Introduction

Stakeholder event

In November 2002, UKOOA held its first dialogue event to gain feedback from a broad range of stakeholders and to assist in setting its sustainable development strategy. It was intended to hold such events every two years, to complement discussions with NGOs at the UK Offshore Forum, as well as other consultations on specific issues when they arise.

This dialogue event was repeated on 19th April 2005, facilitated by the Environment Council. Over 80 stakeholder organisations, including the wider industry, government, NGOs, academics, workforce representatives and community groups, were invited to the event. About 30 individuals attended, but some groups were not adequately represented; of particular concern was the absence of the Trade Unions and environmental NGOs. However, the output from that event was circulated to all those initially invited to encourage "offline" dialogue.

The meeting discussed the results from the Policy Studies Institute's research (see next section), the industry's challenges, the 2004 SD progress report and topics which should be included in the 2005 report. The latter was more fully discussed in the afternoon session, from which the following points emerged:

Jobs, economy, safety & social responsibility

• Workforce capacity, capability and transferability
• Need labour market study – now being compiled
• Transferable skills/technology is an important positive legacy
• Need to explain better the contribution the sector makes to the UK in fiscal and voluntary social contributions
• Need to develop and report more engaging safety statistics
• That people/workforce can relate to
• That provide effective leading indicators
• Need better explanation of changing UK offshore industry and new entrants

Marine discharges, noise, CO2 emissions and sequestration

• Encourage joint working (with government agencies and NGOs) on baseline studies and other research, to develop agreed measures
• Demonstrate commitment to marine environment by continually improving discharges to the point of agreed no-harm
• Need strategic review of R&D programme
• Information on measures to prevent major discharges e.g. spills
• Need to address perceptions of 'zero harm'
• UKOOA should put forward its view of what the Marine Act should include
• Acoustic discharges, noise, should be included in UKOOA's strategy and reporting. It should be set in context with other noise discharges
• CO2 sequestration debate needs NGO input

Decommissioning

• Articulate the industry picture – need to improve public understanding
• Commitments/responses to regulatory needs
• Forward scenarios and industry impact
• Actions being taken to address issues
• Legacy issue; who is responsible, what is left behind and its impact on other users of sea (especially fishermen's safety)
• Development of capacity and capability to decommission
• New players on scene, their impact on perceptions/responses
• Tracking of actions
• Suspended E&A wells (being decommissioned)
• Platforms being removed (and outcome)

PSI Methodology

• 2005 report should explain interactions between the three arms of SD and that individual issues are not considered in isolation. The lack of public understanding of the industry reinforces a perception that decisions are driven purely by economics. Similarly, external environmental concerns are often pursued as single issue policies. The PSI methodology provides a practical means to apply SD in all decision making
• Important that public policy decisions are taken in view of full/adequate understanding of the facts. It is therefore better if industry is active in influencing the debate
• PSI methodology was developed for this sector and applicability to other sectors would need to be tested through a comparative study