Notification of offshore chemicals used in oil and gas activities

Special rules apply to the registration of hazardous substances that are used in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Chemical substances or materials that are used in the offshore oil and gas industry are covered by the OSPAR guidelines and must be notified or re-notified in the Product Registry in accordance with the OSPAR guidelines before use. OSPAR is a commission that aims to protect and conserve marine animals and plants.

How to notify

Notification of offshore chemicals must be submitted via a special registration form from OSPAR called an HOCNF form (Harmonised Offshore Chemical Notification Format). The form is available on the Cefas website

The form is to be filled out and uploaded along with the electronic notification to the Product Registry via OnlineAT.

When notifying offshore chemicals, you must include the exact composition of the substance as well as its ecotoxicological properties in accordance with the OSPAR guidelines.

When the notification has been filled in and submitted, the Product Registry will automatically provide you with a PR number that confirms your registration of an offshore chemical.

Note that substances or materials for use in offshore oil and gas industry must be re-notified in the Product Registry every three years.

Recommandations on HOCNF - Cefas - docx

Guidelines for completing the HOCNF - Cefas - docx

Other relevant links and documents - Cefas

How to access the Product Registry

User Guide to the Product Register - pdf

What is the information used for?

Information regarding the composition of the substance as well as its ecotoxicological properties is registered in the Product Registry. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency uses this information when an operator applies for a discharge permit for offshore chemicals.