Publication Abstract

The Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Regulation of Chemicals used on Offshore Oil and Gas Installations

The Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Regulation of Chemicals used on Offshore Oil and Gas Installations

Edward J. Smith* and Anthony J. Millais*

Climate change scenarios for the United Kingdom indicate annual average temperature increases of 2.5 to 4.2°C by the 2080’s; wetter winters, and drier summers with the largest relative changes in the south and east where summer precipitation may decline by up to 40%.  Sea levels are also expected to rise around the UK by between 12 and 76 cm by 2090’s. All climate change models broadly agree on the outcome for the climate over the next 50 years. These changes will cause wide-ranging impacts to both aquatic and terrestrial eco-systems. We present a summary of the effects of climate change on aquatic marine ecosystems and identify what the possible changes will be to the marine ecosystem by 2080. How the fate of chemicals in the marine environment may be affected by climate change; how other stressors under climate change could modulate the effects of contaminants; and lastly whether the regulations currently in place are sufficient to protect the environment in the 2080’s.

Edward J. Smith* and Anthony J. Millais*

RSC / EOSCA CHEMISTRY IN THE OIL INDUSTRY XI: Regulation Meets Innovation - Moving Forward, 2-4 November 2009, Manchester Conference Centre, UK