Life below water is key for sustaining life above water

another NEMS iNsight by Anette Jæger

At NEMS we do not only believe in providing good systems for our clients, we also believe in the need for climate action. That is why we have aligned ourselves towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals(UNSDGS). 

The Ocean

The ocean cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface, they contain 97 per cent of the Earth’s water, and represent 99 per cent of the living space on the planet by volume.

Saving our ocean is one of the utmost importance. Marine biodiversity is critical to the health of people and our planet. Marine protected areas need to be effectively managed and well-resourced and regulations need to be put in place to reduce overfishing, marine pollution and ocean acidification.

Zero Discharge a goal for Norwegian O&G Industry

The offshore oil and gas industry has had a high focus on marine impacts from their operations for many years in Norway. This is much due to the zero-discharge goal that was established in Norway in 1996-1997. The goal is in line with Goal 14 of the sustainable development goals, and has been amended and updated several times, resulting in a high reduction in use of environmentally harmful chemicals offshore. When these regulations were implemented, the industry was encouraged to start testing and categorize chemicals used offshore.

Enter NEMS CHEMS

In 1997 the first HOCNF was registered in NEMS’s first offshore chemical database (CHEMS). This has aided the offshore industry to come very close to the zero-discharge goal.

The NEMS chemicals database has made the NEMS accounter program possible, here the operators keep track of all use and discharge of chemical products in addition to production, emission and waste information. This way the oil and gas industry have a full overview over their direct impact on the environment, which leads to easier decision-making. A clear overview of all activity makes it easy to identify which areas are best to focus on with regards to discharge and emission reduction. (Compliant with the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard’s Scope 1 reports).

What's next for NEMS Chemicals?

As the focus on environmental impact in the oceans increases the range of data featured in NEMS Chemicals increases. These days new regulations for OSPAR entails further focus on Microplastics and Nanoparticles in the water. This issue has been increasing exponentially over the years and there is a clear need to reduce the amount of plastics and nano particles introduced to the marine environment.

NEMS Chemicals is suited for all countries that are interested in using the same approach to reduce discharge of offshore chemicals that are harmful to the marine environment. Used in combination with NEMS Accounter companies have control over their polluting activities.  This way we strive to be a part of the solution to UNSDGS Goal 14 - Life below water.