EU OFFSHORE DIRECTIVE: A GUIDELINE IN EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES IN CYPRUS

ABSTRACT

At the last decades significant concerns were raised regarding safety of offshore oil and gas operations (especially after Macondo Accident). Thus, EU has introduced the Directive 2013/30/ EU on Safety of Offshore Oil and Gas Operations that also have to be ratified from Cyprus. This thesis identifies all critical aspects set in the new Offshore Safety Directive and through the review of European and local legal framework, Oil and Gas Operators HSE procedures and Management Systems, literature and dedicated interviews, provides guidance on the hydrocarbon activities licensing process in Cyprus and on aspects to be implemented for the most efficient function of local authorities and operators under the new Directive. The research indicated that only few critical aspect introduced from the new Directive are not in place in Cyprus. In specific, 4 critical aspects out of 23 are not covered from the Local Authorities and 2 out of 20 are not fully covered from existing operators in Cyprus (eni Cyprus case). The research finally provides recommendations regarding the independent verification scheme, the risk assessment methodology, the formation and functioning of authorities and their competencies, the emergency response planning, the major hazard report (safety case), the operators competency assessment, the public participation activities, HSE Management System issues (policies), historical database formation, reporting formats, oversight activities and relevant issues to the implementation of the requirements of the new Directive in Cyprus.