IMCA publishes Recommended Code of Practice on Environmental Sustainability for marine contractors
The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) launched in May its Recommended Code of Practice on Environmental Sustainability (IMCA ES 001).
The code sets expectations for the marine contracting industry in managing key environmental and climate topics associated with offshore marine construction.
Key topics that are covered in Recommended Code of Practice on Environmental Sustainability (IMCA ES 001) include:
- Environmental sustainability principles;
- Scope and regulatory content;
- Significant environmental aspects; and
- Strategic objectives and target setting.
A section measuring and monitoring industry progress is also included, and appendices cover multi-stakeholder initiatives and commitments; key environmental aspects found in global frameworks and standards where illustrative KPIs can be found; and carbon intensity indicator proposed proxies for the industry.
“Feedback from our 2021 membership survey reinforced that we were on the right track in emphasizing the importance of environmental sustainability and the energy transition,” IMCA CEO Allen Leatt said. “Almost 90% confirmed that was critical or very important in IMCA’s strategy, and more than four-fifths acknowledged their client base is increasingly using environmental sustainability in evaluating contractors and suppliers.
Click here for the Recommended Code of Practice (free to IMCA members).
BOEM releases 5-year assessment on OCS resources
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in May released the 2021 National Assessment, an estimate of the undiscovered, technically and economically recoverable oil and natural gas resources outside of known oil and gas fields.
Published every five years, the National Assessment represents BOEM’s current understanding of the distribution of undiscovered oil and gas resources on the OCS. Any changes from previous assessments reflect additional data acquired up to the cutoff of 1 January 2019.
BOEM estimates mean undiscovered technically recoverable resources (UTRR) of 68.79 billion bbls of oil and 229.03 trillion cu ft of gas in the OCS. The 2016 assessment estimated a mean UTRR of 90.55 billion bbls of oil and a mean UTRR of 327.58 trillion cu ft of natural gas.
Of BOEM’s four regions, the 2021 estimates of UTRR for the Gulf of Mexico showed the most change from 2016, due in part to the refinement of field size distributions and the estimated number of prospects for some mature geologic plays, particularly on the shallow-water shelf.
The findings are derived from analyzing each geologic play across the OCS and assigning a probability for the existence of undiscovered oil and gas resources for individual plays. Play results are then aggregated up to regional results and, eventually, a total OCS estimate.
Click here to access the National Assessment.
US industry launches Onshore Safety Alliance
The Onshore Safety Alliance (OSA) was launched on 22 June with strong support from IADC, its member companies and other industry organizations. The OSA is a voluntary coalition committed to reducing serious injuries and fatalities in US onshore upstream operations. Through the sharing of best practices to identify and reduce risks, OSA participants are dedicated to advancing personal and process safety to reach the shared goal of reducing these incidents.
This coalition is open to all organizations engaged in onshore natural gas and oil exploration and production operations. There is no cost to participate.
Click here to learn more about the OSA.
CAODC adopts new name to reflect expanded mandate
The Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAODC) has adopted a new name after extensive member and industry consultation. After 72 years, the CAODC has become the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC) to reflect its expanded mandate and leading role in the oil and gas, hydrogen, helium, geothermal, and carbon capture, utilization and storage sectors.
As it now transitions to the CAOEC, the association will aim to embrace its role in an evolving energy landscape while recognizing all the important work done on behalf of the Canadian drilling and service rig sector over many decades.
IADC issues comment on leasing ban block
On 15 June, the Biden Administration’s suspension of new oil and gas leases on federal land and waters was blocked by a federal judge in Louisiana. IADC President Jason McFarland issued the following statement in response:
“IADC is encouraged by the court’s decision to hold the Department of Interior accountable to well-established federal law requiring oil and gas lease sales, and urges the department to move quickly to act on the court’s determinations. The federal leasing ban imposed by the Administration has only served to hamper the recovery of the America’s energy workforce following the COVID-19 pandemic, and each day it persists creates more and more uncertainty for drilling contractors and their partners throughout the upstream energy supply chain. IADC members stand ready to meet the world’s growing energy needs and are hopeful that the Administration will move swiftly to hold oil and gas leases sales on federal lands and waters, in accordance with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and Mineral Leasing Act (MLA).” DC
