Consultation on the applicability of integrated pollution prevention and control to onshore oil exploration activities

Overview

This consultation concerns the proposed amendment of the interpretation and application of Part A(1) of Section 1.2 of Part 2 of EPR Schedule 1. The proposal seeks to clarify that paragraph 4 of Part A(1)(h), the loading, unloading, handling or storage of, or physical, chemical or thermal treatment of  crude oil, Stabilised crude petroleum, does not apply to activities for which a petroleum exploration and development licence has been issued by the Minister pursuant to the Petroleum Act 1998.

This activity has the potential environmental impacts set out in Appendix 1 of the consultation paper. Exploratory activities are of limited duration and the volume of oil extracted is low relative to that extracted during the production life of the well and so the regulatory burden associated with obtaining a Part A(1) permit under the EPR is disproportionate to the environmental risk. Moreover, there are other regulatory controls on oil exploration which provide protection for the environment as set out in Appendix 2 of the consultation paper.

Why we are consulting

We are consulting on proposals to clarify that Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) do not apply to oil exploration activities on land. This is because these activities are already effectively regulated by other regimes which protect the environment.