Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Oil Pollution in the North Sea pp 283–306Cite as

Conclusions

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 843 Accesses

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 41))

Abstract

This chapter examined Bonn Agreement annual statistics from aerial surveillance activities between 1986 and 2010 and examines the levels of flight hours for observed and confirmed oil spills in the North Sea. It also looks at the results of EMSA CleanSeaNet satellite imagery for the region between 2007 and 2011 for observed and confirmed spills. In terms of observed spills, there has been a significant decline in the numbers of spills and volume of oil entering the marine environment over more than two decades. This is also the case for discharges from oil and gas installations, where OSPAR Commission monitoring data identifies a very large fall in operational discharges from installations over the last decade in particular. The decadal OSPAR Quality Status Reports have also identified improvements in the region while identifying areas for further action in reducing oil inputs still further, especially from ageing oil and gas infrastructure. Projects such as Bonn Agreement BE-AWARE have mapped and identified the risk of oil pollution across the region, while Bonn-OSINet and COSIweb have resulted in improved methods to not only identify the make-up of an oil spill but also to increase the likelihood of matching samples from a spill to samples from potential sources. Beached bird surveys also provide a tool in monitoring not only the impacts of large spills from accidents but also levels of chronic oil pollution in coastal and offshore areas. The results of investigations into oil pollution in the waters of Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany are discussed, while an examination of the legal structure for monitoring and dealing with oil pollution in UK waters is presented. Legislative measures such as the MARPOL Convention, EU Directive on Port Reception Facilities and national legislation have contributed to a reduction in oil being discharged through operational activities from ships, while accidental spills have also been reduced as a result of better vessel standards and improved traffic management in the southern and eastern North Sea. While illegal discharges continue to present a problem and there remains a need to reduce pollution in offshore areas, it is clear that there has been a significant improvement in the state of the North Sea in terms of oil over several decades.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Dr. Gerhard Dahlmann worked previously at Bundesamt fur Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie (BSH; Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency) in Hamburg, Germany, and contributed to the chapter on Bonn-OSINet with permission from BSH. He subsequently retired from his post at BSH in early 2015.

References

  1. North Sea Region Programme (2007) The North Sea region programme 2007–2013 – background. http://archive.northsearegion.eu/ivb/content/show/&tid=96

  2. North Sea Task Force (1993) North Sea quality status report 1993. Oslo and Paris Commissions, London

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bonn Agreement (2010) North Sea manual on maritime oil pollution offences. http://www.bonnagreement.org/site/assets/files/1081/north_sea_manual_on_maritime_oil_pollution_offences-1.pdf

  4. European Commission (2015) Eurostat Maritime Transport statistics – short sea shipping of goods. First published April 2015, last updated 16 June 2015. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Maritime_transport_statistics_-_short_sea_shipping_of_goods

  5. European Commission (2015) Eurostat Maritime ports freight and passenger statistics. First published January 2015, last updated 16 June 2015. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Maritime_ports_freight_and_passenger_statistics

  6. American Association of Port Authorities (2014) Port industry statistics: world port rankings 2013. http://www.aapa-ports.org/Industry/content.cfm?ItemNumber=900

  7. OCEANA (2003) The dumping of hydrocarbons from ships into the seas and oceans of Europe. The other side of oil slicks. Report November 2003. http://oceana.org/publications/reports?field_region_tid=All&field_campaign_tid_selective=All&language=All&page=27

  8. International Maritime Organization (2015) International convention for the prevention of pollution from ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1987 (MARPOL 73/78). IMO, London. http://www.imo.org/About/Conventions/ListOfConventions/Pages/International-Convention-for-the-Prevention-of-Pollution-from-Ships-(MARPOL).aspx

  9. Bonn Agreement (2015) Agreement for cooperation in dealing with pollution of the North Sea by oil and other harmful substances. Full text of the 1983 Agreement and subsequent amendment leading to the accession of Ireland into the Agreement. http://www.bonnagreement.org/eng/html/welcome.html

  10. Bjerkemo OK, Huisman J (2015) Bonn agreement actions to eliminate illegal and accidental oil pollution from ships in the North Sea. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bonn Agreement (2014) Bonn agreement: area-wide assessment of risk evaluation (BE-AWARE) website. http://www.bonnagreement.org/be-aware

  12. Bonn Agreement (2012) Bonn agreement aerial operations handbook 2009 (revised version of 2 April 2012). http://www.bonnagreement.org/site/assets/files/1081/ba-aoh_revision_2_april_2012-1.pdf

  13. Carpenter A (2015) Monitoring oil pollution from oil and gas installations in the North Sea. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil Pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  14. Bonn Agreement (1986–2013) Bonn agreement aerial surveillance programme: annual reports on aerial surveillance (1986–2013). At the time of publishing reports for the years 2008 to 2013. http://www.bonnagreement.org/publications

  15. Carpenter A (2015) OSPAR review of the state of the north sea: oil inputs and their impact on the marine environment of the North Sea. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil Pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bonn Agreement (2010) Bonn agreement aerial surveillance programme: annual report on aerial surveillance for 2009. http://www.bonnagreement.org/publications

  17. European Commission (2002) Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2002 establishing a European Maritime Safety Agency. Off J Eur Communities, L208/1-9 of 5.8.2002. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2002:208:0001:0009:EN:PDF

  18. EMSA (2011) SafeSeaNet/vessel monitoring system synergies pilot project (Updated 09.09.2014). EMSA, Lisbon, http://www.emsa.europa.eu/operations/cleanseanet/items/id/1326.html?cid=206

    Google Scholar 

  19. EMSA (2014) Network of stand-by oil spill response vessels and equipment. Handbook 2014. EMSA, Lisbon. http://emsa.europa.eu/oil-recovery-vessels/opr-documents/opr-inventories/item/1439-network-of-stand-by-oil-spill-response-vessels-and-equipment-handbook-2014.html

  20. EMSA (2014) The CleanSeaNet service: taking measures to detect and deter marine pollution. EMSA, Lisbon. http://emsa.europa.eu/publications/information-leaflets-and-brochures/item/2123-the-cleanseanet-service.html

  21. Carpenter A (2015) European maritime safety agency CleanSeaNet activities in the North Sea. In: Carpenter A (2015) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  22. Bashek B, Gade M, van Bernem K-H, Schwichtenberg F (2015) The German operational monitoring system in the North Sea: sensors, methods and example data. In: Carpenter A (2015) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  23. EMSA (2011) CleanSeaNet first generation report. EMSA, Lisbon (updated 09.09.2014). http://www.emsa.europa.eu/operations/cleanseanet/items/id/1309.html?cid=206

  24. OSPAR Commission (2000) Quality status report 2000: region II – greater North Sea. OSPAR Commission, London. http://qsr2010.ospar.org/media/assessments/QSR_2000_Region_II.pdf

  25. OSPAR Commission (2010) The quality status report 2010. OSPAR Commission, London. http://qsr2010.ospar.org/en/index.html

  26. OSPAR Commission (2001) Discharges, waste handling and air emissions from offshore installations for 1998–1999. For 1984–1999 data follow the link to the excel file “98_99 offshore report tables and figures.xls”. p 10. http://www.ospar.org/v_publications/download.asp?v1=p00131

  27. OSPAR Commission (2012) Discharges, spills and emissions from offshore oil and gas installations in 2009, including assessment of data reported in 2008 and 2009. http://www.ospar.org/documents/dbase/publications/p00566/p00566_2008_2009%20assessment%20on%20offshore%20discharges.pdf

  28. OSPAR Commission (2000) OSPAR decision 2000/3 on the use of organic-phase drilling fluids (OPF) and the discharge of OPF-contaminated cuttings. Summary Record OSPAR 2000. OSPAR 00/20/1-E, Annex 18. Copenhagen, 26–30 June 2000

    Google Scholar 

  29. OSPAR Commission (2001) OSPAR recommendation 2001/1 for the management of produced water from offshore installations. OSPAR Commission, Valencia. London

    Google Scholar 

  30. OSPAR Commission (2011) OSPAR reference method of analysis for the determination of the dispersed oil content in produced water. Agreement 2005-15 (Amended in 2011). OSPAR Commission, London

    Google Scholar 

  31. Bellefontaine N, Johansson T (2015) The role of the international maritime organization in the prevention of pollution from ships: North Sea Special status area. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  32. IMO (2015) International convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage (CLC) 1969, as replaced by the 1992 protocol. http://www.imo.org/en/About/Conventions/ListOfConventions/Pages/International-Convention-on-Civil-Liability-for-Oil-Pollution-Damage-(CLC).aspx

  33. European Commission (2009) Directive 2009/123/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 amending Directive 2005/35/EC on ship-source pollution and on the introduction of penalties for infringements. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:280:0052:0055:EN:PDF

  34. Christensen L, Carpenter A (2015) Oil pollution in the waters of the Danish North Sea. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  35. Schallier R, Van Roy W (2015) Oil pollution in and around the waters of Belgium. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  36. Camphuysen C J (Kees), Vollaard B (2015) Oil pollution in the Dutch sector of the North Sea. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  37. Donner P, Johansson T (2015) Oil pollution in the waters of the UK North Sea. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  38. Danish Ministry of the Environment (2013) Marine Environment Protection Act (Consolidated Act No. 963 of 3 July 2013 on the Protection of the Marine Environment). https://www.retsinformation.dk/forms/r0710.aspx?id=145889 (in Danish)

  39. Camphuysen CJ (2007) Chronic oil pollution in Europe. A status report. International Fund of Animal Welfare. 88 pp. http://www.ifaw.org/sites/default/files/Chronic%20oil%20pollution%20in%20Europe.pdf

  40. Seys J, Offringa H, Meire P, Van Waeyenberge J, Kuijken E (2002) Long-term changes in oil pollution of the Belgian coast: evidence from beached bird monitoring. Belg J Zool 132:111–118

    Google Scholar 

  41. European Community (2008) Directive 2000/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2000 on port reception facilities for ship-generated waste and cargo residues. Consolidated version with 2002, 2007 and 2008 amendments. 13 pp. http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/waste_management/l24199_en.htm

  42. Bonn Agreement (2015) Bonn agreement history and key milestones: multilateral agreements. http://www.bonnagreement.org/about/history

  43. Schiller H, van Bernem C, Krasemann H (2005) Automated classification of an environmental sensitivity index. Environ Monit Assess 110:291–299

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. van Bernem C, Doerffer R, Grohnert A, Heymann K, Kleeberg U, Krasemann H, Reichert J, Reichert M (2007) Sensitivitätsraster Deutsche Nordsee II – Aktualisierung und Erstellung eines operationellen Modells zur Vorsorgeplanung bei der Ölbekämpfung. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht 2007/2, pp 196

    Google Scholar 

  45. Gade M, Alpers W, Hühnerfuss H, Masuko H, Kobayashi T (1998) The imaging of biogenic and anthropogenic surface films by a multi-frequency multi-polarization synthetic aperture radar measured during the SIR-C/X-SAR missions. J Geophys Res 103:18851–18866

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Gade M, Scholz J, von Viebahn C (2000) On the detectability of marine oil pollution in European marginal waters by means of ERS SAR imagery. In: Proceedings of the international geosciences remote sensing symposium (IGARSS), IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, pp 2510–2512

    Google Scholar 

  47. Camphuysen CJ (Kees), Heubeck M (2015) Beached bird surveys in the North Sea as an instrument to measure levels of chronic oil pollution. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  48. Camphuysen CJ, van Franeker JA (1992) The value of beached bird surveys in monitoring marine oil pollution. Techn. Rapport Vogelbescherming 10, Vogelbescherming Nederland, Zeist, 191 pp

    Google Scholar 

  49. Stowe TJ (1982) Beached bird surveys and surveillance of cliff-breeding seabirds. RSPB report, Sandy

    Google Scholar 

  50. Furness RW, Camphuysen CJ (1997) Seabirds as monitors of the marine environment. ICES J Mar Sci 54:726–737

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. BDC (2003) OSPAR convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic, Annex 4: 2003–2005 work programme for the north sea pilot project on ecological quality objectives. Meeting Biodiversity Committee, Dublin, 20–24 January 2003, Dublin

    Google Scholar 

  52. Camphuysen CJ (2003) North Sea pilot project on ecological quality objectives, issue 4. Seabirds, EcoQO element F. Proportion of oiled Common Guillemots among those found dead or dying. CSR Report 2004–011, Texel, 26 pp

    Google Scholar 

  53. Bonn Agreement (2014) Bonn OSInet – Bonn Agreement oil spill identification network of experts. http://www.bonnagreement.org/osinet

  54. Dahlmann G, Kienhuis P (2015) Oil spill sampling and the Bonn-Oil spill identification network – a common method for oil spill identification. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  55. Kostianoy A, Lavrova OY (2014) Conclusions. In: Kostianoy AG, Lavrova OY (eds) Oil Pollution in the Baltic Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 27. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

    Angela Carpenter

Authors
  1. Angela Carpenter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Angela Carpenter .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

    Angela Carpenter

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Carpenter, A. (2015). Conclusions. In: Carpenter, A. (eds) Oil Pollution in the North Sea. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 41. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2015_442

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation