Article removed: North Sea oil spills exceed safe level - activists

Update 8th August 2023: This article originally reported that we had been exclusively shown data and accompanying analysis from the energy campaigning group Uplift, which suggested that between 2017 and 2022, 22,000 metric tonnes of oil were discharged in UK waters.

As we also explained in our reporting, companies are allowed to release some oil as a by-product of routine production and are given permits that allow discharges.

However Uplift's analysis of the data, which they obtained through Freedom of Information requests to the offshore oil and gas regulator, the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED), suggested that the data showed that 42% of the releases for this period breached these permits.

On the 24th April this article was temporarily withdrawn while we investigated concerns about the accuracy and interpretation of the data, following confirmation from OPRED that they had identified errors in their databases, meaning the data they provided contained clerical errors which overstated discharge levels.

Uplift separately updated their In Deep Water report to acknowledge "a small coding error" in their analysis and to advise that "There may also have been an error in Uplift's analysis of OPRED'S data - stemming in part from OPRED's formatting and disclosure of data - which we are currently seeking to resolve with OPRED."

In the course of this investigation, OPRED provided BBC News with new figures, which were also later revised.

OPRED has since confirmed that a review of its data showed that less oil - 13,567 metric tonnes - was released in UK waters between 2017 and 2022. It also said its data showed that 6.1% of oil released was not permitted. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said:

"Opred has been reviewing the data, updating its systems and working on updated guidance for operators to prevent administrative errors and improve consistency in how data is reported and analysed".

Given the original errors with the data, and the fact that these figures continue to be a source of dispute, we have taken the decision to permanently remove the online article and to make clear that OPRED's data does not show the figures and percentages we originally reported on TV, radio and online.

We have also published an update on our Corrections and Clarifications page.