The U.K. government has drafted regulations for implementation of the European Union's environmental impact assessment directive, which could lead to greater public access to operators' offshore work plans.
Announcing the draft regulations in parliament, Science, Energy, and Industry Minister John Battle said, "Implementing the directive for oil and gas projects will give the public improved rights of access to information about projects likely to have significant effects on the environment and make the decision process more open than it is now.
"This should give people greater confidence that consent decisions are being made on the basis of proper science and thorough evaluation. The draft regulations would implement the directive as it applies to consents for offshore oil and gas projects including drilling, production, development, and pipeline construction."
Greenpeace claims
Government and industry have been accused by environmental campaign group Greenpeace of failing to reveal exploration plans for the West of Shetland area, the subject of a lawsuit that was to be heard by the U.K.'s High Court on July 24.
Greenpeace Executive Director Peter Melchett said, "It is no coincidence that the Department of Trade and Industry announces this measure the week before Greenpeace forces government into the High Court to defend its environmental record in the Atlantic Frontier.
"Sadly these guidelines do not affect the major oil developments on the Atlantic Frontier at Schiehallion and Foinaven, and neither do they affect the massive program of seismic testing that is currently going ahead in 22,000 sq miles of ocean off northwest Scotland.
"These regulations have been required under European law since 1988, and government has consistently failed to implement them. The announcement of these measures proves that government was in breach of European law, which is the subject of an official complaint by Greenpeace to the European Union."
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