Please visit bp.com/gulfofmexico to learn more about the
investigations, spill response, continuing research on the
impacts of the spill, and the work of BP’s Gulf Coast
Restoration Organization.
Independent verification
BP is committed to the quality and
clarity of the data presented in this
report, which is verified by an
independent third party.
BP in the Gulf of Mexico
bp.com/sustainability
Verified Environmental Statement
2010-2012
Cover image
BP’s Thunder Horse
platform in the Gulf Of
Mexico
Version 1
Contents
Overview
2 Letter from regional president
BP Gulf of Mexico regional president Richard Morrison
reflects on 2010 to 2012 environmental performance.
About BP
4 Who we are
6 Where we work
Our portfolio and people in the Gulf of Mexico.
The platforms we operate in the Gulf of Mexico.
5 What we do
7 How we work
What we do as a business in the Gulf of Mexico.
Our operating management system and how we
manage environmental risk.
Environmental performance
10 Identifying our impacts
13 Spills
Information on our key areas of environmental
impact.
How we are building our capabilities to help
reduce the risks of spills.
11 Atmospheric emissions
14 Waste
How we are striving to reduce the generation of
greenhouse gas emissions.
How we manage waste from our offshore
operations.
12 Permitted water discharges
15 Way forward
How we monitor and report permitted discharges
to water.
Our commitment to pursuing continual
improvement.
Our reporting and performance data
16 Verification statement
17 BP in the Gulf of Mexico in figures
Statement from Det Norske Veritas about its
verification process and conclusions.
Data on our environmental performance,
2010-2012.
Acroynyms and glossary
Contact us
Contents
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
1
Letter from BP Gulf of Mexico regional president
This Verified Environmental Statement outlines
the environmental performance of BP’s Gulf of
Mexico major operating sites from 2010 through
2012. This was a period of great challenge in the
Gulf region. It was also a period of great change
as we refocused with deep determination on the
priorities of becoming an even safer, stronger and
simpler BP.
During this period, we made significant
progress towards implementing greater
standardization and clearer checks and
balances to assure that we manage the linked
areas of safety, operational integrity and
environmental risk in a systematic way.
Reflecting on the Deepwater Horizon
accident
Our commitment is to
continuously improve in the
areas of safety and
environmental performance,
driven by a systematic
approach to managing our
operations.
Richard Morrison
Regional President, BP Gulf of Mexico
The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon
drilling rig on 20 April 2010 led to the loss of 11
lives. This tragic fact remains foremost in the
minds of all of us at BP and particularly those
of us who work directly in the Gulf. We are
determined that such an accident will never
happen again and have taken measures to
strengthen the oversight of our activities.
The events leading up to the Deepwater Horizon
accident and the subsequent mitigation actions
are the subject of ongoing litigation and hence
will not be covered in this report. Please visit
bp.com/gulfofmexico to learn more about
the investigations, spill response, continuing
research on the impacts of the spill, and the
work of BP’s Gulf Coast Restoration Organization
(GCRO). GCRO is a separate entity established
to provide leadership and dedicated resources
to ensure that BP meets its commitments
to efforts to restore the Gulf Coast.
Charting environmental performance
This Verified Environmental Statement
addresses the environmental performance
of our operations in the Gulf of Mexico,
with a focus on the atmospheric emissions,
permitted water discharges, spills and waste
of our producing platforms and drilling
activities. Factors affecting some of our
reporting metrics over the period included:
•
Production fluctuations associated with
planned maintenance and improvement
activity.
•
The temporary ban on new deepwater
drilling between May and October 2010.
•
The divestment of our Pompano platform.
We made improvements in environmental
areas over this period, including work to
reinforce our ability to help prevent and respond
to spills. But we also recognize the need to
press for further environmental advances.
2 Letter from BP Gulf of Mexico regional president
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
BP is the largest leaseholder of deepwater
assets in the Gulf of Mexico. We have a long
history of development in the region and, we
hope, a promising future: 2012 was a year
of growth with seven BP-operated drilling
rigs in the Gulf of Mexico by year end.
However, we know we still have a great deal
of work to do to rebuild trust in our operations.
Much of this work is well underway. During
the timeframe covered by this report, BP
undertook a comprehensive review of safety
and operational procedures and took a number
of measures to further improve safety and risk
management, including environmental risk:
•
The development of a new safety and
operational risk group tasked with
providing an independent assessment
of risk.
•
The launch of a state-of-the-art center in
Houston to monitor live well information
about our rigs in the Gulf.
•
The introduction of enhanced standards
and procedures for our well control
and drilling operations that exceeded
existing regulatory requirements.
Building reliable operations
Deepwater operations are complex but our
operational goals are simple: no accidents,
no harm to people and no damage to the
environment. As we pursue these aspirations,
our commitment is to continuously improve
in the areas of safety and environmental
performance, driven by a systematic
approach to managing our operations.
Before taking on the leadership of BP’s Gulf
of Mexico group in 2013, I spent two years
as head of BP’s Global Deepwater Response
team which has been sharing lessons from
the 2010 oil spill with others around the globe.
Nowhere have we examined those lessons
more closely than here in the Gulf of Mexico.
Turning lessons into action, we are striving
to be both predictable in terms of reliable
operations and progressive in terms of pursuing
the technology and practices necessary for
environmentally responsible operations. I hope
that this Verified Environmental Statement gives
you some meaningful insight into our approach.
Richard Morrison
Regional President, BP Gulf of Mexico
About BP
BP is one of the world’s leading international oil and gas companies. We aim
to help meet growing global demand for energy in a responsible way.
Our goals
We strive to be a safety leader in
our industry, a world-class
operator, a responsible corporate
citizen and a good employer.
We expect all our contractors
and their employees to act in a
way that is consistent with our
code of conduct.
We are committed to meeting
our regulatory obligations.
In this section
Focusing our operations
and embedding our
values to be an even safer,
stronger BP.
The place of the Gulf
of Mexico in our global
portfolio.
Managing the impacts of
our activities through our
operating management
system.
More information online at:
bp.com/OMS
BP 3-D HIVE facility, Houston.
In a highly immersive visualization environment
(HIVE), BP teams study 3-D imaging of geological
formations, production facilities, seismic analyses and
well placement in a theater setting.
About BP
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
3
Who we are
We believe we have a positive role to play in shaping the long-term
future of energy.
BP’s operations across six continents provide our
customers with fuel for transportation, energy
for heat and light, lubricants to keep engines
moving and petrochemicals for everyday items
as diverse as paints, clothes and packaging.
Seismic imaging researchers and highperformance computing analysts review research
project results.
2,300+
employed in the
Gulf of Mexico.
Through our heritage companies, we have been
a part of America’s energy industry for nearly
150 years. As a leading investor in the US, we’ve
committed more than $55 billion to American
energy development since 2008, more than we
invest in any other country. We are one of the
leading producers and suppliers of oil and natural
gas in the US with primary production operations
in Alaska, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
Texas, Wyoming and US Gulf of Mexico.
Our Gulf of Mexico portfolio
The Gulf of Mexico is a key element of our US
strategy. BP and our heritage companies have
been exploring the region’s deep water (depths
greater than 1,200 feet) for more than a quarter
century. Our discoveries – such as Atlantis,
Thunder Horse and Mad Dog – include some
of the largest fields ever found in the Gulf of
Mexico. Recent BP discoveries, such as Kaskida
and Tiber, demonstrate that the deepwater
Gulf of Mexico will be a vital part of the world’s
energy future for many years to come.
We are the largest deepwater leaseholder in
the Gulf of Mexico, with ownership in more
than 650 blocks in water depths of 1,300 feet
or greater. In 2012, BP produced in excess of
200,000 net barrels of oil equivalent per day.
We expect to invest on average $4 billion
each year in the Gulf of Mexico over the next
decade, focusing on deepwater exploration
and development. We intend to remain an
active participant in all facets of the region – as
explorer, developer, operator and interest owner.
Our partners and contractors
We hold our major Gulf of Mexico platforms
in partnership with other companies. During
the time frame of this report, we operated
eight platforms, most as joint ventures. As
of November 30, 2012, we operate four
production platforms and have interests
in three other deepwater Gulf ventures
operated by others. Data in this report relate
only to platforms operated by BP during the
reporting period, unless otherwise noted.
Where we are not the operator but
own an equity interest in a platform, we
work to influence the environmental
management of the platform by
encouraging environmental practices that
follow similar principles to our own.
We also expect our contractors and subcontractors to meet and maintain BP’s
environmental standards. Following
recommendations on contractor oversight from
BP’s internal investigation of the Deepwater
Horizon accident, we have taken additional
steps to ensure that we set clear expectations
for our contractors, assess their delivery and
intervene when our requirements are not met.
Our people
We believe success comes from the energy
of our people. Developing oil and gas in a
challenging deepwater environment requires
the dedication of highly skilled people from
diverse backgrounds. From geologists and
geophysicists, to safety and environmental
compliance specialists, to engineers and rig
operators, BP directly employs more than
2,300 people in our Gulf of Mexico business
(as of December 2012) and supports tens of
thousands of additional jobs in the region.
Critical to our performance is ensuring that our
people embrace the company values set by BP
leadership in 2011: safety, respect, excellence,
courage and one team. We are striving to make
these values part of our day-to-day behavior
by embedding them into our processes and
management systems.
Key events 2010 to 2012
2010 The Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20 leads to the loss of 11 lives and triggers a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Launch of unprecedented spill response effort.
BP forms the Gulf Coast Restoration Organization in June to manage the company’s long-term response to the spill to ensure that BP fulfils its promises to Gulf Coast communities and continues its work to restore the region’s environment.
2011 BP resumes its deepwater Gulf drilling program with new permits and enhanced standards.
BP completes the sale of its interests in the Pompano platform to Stone Energy Corporation on December 28.
2012 BP conducts significant planned maintenance at several Gulf platforms to further enhance long-term integrity.
BP begins production from the Galapagos development, its first new major project in the deepwater Gulf since 2010.
BP completes the sale on November 30 of non-strategic assets in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico to Plains Exploration and Production Company in a
transaction that includes the BP-operated Marlin, Holstein and Horn Mountain platforms.
4 Who we are
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
What we do
Our Gulf of Mexico operations are part of BP’s upstream business in
which we find, extract and produce oil and natural gas.
Our key operated, producing platforms
We undertake each of these steps in
ways consistent with our operating
management system, and health, safety,
security and environment policies.
Exploration
Atlantis: Operating in more than 7,000 feet of
water, Atlantis’s production capacity is
approximately 200,000 barrels of oil and 180
million cubic feet of gas per day.
Before making a decision to drill for oil and
gas in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, we
examine data from geoscience sources,
seismic testing, 3-D projections and other
tools to help guide our search for oil and
gas reservoirs beneath the seabed.
Depending on the data, we may drill an exploration
well to confirm the presence of hydrocarbons,
followed by an appraisal well, if needed, to
determine if the reserves are commercially viable.
Our operating management system guides
our exploration and development plans as we
identify potential risks from our activities and
implement strategies to minimize our impacts.
Mad Dog: Located in 4,500 feet of water, Mad
Dog has the capacity to produce up to 80,000
barrels of oil and 60 million cubic feet of natural
gas per day.
Before we begin a drilling program in the Gulf of
Mexico, for example, we perform regional and site
specific surveys of the area to help ensure that
we identify and avoid biological communities of
concern, archaeological sites or potential hazards
that may affect exploration drilling activities.
This valuable information is used in the
environmental impact analyses (EIAs) conducted
prior to drilling operations. These EIAs identify
impact-producing factors that include, but are not
limited to, sound, air emissions and discharges
to water associated with the operation.
Following the Deepwater Horizon accident,
the government placed a moratorium on new
drilling in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico that
ended in October 2010. We resumed our drilling
program under new permits in 2011 using
enhanced drilling and well control standards.
Na Kika: Serving multiple fields, Na Kika is
located in 6,340 feet of water. It is designed to
process up to 130,000 barrels of oil and 550
million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
After confirming the presence of commercially
viable reserves, we construct wells and facilities
that will become the source of future production.
In the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, we must
build platforms and other structures that can
operate in a range of ocean conditions.
We reached a key milestone in 2012 with
the start-up of the Galapagos development,
which added production from three
deepwater fields (two operated by Noble
Energy) to the nearby Na Kika platform.
Production
Offshore oil and gas platforms support
the personnel and equipment needed to
ensure continuous production of oil and gas.
Onboard equipment includes utility systems
for power generation and for the disposal of
gases and liquids which would otherwise
pose safety or environmental risks.
Reservoir liquids extracted by an offshore platform
are initially separated into oil, gas and water. Some
of the gas is used on-site as fuel gas to generate
power; the remainder of the gas and oil is sent
by pipeline to onshore processing facilities.
Our offshore Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production
experienced a decline over the 2010-2012
period, from a high of 384 mboed (thousand
barrels of oil equivalent per day) in 2010 to 261
mboed in 2011 and 214 mboed in 2012 (BP net
share of production). This decline reflected in
part the impact of divestments and the effects
of the Gulf of Mexico drilling moratorium as
well as planned maintenance turnaround
activity that led to a temporary shutdown
of production at some of our platforms.
Supporting coral research
Hours of underwater video footage from
the Pompano platform became a resource
for a Pennsylvania State University-led team
studying coral growth on oil and gas platforms
in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.
Thunder Horse: Located in 6,050 feet of water,
Thunder Horse is designed to process up to
250,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of
natural gas per day.
Development
Taken by remote operated vehicles between
2008 and 2011, the Pompano footage
(provided by BP and Pompano’s new owner
Stone Energy after the platform changed
ownership) included inspection footage of
the platform’s underwater structures as
well as footage gathered specifically for the
Penn State project. Eight energy companies
participated in the project, which was part of a
larger Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
(BOEM) study of deepwater corals and other
hard-bottom communities in the northern Gulf
of Mexico.
The research team used the video images
to document the types of corals found on
the participating platforms – including a color
morph of the hard coral Lophelia pertusa (L.
pertusa) seen in other parts of the world but
never in the Gulf of Mexico. The researchers
found substantially higher growth rates for
L. pertusa on platforms than others have
recorded on natural reefs and found the coral
to be present at much greater depths than in
any known natural reef in the Gulf of Mexico.
What we do
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
5
Where we work
BP produced oil and gas from nearly two dozen fields
in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico in 2012.
Production from these fields is processed
through massive production platforms which
extract oil and gas from below the ocean
floor and process them in preparation for
pipeline transport to onshore facilities.
During the period covered by this report, we
produced oil and natural gas from eight BPoperated platforms in the Gulf of Mexico: Atlantis,
Mad Dog, Na Kika, Thunder Horse, Holstein, Horn
Mountain, Marlin and Pompano (see map).
A 3-D seismic image gives geoscientists
insight into rock layers beneath the seafloor
of the Gulf of Mexico.
Under the ocean floor
Finding and producing oil and gas in
deepwater reservoirs create many
engineering and technical challenges.
Platform divestment
Four of these platforms (Holstein, Horn Mountain,
Marlin and Pompano) are no longer part of
BP’s portfolio after a divestment program. We
have focused our Gulf of Mexico production
and development activity on our four major
BP is integrating engineering, technology
and operations to help overcome these
challenges and work safely and efficiently
in deepwater environments in the Gulf
of Mexico and around the world.
Divestments and the environment
If BP sells an operating platform in
the Gulf of Mexico, we aim to put the
right processes in place to ensure a
smooth transition to the new owner.
After we sold our Horn Mountain, Holstein
and Marlin platforms to Plains Exploration
and Production Company (PXP) in 2012, for
example, a transition team that included
environmental and other specialists spent five
months familiarizing the new owners with
operation and maintenance of the facilities.
Our environmental advisors introduced
PXP to our data collection and reporting
procedures, our compliance tools, our
environmental management system and
the complex regulatory environment.
6
Where we work
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
We divested Pompano in December 2011
but continued to operate it until February
2012 on behalf of the new owner, Stone
Energy Corporation. Plains Exploration
and Production Company (PXP) took over
ownership responsibility for Holstein, Horn
Mountain and Marlin in November 2012 but BP
continued to assist with the operation of those
platforms on behalf of PXP until April 2013.
In addition to our operated platforms, we also
produce oil and gas from three non-operated
platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. However, this
report covers data from our operated production
BP-operated platforms during
the reporting period
The oil and gas reservoir itself can be as
much as 35,000 feet (10,660 meters) below
sea level and under kilometers of hard
rock, thick salt and tightly-packed sands.
High pressures (20,000 pounds per square
inch and higher), high temperatures (300
degrees Fahrenheit and higher), water depths
of nearly 10,000 ft and swift underwater
loop currents add to the challenges.
All offshore personnel who had operated
these platforms for BP transferred
to PXP, carrying with them years of
hands-on operational expertise.
platforms (Atlantis, Thunder Horse, Na Kika and
Mad Dog) and on unlocking the exploration
potential of our leading leasehold position.
Map reflects BP-operated platforms prior to
Pompano, Holstein, Horn Mountain and
Marlin divestments.
How we work
Rigorous management of risk helps to protect the people at the front
line, the places in which we operate and the value we create.
We expect our people to know our environmental
policies, to comply with regulations and follow
best practices and target continual improvement.
We also expect everyone on our sites to know
how their job impacts the environment and what
operational controls are in place to stop or
minimize the impact. Above: Workers on the deck
of a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
Our work in the Gulf of Mexico is guided
by BP’s internal operating management
system as well as by external oversight.
OMS and the environment
Our operating management system
The OMS section on risk requires each major
operating site to have an environmental management
system that sets out how we identify and
assess potential risks and environmental impacts
in order to put in place mitigation measures
and operational controls and procedures.
We aim to manage environmental impacts
throughout the lifecycle of our operations.
BP’s operating management system (OMS) is
a framework across all of BP’s operations that
is designed to drive safe, reliable and compliant
operations, including environmentally sound
operations. It provides the basis for managing our
businesses in a systematic way by integrating
BP requirements such as health, safety,
security, the environment, social responsibility,
operational reliability, maintenance, contractor
relations and organizational learning.
The OMS framework addresses eight interdependent
‘elements of operating’ under the areas of people,
plant, process and performance. We undertake an
annual assessment of our operations to check our
performance against requirements set out in OMS.
Then we put in place plans to close gaps and identify
steps to help reduce the level of risk at our sites.
BP updates the group OMS requirements as needed
to reflect our priorities and experiences and the
opportunities for further improvement identified
by the annual OMS reviews. For example, we
have been updating our group procedures around
oil spill preparedness and response, crisis and
continuity planning and learning from incidents.
We assess our environmental performance in the
Gulf of Mexico and review progress annually with
our Gulf of Mexico leadership in conformance with
OMS requirements. We set improvement targets,
such as leak reduction or pollution prevention,
and develop plans to meet these targets.
Enhanced scrutiny
BP introduced a new safety and operational
risk (S&OR) organization in 2011, whose head
reports directly to the group chief executive.
S&OR sets our company-wide requirements for
safety and operational risk management. It works
alongside our businesses to strengthen and scrutinize
their efforts towards conformance with our operating
management system – and intervene if needed.
Our operating management system
Privile
Oper ge t
ate o
formance
Per
Op
tim
izatio
n
Pr
oc
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res
P la n t
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The code now includes a new section,
‘Living our Code’, to help people make
decisions when faced with dilemmas
where there are no clear rules to follow.
Process
The code’s sections cover health, safety
and the environment; our people, our
partners and suppliers, governments and
communities; and protecting BP’s assets.
n
tio
iza
Organ
The BP code of conduct sets out the
basic rules our people must follow
and explains how our values should
guide all of our decisions. The code
helps each employee do the right thing
when faced with difficult decisions.
People
Our code of conduct
Leade
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ip
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Re
ets
Ass
How we work
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
7
ISO 14001 certification
In addition to our own internal audits, the way in
which we manage the environment is externally
certified to an international standard. In the Gulf
of Mexico, our production sites and support
operations are certified to the ISO 14001 standard
ISO 14001 requires BP to establish, implement
and maintain environmental objectives and targets.
Certification is subject to regular internal and external
audit and requires recertification every three years.
An independent certification body assesses our
conformance with the ISO 14001 standard.
We successfully maintained our ISO 14001
certification on all of our Gulf of Mexico
production sites and support operations
over the period of this report, with 2012-13
marking our 13th year of such certification.
Regulatory compliance
The primary regulators for our offshore Gulf of
Mexico activities include the US Coast Guard,
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
(BSEE) and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Environmental permits vary depending on the
project and the nature of the activity but are
aimed generally at environmental protection and
using best available technology. Our operations
are subject to inspection by regulators; we also
conduct our own audits to ensure we consistently
meet our environmental compliance obligations.
Reducing environmental risk by committing to safety enhancements
We work in a challenging business where
risks to safety, operational integrity and
environmental impact are closely linked.
When we enhance the safety and integrity
of our operations, we also enhance their
environmental reliability. We took significant
steps to enhance safety and operational
integrity in our Gulf of Mexico operations over
the reporting period. Many of these emerged
as recommendations from BP’s internal
investigation of the 2010 spill (the Bly Report).
Strengthening our drilling standards,
training processes and maintenance
programs as outlined below helps to
reduce the risk of an accident that could
have an environmental impact.
New drilling standards
BP implemented enhanced drilling
standards for operations in the Gulf of
Mexico in July 2011. These standards on
blowout preventers, cementing and oil spill
response capabilities exceeded existing
federal regulatory requirements and
strengthened oversight of contractors.
State-of-the-art training
We are reinforcing the capabilities of our
deepwater rig teams with the aim of helping
to reduce the risk of safety incidents and
environmental impacts. In 2012, BP established
the Global Wells Institute to provide core and
specialty wells training programs under one
roof. This initiative included the construction of a
state-of-the-art well control and drilling simulator
in Houston to support practical learning and
testing programs for deepwater rig teams.
Teams of BP staff and contractors from our Gulf
of Mexico drilling operations were the first to use
the simulator, with approximately 30 individuals
completing a new applied deepwater well
control training program by the end of 2012. The
applied program uses the simulator’s advanced
software to create customized simulations that
prepare teams for their next drilling assignment.
Expanded maintenance
Over the reporting period, our Gulf
operations carried out a large planned
maintenance program of 13 turnarounds as
part of our drive to maintain the safety and
environmental integrity of our assets.
Turnarounds are standard practice in the oil and
gas industry and are planned, periodic shutdowns
(either total or partial) of a facility in order to
perform maintenance and repairs, and to inspect,
test and replace materials and equipment.
We work to ensure that our systems stay current and
compliant with changing regulations, such as the new
Safety and Environmental Management Systems
rule introduced by BSEE, effective November 2011.
This Safety and Environmental Management
Systems rule requires companies to maintain
a comprehensive management program
for identifying, addressing and managing
operational safety and environmental hazards
and impacts, with the goal of promoting both
human safety and environmental protection.
Contractor oversight
Our management system requires contractor
competence. Our contractors must demonstrate that
their personnel are knowledgeable and experienced
in the work practices necessary to perform their
job in a safe and environmentally sound manner.
8
How we work
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
Well simulator training in Houston provides hands-on learning for deepwater drilling teams.
Environmental performance
BP is working to manage our environmental impacts in the Gulf of Mexico. We provide
information on our key environmental impact areas, summarizing the issue, our
management approach and our performance.
Our goals
We identify potential
environmental impacts and seek
to avoid or minimize them.
We establish annual objectives
to improve environmental
performance.
We put plans in place to reduce
environmental risks associated
with our projects and operations.
In this section
Tracking environmental
impacts.
Improving our ability to
respond to spills.
Working with others to
share lessons learned.
For more information visit online at:
bp.com/environment
bp.com/sustainability
Thunder Horse ACE control room, Houston
BP’s advanced collaborative environment (ACE) control
rooms enable onshore and offshore teams to participate in
platform operations in identical control rooms on the
platform and in BP’s office in Houston. Each ACE facilitates
real-time monitoring of offshore activities, including
environmental data, and supports video conferencing
between offshore crews and onshore specialists.
Environmental performance
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
9
Identifying our impacts
We identify and systematically manage the impacts of our activities to
minimize our environmental footprint from planning to dismantling.
Data note
Data in the environmental performance section are
gross for BP’s major operating sites in the offshore Gulf
of Mexico, unless otherwise stated. Greenhouse gas
emissions data are net and presented on a BP equity
share basis from BP-operated and non-operated entities
in which BP has a share. The data cover the calendar
years 2010 to 2012 and are reported as of February 2013.
The data do not cover environmental impacts related to
the Deepwater Horizon accident and response.
Divestments: Figures in this report include data from
the Pompano platform until February 2012 and from the
Holstein, Horn Mountain and Marlin platforms until the
end of 2012. However, greenhouse gas figures, reported
on a net equity share basis, do not include Pompano
for 2012 or Horn Mountain, Marlin and Holstein for
December 2012 as BP no longer had an equity share in
those platforms during those periods.
Seeking solutions
To ensure that we properly address
the potential safety and environmental
impacts of our operations in the Gulf of
Mexico, we analyse key data to see where
opportunities for improvement may exist.
Oil and gas production projects can have
implications for air, water and wildlife. BP’s
environmental requirements for all new
projects are designed to help ensure that
reasonably forseeable potential issues such
as waste disposal, emissions reduction
and discharges into water are assessed
before a project gets underway and carefully
monitored until the project’s end.
Our Gulf of Mexico teams work to improve
environmental performance at every
phase of our operations by investigating
new technologies and processes, seeking
ways to improve efficiency, enhancing
management of the environment and
expanding the capabilities of our workforce.
Important environmental capability development
efforts in 2011 and 2012, for example, included
more than 1,000 hours of enhanced emergency
response training for our environment and
regulatory teams. The intensive training, which
included simulations of large-scale scenarios,
such as an oil spill, reinforced the preparedness
of these personnel to fill roles within the
environmental unit of an incident management
team (IMT). The IMT directs emergency
response during incidents such as an oil spill.
When the IMT is activated, the environmental
unit liaises with regulators and coordinates
the IMT’s approach to potential environmental
impacts in areas such as resources at risk,
wildlife, monitoring, shoreline cleanup and
assessment, waste management, alternate
response technology and scientific support.
Our environmental impacts
This report addresses four key areas of
environmental impact resulting from
our offshore Gulf of Mexico operations:
atmospheric emissions, permitted water
discharges, spills and waste. Data from these
areas are listed in the figures table on page
17. Some of the data are also presented in
chart format within the body of this report.
The scope of potential impacts from our
production platforms varies depending
on factors such as the size and type of
the platform, production capacity and the
nature of the oil and gas reservoir itself.
This includes analysis of our process
safety performance. Process safety is a
disciplined framework for managing the
integrity of hazardous operating systems
by applying good design principles,
engineering and operating practices. It
deals with the prevention and control of
incidents that have the potential to release
hazardous materials or energy that could
result in injury, property damage, lost
production and environmental impact.
Our safety and operational risk team holds
regular process safety performance reviews
with our Gulf of Mexico leadership to assess
loss of primary containment (LOPC) incidents
and other data. LOPC events are unplanned
or uncontrolled releases of materials such
as hydrocarbons or chemicals, both those
that reach water and those that do not.
These reviews help us to improve
training, identify possible alternative
materials and consider the appropriate
revision of processes.
We have reinforced our safety reviews,
as well, through the development of
enhanced inspection techniques and
a systematic surveillance program.
10 Identifying our impacts
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
BP’s Houston Monitoring Center is a key element supporting our Gulf of Mexico operations. This
state-of-the-art facility opened in June 2011 and provides round-the-clock communications capability
between BP’s rigs in the Gulf and experts onshore. With real-time information feeds, live video and
constant communication with colleagues on the rigs, teams at the facility monitor data from drilling
operations 24 hours a day. The center enhances our ability to further reduce environmental risks.
Atmospheric emissions
BP seeks to prevent and reduce air emissions in order to reduce
potential harm to human health and the environment.
Atmospheric emissions generated by our Gulf
operations primarily result from the combustion
of fossil fuels to produce electricity. Natural
gas generated by our production (known as
fuel gas) supplies most of the power on our
platforms. Smaller amounts of diesel are
used for platform emergency equipment,
by support vessels and by mobile offshore
drilling units. Emissions sources include:
combustion turbines and diesel engines driving
electrical generators, auxiliary diesel engines,
storage tanks, fugitive emissions from valves
and pipe fittings, and flaring and venting.
In offshore operations, flaring is the controlled
burning of gas found in oil and gas reservoirs.
Flaring is an important part of a platform or rig’s
safety system. It is sometimes necessary as a
safety release during emergencies or at certain
points in regular operations as well as during
maintenance or initial commissioning of a well.
New rig engines reduce
NOx output
Mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs), whether
drill ships or semi-submersibles, are powered
by large marine diesel engines. These engines
– like other boat, car and truck engines – are
a source of nitrogen oxide (NOx) gases that
form when fuel is burned at high temperatures. NOx can react with other substances to
contribute to air pollution, including ozone.
The new MODUs being built today use
lower-emitting diesel engines to meet international marine environmental conventions.
These engines have better control of the
combustion process than earlier models and
have the potential to create up to 40% fewer
NOx emissions for the same unit of work. In
addition to this potential for lower emissions,
these newer MODUs also have advanced well
control systems and a larger capacity that enables
them to drill deeper wells in deeper water.
We began drilling our first wells with a loweremitting diesel MODU in 2012 (Seadrill’s West
Capricorn rig, above) and are continuing to
work with our drilling contractors to use more
of these cleaner, newer generation rigs in
the deepwater Gulf of Mexico in 2013.
Data note
Identifying key emissions
We are committed to reducing the generation of
greenhouse gases (GHGs) believed to contribute
to global warming, including carbon dioxide (CO2)
and methane. We report our emissions of both
CO2 and methane as ‘CO2 equivalent’ (CO2e).
We also monitor and report non-greenhouse gas
emissions, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur
oxides (SOx) and ozone-depleting substances.
BP determines its emissions by measuring
amounts and key characteristics of the fuel
we burn and the gas we flare or vent. We also
apply emission factors published by government
agencies or equipment manufacturers.
Natural gas creates fewer emissions than
diesel. This is significant for our platforms
where we primarily use fuel gas from
Support vessels also use diesel fuel. As of
June 2012, we have been facilitating the use
of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) for most of
these vessels. ULSD has the potential to create
a significant decrease in SOx emissions.
We undertook air quality modelling of
Thunder Horse in 2012, which demonstrated
there was no significant impact on ambient
air quality as a result of our operations.
Tracking our performance
Flaring increased from 32,498 tonnes in 2010
to 69,865 tonnes in 2012. This was in part
because of flaring related to process shutdown
and start-up in 2012, including the start-up of
new production at the Galapagos development.
We monitored this flaring closely in accordance
with consents granted by the regulator.
GHG emissions dropped in 2011, partly because of
limited drilling and declining production. As drilling
increased in 2012, GHGs began to rise again but
remained below 2010 levels. However, normalized
GHG emissions (GHGs per 1,000 barrels of oil
equivalent of production) reached their highest
point in 2012. This reflects in part the ramp-up in
drilling during a period of declining production.
NOx and SOx emissions increased, reflecting in
part an upturn in diesel use because of expanded
turnaround operations for maintenance.
Improved performance from platform air
conditioning systems contributed in part to a
43% decrease in ozone-depleting substances.
Greenhouse gases emissions (CO2e tonnes)
Flaring (tonnes)
80000
1200000
70000
1000000
60000
800000
50000
600000
40000
30000
Data exclude emissions associated with the Deepwater
Horizon accident and response. Flaring data is gross for
BP’s major operating sites in the Gulf of Mexico. GHG
data are net, direct GHG emissions presented on a
BP equity share basis from both BP-operated and nonoperated entities in which BP has a share.
onsite production to run equipment. Some
platform turbines are dual fuel, switching
to diesel when fuel gas is unavailable, such
as when production is shut down.
400000
20000
200000
10000
2010
2011
2012
2010
2011
2012
Atmospheric emissions
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
11
Permitted water discharges
BP aims to minimize the environmental impact of discharges to water
and takes a proactive approach to mitigating impacts.
We monitor and treat wastewater discharges
from our offshore Gulf of Mexico operations in
accordance with regulatory requirements. The
EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permitting system sets
monitoring requirements, limits and prohibitions
on discharges to protect the marine environment.
The biggest source of wastewater from
our offshore operations is produced
water. This is water from underground
formations that is brought to the surface
when oil and gas are extracted.
Overboard water from fire fighting practices
becomes part of permitted water discharges.
Managing chemical use
Management of production treatment chemicals
is a critical activity for our Gulf operations. When
choosing the optimal chemicals for our operational
processes, we rigorously assess each chemical’s
functionality as well as its safety and
environmental performance.
In 2012, for example, Thunder Horse changed the
type of demulsifying chemical used in its
separator unit (the first stop in a multi-stage
process to split apart oil, gas and water extracted
from subsea wells). The switch to the new
demulsifier both improved water recovery and
reduced the amount of chemicals needed for the
task. Mad Dog also took steps to improve the
quality of its water discharges in 2012 by changing
the clarifying chemical used by its float cell unit (a
later stage in the separation process), reducing oil
and grease concentrations by half.
Discharge of production chemicals (tonnes)
3500
3000
2500
Because produced water may contain
hydrocarbons and chemicals, it must be
treated prior to release to minimize effects
on the environment. Our produced water
treatment systems remove oil, gas and solids
from the water using equipment such as twoand three-phase separators, hydrocyclones,
de-sanders, induced gas floatation systems
and treatment chemical injection systems.
Other types of wastewater that we treat
and monitor include ballast water, process
wastewater such as boiler or cooling water,
chemically treated seawater used for pressure
testing and corrosion prevention, sanitary
wastewater and deck drainage of rainwater.
Increasing our understanding
We work to increase our understanding of the
impact of wastewater discharges and treatment
Produced water discharged (tonnes)
processes in our offshore operations through
modelling and ongoing monitoring programs.
This includes studying and upgrading the
efficiency of wastewater treatment plants
on our platforms. In 2012, we concluded
a complete inspection of produced water
equipment at our Thunder Horse facility.
Thunder Horse plans to test the effectiveness of
online oil and grease monitoring equipment that
potentially could lead to more effective, real-time
monitoring of wastewater quality through faster
assessment of oil and grease concentrations.
Tracking our performance
Our Gulf of Mexico production facilities
discharged 3,920,141 tonnes of produced
water in 2012, containing approximately
67 tonnes of oil, compared to 5,162,156
tonnes of produced water in 2010, containing
approximately 102 tonnes of oil.
This 24% decrease in produced water discharge
reflects in part the Pompano divestment as
well as turnarounds that shut in production.
The amount of production chemicals
discharged as part of our wastewater
decreased from 2,466 tonnes in 2010 to
2,151 tonnes in 2012. The peak for the period
was 2,962 tonnes in 2011, driven in part by
additional produced water treatment.
Oil in produced water discharged (tonnes)
6000000
120
5000000
100
4000000
80
3000000
60
2000000
40
1000000
20
2000
1500
1000
500
2010
12
2011
2012
Permitted water discharges
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
2010
2011
2012
2010
2011
2012
Spills
BP works to prevent, mitigate and ensure our preparedness to
respond to accidents and spills.
Loss of primary containment (LOPC) incidents
are any unplanned or uncontrolled release
of hydrocarbons, chemicals or other material
(excluding non-hazardous releases such as water)
from a tank, vessel, pipe or other equipment
used for containment or transfer. If LOPC
material at our offshore operations reaches Gulf
waters, it is classified as a spill. We report and
investigate such releases, take corrective action
and share lessons learned to further reduce the
likelihood of recurrence.
Understanding and mitigating the risks
Identifying and assessing potential spill risks and
impacts – such as harm to marine life – help us to
continue to ensure that we have appropriate spill
response and crisis management plans. These
plans are backed up by the tools and people
required to mount an effective response to an
incident and mitigate potential impacts.
Capping and containment capabilities, including
the ability to cap a well and collect oil at surface,
are important to oil spill response. BP’s global
deepwater well cap and tooling package,
developed following the Deepwater Horizon
accident in 2010, is stored in Houston and
maintained in a constant state of operational
readiness. In ideal circumstances, it can be
airlifted to a target location within a few days. The
well cap is a 100-ton stack of valves and control
system that can be lowered onto a well, where
appropriate, to halt the flow in up to 10,000 feet
of water. BP maintains this cap (above) for global
responses and draws on the capping resources
and other deepwater subsea well resources of
the Marine Well Containment Company for
response in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Gulf of Mexico spill in 2010
was a sobering event, demanding a
response at an order of magnitude
never required before. Learn more at
bp.com/gulfofmexico.
We aim to minimize risk by applying good design
principles and engineering practices and focusing
on prevention through training and awareness
initiatives, review of process safety systems, and
regular inspection and maintenance programs.
This includes the turnaround activities that took
place on a number of our Gulf platforms over the
reporting period with the objective of ensuring
the integrity of our facilities and equipment.
Investigating root causes
We record and investigate spills that do occur
to determine the root cause – be it worker error,
equipment failure, process deficiency or other
cause. We learned a great deal from the 2010 spill
and made advances in response technology and
systems. We continue to focus on incorporating
what we have learned into further strengthening
technical requirements for BP operations that
drill in deep water and are sharing our knowledge
with the industry and regulators. Among other
initiatives, BP is supporting the Marine Well
Containment Company with containment
Number of hydrocarbon spills
knowledge and equipment and is a permanent
member.
Enhanced response requirements
New BP deepwater drilling operations must
have access to capping equipment, must
pre-plan their relief well and must be ready to
demonstrate to our safety and operational risk
function, as well as to the regulator, that oil spill
contingency plans account for all foreseeable
risks. Plans must include measures to mitigate
reasonably foreseeable environmental and
economic consequences, including worst case
events. In July 2012, BP issued enhanced group
requirements for oil spill preparedness and
response planning and for crisis management
that we are integrating into our Gulf operations.
Tracking our performance
We rigorously track all spills to help understand
common issues or trends that may be occurring
across the region. The figures reported here
reflect liquid hydrocarbon spills of any size
(excluding the Deepwater Horizon spill) and
chemical spills with volumes that meet the
reportable quantities set by regulators. The
figures reflect spills for which BP is listed as the
responsible party.
The number and volume of chemical spills
continued to be low, with one spill measuring six
gallons in 2010 and no spills in 2011 and 2012.
Hydrocarbon releases, which formed the
majority of BP spills over the reporting period,
declined in number and volume between 2010
and 2012. There were 46 spills with a total
volume of 582 gallons of hydrocarbon-containing
liquids in 2010 (excluding the Deepwater Horizon
spill) compared to 16 spills with a total volume of
17 gallons in 2012. Our continued emphasis on
process safety was a significant contributor to
this decline (see ‘Seeking solutions’ on page 10).
Volume of hydrocarbon spills (gallons)
700
50
600
40
500
30
400
20
Data note
Data on the number and volume of hydrocarbon spills
exclude the oil spilled in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon
accident.
300
10
200
0
100
2010
2011
2012
2010
2011
2012
Spills
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
13
Waste
We are committed to reducing waste from our offshore operations
and managing the waste we do produce so that it will not pose
harmful risk to the workforce, communities or the environment.
We develop plans for handling waste from our
facilities in compliance with federal and state
laws and our operating management system.
Solid waste must be transported back to land
for disposal. Minimizing waste production
through reducing, reusing and recycling efforts
is essential. Waste remaining is disposed at
licensed landfills with proper engineering and
site management processes for the waste
they receive. Some materials designated
for onshore disposal, such as some drilling
wastes, go to a deep cavern injection site rather
than a landfill. A third-party auditing program
ensures that treatment and disposal facilities
appropriately manage waste on our behalf.
Managing non-hazardous waste
When products such as used paint and paint
thinner remain after maintenance activities, we
dispose of them onshore through our hazardous
waste management program, which follows strict
EPA protocols. Above: A painter works on
Thunder Horse.
The majority of waste generated by our offshore
facilities qualifies as non-hazardous, which is
either recycled/recovered for other uses or
disposed. Our non-hazardous waste includes
scrap metal; maintenance wastes such as used
oil, oily rags and filters (where the oil meets nonhazardous requirements); and municipal trash
generated by personnel living on the platforms.
Our recycling efforts in 2012 included a new
training program on the Marlin platform to
improve understanding of recycling opportunities.
All of our platforms and two of our contracted
MODUs participate on behalf of BP in the
voluntary Recycle the Gulf program. The program
redirects municipal trash (such as cardboard,
plastic, aluminum and tin) from the landfill.
Converting waste to
useful energy
Some of the waste from our offshore activities
gains a new purpose through waste-to-energy
processes provided by companies that convert
waste into useful energy. Energy generated in this
way provides an important contribution towards
reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.
For example, one initiative sees used oils from
our platform activities – such as motor, hydraulic
and cooking oils – sent to a facility that blends
them into a high-temperature combustion fuel
for steam-generated electricity that goes into the
electrical grid. Solids, such as absorbents and
filters that have been in contact with processed
oils (e.g., hydraulic oils), are also processed into a
high-temperature combustion fuel for steamgenerated electricity.
Some of our used liquids classified as hazardous
waste go to another fuels-blending facility that
turns them into a fuel used in cement kilns.
Waste (tonnes)
Hazardous waste disposed
Non-hazardous waste recovered/recycled offsite
Non-hazardous waste disposed offsite
9000
8000
7000
Waste
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
Reuse efforts included work with a local port
commission to redirect excess dry cement
from our operations to a coastal restoration
program for use in erosion control. We also
sent used liquids, such as ethylene glycol and
oily water, to a facility that recycles the liquid by
reclaiming the oil and ethylene glycol for resale.
In 2012, all of our platforms implemented
an enhanced hazardous waste segregation
process for absorbent materials, such as
absorbents and oil rags, to minimize the
potential comingling of waste types and
help to ensure safe handling. Improving our
segregation process has the potential to
expand recycling efforts at our platforms.
Managing hazardous waste
Examples of hazardous waste from our offshore
operations include certain painting wastes, drilling
chemicals and production chemical residue.
We send most hazardous waste to shore
for proper disposal at licensed sites.
However, some hazardous wastes – such as
batteries and fluorescent lightbulbs – meet
the EPA definition for ‘universal wastes’
that can be recycled at licensed facilities.
Some liquids are disposed through wasteto-energy programs (see box at left).
Tracking our performance
The data reported here include waste from
drilling and other activities performed by
third parties providing services to BP. Some
waste classed as ‘exploration and production
exempt’ by the EPA (such as produced sand)
is captured in the non-hazardous waste
categories while some (such as drilling mud)
is captured in the drilling wastes data in the
figures section at the end of this report.
The small component of our waste categorized
as hazardous waste disposed increased from
less than 1% in 2010 to 2% of our overall waste
in 2012. We also experienced an increase in
non-hazardous waste disposed. These increases
are attributable in part to increased drilling by the
end of the period and increased maintenance.
6000
5000
4000
We saw a decline in the rate of nonhazardous waste recovered/recycled over
the reporting period. This relates in part to
a change in some waste streams in 2012,
which led to disposal through offsite deep
well injection rather than recycling.
3000
2000
1000
2010
14
Over 2010-2012, BP’s contribution to Recycle
the Gulf was more than 400 tons. We also work
with waste contractors to recycle materials
such as plastic buckets and scrap metal.
2011
2012
Way forward
The Gulf of Mexico is one of the world’s most significant energyproducing basins. It is a key element of BP’s global portfolio and we
are privileged to work here.
13 years
of ISO 14001 certification.
That privilege comes with great responsibility
to ensure that we develop the Gulf’s energy
safely and with care for the environment.
As outlined in this report, we are committed
to pursuing continuous improvement
of our environmental performance in
accordance with our operating management
system and the ISO 14001 standard.
We are undergoing preparations for
several audits during 2013 with focus
on compliance and environment.
We will use results from these audits
and other processes to help ensure that
we have the appropriate systems and
tools in place for effective management
of our environmental footprint in the Gulf
of Mexico as we move forward.
We are also committed to continuing to
report our environmental performance
publicly through reports such as this externally
verified environmental statement.
A contractor and a BP operator at work in an offshore production module.
Cindi Skelton
Vice President,
Safety and Operational Risk,
BP Gulf of Mexico
_______
Our enduring objective is to sustain an
environment of safe, compliant and reliable
operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
As we pursue this objective, we are
committed to continuously improving the
leadership, capability and capacity of our
organization.
Way forward
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
15
Verification statement
DET NORSKE VERITAS
CERTIFICATION, INC.
1400 Ravello Drive
Katy, TX 77449 USA
Phone: 281 396.1000
Fax: 281 396.1903
August 30, 2013
BP Gulf of Mexico
200 Westlake Park Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77079
Det Norske Veritas has independently reviewed the BP Gulf of Mexico Verified Environmental
Statement 2010-2012 and conclude it represents a true and fair reflection of the environmental
programs and performance from 2010 through 2012.
We have found no statements in this report which we have been unable to substantiate and verify
through observations, visit and review of the appropriate systems.
Ismael Belmarez
Accreditation Manager
Houston, Aug 30, 2013
16 Verification statement
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
BP in the Gulf of Mexico in figures
Data on our environmental performance from 2010 to 2012. aaa
Environment
Number of hydrocarbon spills b
Volume of hydrocarbon spills b (gallons)
Number of chemical spills d
Volume of chemical spills d (gallons)
Greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e, tonnes) e
Greenhouse gases per 1,000 boe (CO2e, tonnes) h
Sulfur oxides (tonnes)
Nitrogen oxides (tonnes)
Ozone-depleting substances (kilograms) i
Flaring (tonnes) j
Produced water discharged (tonnes)
Oil in produced water discharged (tonnes)
Discharge of production chemicals (tonnes)
Hazardous waste disposed (tonnes)
Non-hazardous waste disposed offsite (tonnes)
Non-hazardous waste recovered/recycled offsite (tonnes)
Drill cuttings discharged to water (tonnes) k
Drill cuttings disposed to land (tonnes) k
2010
46 c
582 c
1
6
1,106,982 f
8
84
6,443
1,564
32,498
5,162,156
102
2,466
39
6,402
1,298
33,804
6,481
2011
20
9
0
0
870,522
9
66
5,265
1,177
43,220
4,552,415
74
2,962
41
6,788
1,578
0
0
2012
16
17
0
0
1,065,026 g
12
144
8,803
884
69,865
3,920,141
67
2,151
166
6,564
1,022
4,902
13,504
2010
384
5
2011
261
0
2012
214
11
Performance
Production (BP net, mboed) l
Number of wells drilled m
Notes to figures
a Data are gross and are limited to facilities at BP’s major
offshore operating sites in the Gulf of Mexico, unless
otherwise indicated. Data are reported as of February 2013. All
2010 figures exclude data related to the Deepwater Horizon
accident and response activities. Greenhouse gas emissions
and flaring related to the Deepwater Horizon accident are
discussed in note f below. Figures in this report include data
from the Pompano platform until February 2012 and from the
Holstein, Horn Mountain and Marlin platforms until the end of
2012, unless otherwise stated.
emissions presented on a BP equity share basis from both
BP-operated and non-operated entities in which BP has a
share. The data include volumes from platforms, emergency
equipment aboard platforms, MODUs and support vessels.
This data is more comprehensive than emissions reported
through the EPA which requires us to report GHG emissions
from platforms only. This data also differs from EPA-reported
levels because of differences in flaring calculation methods
(see note j on flaring).
f b Hydrocarbon spills are defined as any liquid hydrocarbon
release that reached the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Figures
reflect spills for which BP is listed as the responsible party. The
number and volume of spills reported here may differ from
those reported through agencies with different spill criteria.
c This data does not include the oil spilled in the Deepwater
Horizon accident.
Estimated greenhouse gas emissions and flaring associated
with the Deepwater Horizon accident and response are not
included in the figures presented in this report. However,
BP has estimated the gross CO2 equivalent emissions from
response activities to be approximately 481,000 tonnes.
We have estimated the gas flared during the response to be
approximately 56,000 tonnes.
d Chemical spills are defined as those that reach reportable
quantities required by regulators. Figures reflect spills for
which BP is listed as the responsible party.
g Greenhouse gas totals, reported on a net equity share basis,
do not include Pompano for 2012 or Horn Mountain, Marlin
and Holstein for December 2012 as BP no longer had an
equity share in those platforms during those periods.
e Greenhouse gas emissions data are net, direct GHG
h
Greenhouse gases per 1,000 boe figures are calculated based
on net, direct GHG emissions and BP net share of production.
i Ozone-depleting substances reported here include
hydrofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons.
j
Flaring data in this report differ from levels reported for EPA
compliance because of different calculation methods. The EPA
requires reporting based on projections from previous years
while the figures in this report are based on actual data from
the reporting year as per BP group conformance requirements.
k Drilling wastes data are recorded in the year of completion
of the well, not the year of drilling. For example, if a well is
drilled in 2011 but not completed until 2012, the drill cuttings
discharged to water or disposed to land for that well will be
recorded in 2012.
l
Production figures are BP net share of production of oil, natural
gas and natural gas liquids and include volumes from both BPoperated and non-operated entities in which BP has share. The
production totals do not include data from Pompano for 2012
and from Holstein, Horn Mountain and Marlin in December
2012 as BP no longer had an equity share in those platforms
during those periods.
m A well is reported as drilled once it has reached total depth.
BP in the Gulf of Mexico in figures
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
17
Acronyms and glossary
3-D
Three dimensional.
Barrel
42 US gallons.
boe
Barrel of oil equivalent – a unit of energy based on the approximate energy released by burning one barrel of crude oil.
BOEM
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
BSEE
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
CO2
Carbon dioxide.
CO2e
Carbon dioxide equivalent – greenhouse gas emissions, including methane emissions, are converted to the quantity of CO2
that would create an equivalent warming effect.
Code of conduct
BP’s commitment to integrity, summarizing our expectations and standards for employee behavior.
EIA
Environmental impact analysis.
EPA
US Environmental Protection Agency.
Flaring and venting
Ignited (flaring) and unignited (venting) release of natural gas into the atmosphere. Flaring and/or venting of gas can be required in oil and gas operations to ensure the facility operates safely.
Fossil fuels
Fuels, such as oil, natural gas and coal, which result from the decay of dead plants and animals over millions of years.
GCRO
BP’s Gulf Coast Restoration Organization.
GHG
Greenhouse gas emissions – gases which are believed to contribute to climate change. This occurs through natural processes such as decomposition, but also through human activities such as transport using internal combustion engines. In BP, GHG refers to the sum of our operations’ carbon dioxide and methane emissions, expressed as CO2 equivalent.
Gulf
Gulf of Mexico.
Hydrocarbons
Consisting only of carbon and hydrogen, hydrocarbons are the main components of fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal and natural gas.
IMT
Incident management team.
ISO 14001
A standard from the International Organization for Standardization which sets out the requirements for an environmental management system. ISO 14001 certification requires an audit by a competent external party.
LOPC
Loss of primary containment – any unplanned or uncontrolled release of material, excluding non-hazardous releases (such as water), from a tank, vessel, pipe or other equipment used for containment or transfer.
mboed
Thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day.
MODU
Mobile offshore drilling unit.
NOx
Nitrogen oxides.
NPDES
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
OMS
Operating management system – BP’s framework of processes, standards and practices to help deliver consistent performance, progressing to excellence, in operations and safety.
Operational integrity
Managing plant and equipment throughout their life cycle to prevent injury to people or damage to the environment through loss of containment, structural failure or unintended release of stored energy.
Process safety
Prevention of leaks, spills, equipment malfunctions, over-pressures, excessive temperatures, corrosion, metal fatigue and other conditions.
Produced water
Mainly salty water trapped in the reservoir rock and brought up along with oil or gas during production.
PXP
Plains Exploration and Production Company.
S&OR
BP’s safety and operational risk organization.
SOx
Sulfur oxides.
Tonne
A unit of measurement equalling 1,000 kilograms or 2,204.6 pounds.
Turnaround
A planned, periodic shutdown (either total or partial) of a facility in order to perform maintenance and repairs, and to inspect, test and replace materials and equipment.
ULSD
Ultra-low sulfur diesel.
Upstream
The exploration, production and transport of oil before refining.
Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
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Cautionary statement
The BP in the Gulf of Mexico Verified Environmental Statement
2010-2012 contains certain forward-looking statements with
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No part of this Verified Environmental Statement or bp.com/
sustainability constitutes, or shall be taken to constitute, an
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and must not be relied upon in any way in connection with any
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Verified Environmental Statement 2010-2012
© BP p.l.c. 2013