Control and prevention of marine pollution from offshore hydrocarbon and mineral resources exploration and production activities

This chapter examines the global international legal regime relating to marine pollution from offshore oil and gas activities. The issue of the prevention and control of marine pollution from offshore petroleum and mineral resources operations has been the subject of international law, including global and regional legal instruments, and national law and policy responses. Offshore hydrocarbon and mineral resources exploration and production are a major global economic development activity. The Law of the Sea Convention, with 168 parties, is the most comprehensive international treaty, and one of the most influential global treaties relating to the protection of the marine environment. Besides international and regional treaties, international customary law may have a secondary role in creating binding principles for the protection of the marine environment including from offshore hydrocarbon operations. The principal legislation in Australia governing offshore oil and gas exploration and production is the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006.