Offshore installation security
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Offshore installation security is the protection of maritime installations from intentional harm.[2] As part of general maritime security, offshore installation security is defined as the installation's ability to combat unauthorized acts designed to cause intentional harm to the installation.[2][3][4][5] The security of offshore installations is vital as not only may a threat result in personal, economic, and financial losses, but it also concerns the strategic aspects of the petroleum market and geopolitics.[6][7]
Offshore installations refer to offshore platforms, oil platforms, and various types of offshore drilling rigs. It also is a general term for mobile and fixed maritime structures which includes facilities that are intended for exploration; drilling; the production, processing, or storage of hydrocarbons, and other related activities regarding the processing of fluids lying beneath the seabed.[8][2] Offshore installations are most commonly engaged in drilling actions located in the continental shelf of a country and form a major part of the petroleum industry's upstream sector.[9]
Whilst records of security incidents date to the 1960s, the matter did not appear in academic writings until the early 1980s .[10][11] A milestone is the 1988 SUA Act & Protocol which criminalized crime or violence against ships or fixed platforms.[2][12] After the September 11 attacks in 2001, there was increased awareness of possible threats in the offshore energy sector.[13][14] Threats [15][16][17] stem from sources such as pirates, environmental extremists, and other criminals, and they may vary in gravity and frequency.[2][10] There are a variety of protective mechanisms in place, and these range from international legal frameworks to specific industry planning and responses.[18][17]