CHARM Clause Samples

CHARM. The Offshore Chemical Notification Scheme (OCNS) conducts hazard assessments on chemical products that are used offshore. The Chemical Hazard Assessment and Risk Management (CHARM) model calculates the ratio of Predicted Effect Concentration against No Effect Concentration (PEC: NEC), and is expressed as a Hazard Quotient (HQ), which is then used to rank the product. The HQ is converted to a colour banding (see Table 1 below), which is then published in the Definitive Ranked Lists of Approved Products, Excel format (ZIP, 437.75 KB, updated 28 May 2018). The PEC is estimated for a standard platform with a standard mixing zone and a standardised estimate of tidal advection. PEC also takes into account standard chemical usage rates and includes an estimate of the fraction released (based on oil-water partitioning data). NEC is derived from the results of standardised acute toxicity tests, using an application factor of 10-1000 (the selection of the application factor is built in to the model and reflects the type and quantity of toxicity data available). Data used in the CHARM assessment include toxicity, biodegradation and bioaccumulation, and the model is divided into 4 main algorithms: Production, Completion / Workover, Drilling and Cementing. Although the current OCNS is based on hazard assessment, it remains primarily a ranking system; the actual HQ values are dependent on assumptions about the size of the mixing zone and on the rate of dispersion, and these assumptions will not be valid for the Caspian. However, the rankings remain valid for any consistent set of assumptions and will therefore provide a reliable indication of relative environmental effects for all water bodies. Table 1 The OCNS HQ and Colour Bands Minimum HQ value Maximum HQ value Colour banding >0 <1 Gold Lowest Hazard Highest Hazard ≥1 <30 Silver ≥30 <100 White ≥100 <300 Blue ≥300 <1000 Orange ≥1000 Purple