Which petroleum extraction regulations apply to your business

Petroleum extraction — crude oil (SIC 06.10) and natural gas (SIC 06.20), onshore and offshore — is a high-hazard industry. The regime has three layers: a petroleum production licence from the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), a process-safety stack built on the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and upstream petroleum taxation on ring-fenced profits. On top of those sit site-specific controls — the offshore safety-case regime, COMAH for onshore major-hazard establishments, environmental permits and OPRED offshore oil-pollution permits — that bite by installation type or inventory threshold.

This guide gives you the picture before you start: which regimes apply, which regulators enforce them and where to go for the detail.

What you need to do

Work through the guides below in order. The spine covers your workplace duties and employing people; the licensing, permits and major-hazard guide covers the petroleum licence, offshore safety case, COMAH, environmental permits, OPRED permits and upstream taxation; and the checklist lets you confirm you have covered everything.

Your guides

• Set up and run a safe petroleum extraction operation — the universal spine
• Get the licences, permits and meet major-hazard duties — licensing, permits, COMAH, offshore safety case and upstream taxation
• Petroleum extraction: compliance checklist — confirm you have covered everything