ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the international regulation, prevention and management of marine environmental pollution generated by the offshore oil and gas industry. The unique processes required to locate, extract, process and export oil and gas in the offshore generate risks of marine environmental pollution. Massive oil spills occurring in the wake of well blowouts, often vividly portrayed by the media, illustrate the industry's potentially devastating and irreversible impacts on the marine environment. The chapter describes the specific processes involved at all stages of offshore oil and gas exploration and production that creates risks of marine environmental pollution. MARPOL 73/78 as amended is the primary international convention regulating the prevention and control of vessel-source marine environmental pollution. Dumping waste from an offshore platform into the sea and disposing of or abandoning the platform itself during the decommissioning process are potential sources of marine pollution.
