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Offshore Technology Report Series

OTO 2001/55 OSD hydrocarbon release reduction campaign Report on the hydrocarbon release incident investigation project -1/4/2000 to 31/3/2001

This document reports the initial findings of an Offshore Safety Division (OSD) initiative in 2000-2001 to investigate all reported offshore hydrocarbon releases. The main objective was to analyse the size, type and causes of the releases, to provide information useful to industry and OSD regarding ways of reducing the number of releases. The project forms part of an ongoing OSD initiative aimed at reducing the number of "major" and "significant" releases by 50% by April 2004. The results for the year to 31 March 2001 showed a 10% reduction in the total number of major and significant releases, but a 50% increase in the number of minor releases. The main failed safeguard identified was inspection/monitoring, suggesting that effective plant abd operating stats checks, along with good personnel supervision, are significant factors in preventing releases.

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