Planning and Conducting Surface Preparation and Coating Operations for Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Production Facilities in a Marine Environment (FIRST EDITION)
Worldwide@ marine exploration@ production@ development and decommissioning operations are conducted from a variety of structures (installations@ as defined herein). These installations must be inspected periodically and maintained in order to assure structural integrity and minimize pollution risks. Maintenance of an offshore structure@ regardless of its classification@ necessarily includes blasting and coating activities. The purpose of this publication is to establish practices and procedures that should be followed to minimize the discharge of spent blast abrasive@ and paint overspray to the surrounding waters during these activities@ to meet the spirit of MARPOL Annex V. Additionally@ any maintenance waste which is captured must be properly packaged and shipped to shore for disposal. This publication also addresses procedures to contain and capture maintenance waste@ including@ but not limited to@ spent blast abrasive and associated materials@ during such maintenance activities on marine structures. The safety of personnel is the most important consideration for all work activities. Consequently@ any blasting and coating work conducted shall consider the safety of personnel as paramount. Other types of discharges that may be permitted by various regulatory authorities@ are outside the scope of this document. These would include (1) discharges in compliance with a relevant governmental permit (e.g.@ the applicable provisions of the U.S. Clean Water Act or the applicable sections of European Community [EC] Dangerous Substances Directives)@ (2) discharges resulting from circumstances identified and reviewed and made part of the public record with respect to a permit issued or modified and subject to a condition in such permit@ and (3) continuous or anticipated intermittent discharges from a point source@ identified in a permit or permit application which are caused by events occurring within the scope of relevant operating or treatment systems