Beijing has yet to give the final say on a oil spill at a ConocoPhillips-operated oilfield
China is considering overhauling regulations on joint offshore oil exploration with foreign companies, a Chinese newspaper reported on Monday, despite Beijing having yet to give the final say on a oil spill at a ConocoPhillips-operated oilfield.
The proposed revisions, led by the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR), would nail down the supervisory responsibilities of various government departments, the China Daily reported, citing unnamed sources.
Government departments including the MLR, the National Energy Administration, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the State Oceanic Administration all have some jurisdiction over offshore activities.
The proposed amendments, which are being discussed by officials and experts and may be sent to the State Council this year for approval, also include detailed penalties for environmental damages, the report said.
Current regulations, introduced in 1982, lack specifics on the obligations and responsibilities of the government and companies when accidents occur, the report said.
China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC), the country’s only firm authorized by the government to carry out domestic offshore oil exploration activities with foreign companies, has said that all oil spill sources had been sealed at the Penglai 19-3, China’s largest offshore oil producing field.
CNOOC holds a 51 percent stake of the 168,000 barrel-per-day oilfield, while ConocoPhillips owns 49 percent and acts as the operator.
Source: Reuters
