Environment
The Oil Search Core Environmental Objective is to “ensure that all Oil Search activities are planned and managed to ensure minimum environmental impact”
Oil Search has a simply stated goal – to cause no damage to the environment.
The company operates its production interests in a pristine environment in Papua New Guinea, requiring close attention to the physical and social aspects of its business.
Oil Search manages its environmental performance through the implementation of its Health, Safety and Environment Management System.
The company undertakes all necessary steps to ensure that environmental issues are considered prior to and during the various stages of any development and that appropriate controls are put into place to either prevent or mitigate adverse environmental impacts.
This approach is achieved through the use of Environmental Risk Assessments, which form an integral part of Environmental Management Plans developed for all new and existing projects.
Ultimately the Environmental Management Plan provides Oil Search and its contractors with a written plan that sets out the performance objectives and standards against which environmental performance will be measured.
Oil Search environmental performance objectives and standards outlined within the Environmental Management Plan are audited on a regular basis to demonstrate that environmental commitments are being met.
The Company also undertakes monitoring programmes on all atmospheric emissions and discharges its operational activities make to the environment. Under this framework the Company reported zero environmental incidents during 2002. All discharges made to the environment from Oil Search activities were within licence and regulatory limits.
As part of its commitment to environmental responsibility the company undertakes comprehensive communication programmes, involving government, the community, stakeholders and other interested parties. These are undertaken prior to a new development to ensure that all concerns of other parties are adequately addressed. Arrangements are also made for on-going consultations during the various phases of the Company’s activities.
Oil Search also recognises that its environmental responsibility does not end on completion of its operational activities. Emphasis is placed on the rehabilitation of all areas disturbed by its exploration and production activities. As such rehabilitation and revegetation programmes were carried out on all well sites during 2002. These programmes (which may include reforestation) are developed to ensure that the Company’s and the community expectations and requirements are achieved.
Click here to view photos of Oil Search in the PNG Community
Oil Search’s Environmental Policy, which is displayed in all the Company offices, is as follows:
Oil Search, its officers, employees and agents must:
- incorporate the planning for and management of environmental risks into the management of each of its projects and activities;
- comply with all environmental laws and regulations and, where appropriate, apply more stringent Company standards;
- communicate openly and positively with interested parties on environmental matters;
- conduct operations in an energy efficient manner.
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