We evaluate the risk of spills occurring and potential impacts while taking numerous precautions to prevent spills and mitigate impact. Specialized designs, operating procedures, routine maintenance of our facilities, verifications and process safety best practices play a key role in protecting the environment where we operate. We have dedicated spill prevention teams in areas with high activity and sensitive ecosystems. If a spill does occur, established practices and resources are employed to control and mitigate the impact. We are also focused on strengthening our critical incident risk management capability through our systematic, multi-tiered approach to emergency preparedness and crisis management. Hydrocarbon spills impacting a sensitive area and spills greater than 100 barrels are immediately reported to our corporate office.

In 2021, we experienced four hydrocarbon spills to the environment greater than 100 barrels. Three spills occurred on land in the U.S. Lower 48 and one occurred on land in Canada, resulting in approximately 700 barrels being released with an 81% recovery rate. None of our spills in 2021 impacted a shoreline.

The number of hydrocarbon spills to the environment greater than one barrel increased in 2021. We had 178 spills that were greater than one barrel, with 148 of those between one and 10 barrels. Sixty four percent of the volume of our spilled material was fully recovered.

The increased spill counts are reflective of the significant increase in U.S. operated production during 2021. View our Performance Metrics . We continue to enhance our spill prevention processes and focus on the importance of process safety.

Read more about our Process Safety culture.

Spill Response and Mitigation

We have both internal and external resources to assist with spill remediation and response. Our investment in spill response technologies includes membership in Oil Spill Removal Organizations (OSROs) across the globe, which affords us access to substantial inventories of, and the latest advances in, proven response equipment.

In the Gulf of Mexico, we are members of two OSROs, Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC) and Clean Gulf Associates (CGA) . Our Alaska business unit has memberships in two large OSROs, including Alaska Clean Seas (ACS) and Ship Escort/Response Vessel System (SERVS) for our exploration and production operations on the North Slope and our Polar Tanker operations in Prince William Sound, respectively. Our membership in MSRC, as well as a contract with the National Response Corporation (NRC) , provides coverage for our Polar Tankers operations along the U.S. west coast.

In addition to our U.S.-based OSRO memberships, the company also belongs to Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) and Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies (NOFO) . OSRL provides global substantial response resources staged at various locations around the world, whereas NOFO, also with significant resources, provides regional OSRO support for our Norway operations. We are also members in other, somewhat smaller, local OSROs associated with many of our global operations.

Read more about our Emergency Preparedness .