February 19th, 2026

Safety in Numbers: How a Sector-Wide Partnership is Rewriting the Rulebook

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EU offshore safety Directive adopted

A new EU Directive on the safety of offshore oil and gas operations has been adopted in direct response to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico disaster.

The Directive 2013/30/EU – which was released in the Official Journal of the European Union 28 June 2013 – came into force 20 days following publication.

It is has been crafted with the aim of reducing major accidents relating to offshore oil and gas operations, as well as limiting the consequences of such accidents.

Key facts about the Directive:

As an offshore oil and gas operator in the EU, here’s a few handy things to bear in mind:

• EU Member States within offshore waters must transpose the Directive into national legislation within two years
• Existing installations have until 19 July 2018 to enact the new requirements
• Operators within EU Member States must ensure all suitable measures are taken to prevent major accidents
• The Directive sets down minimum conditions for safe offshore exploration and exploitation
• The Directive improves the response mechanisms in the event of accidents

What to do next:

View the official Journal of the European Union

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