Environmental effects of North Sea oil operations

To appreciate the impact of large-scale industrial operations on the marine environment requires a range of scientific studies which ideally should include physical, chemical and biological surveys of the various environmental compartments likely to be contaminated, linked with experiments designed to detect and quantify effects. More finely focused studies can then provide an evaluation of the impact. In relation to North Sea oil activities, this type of approach suggests that at present significant offshore contamination is found only in the sediments close to platforms using oil-based drilling muds.