PARCOM: Definition and Relationship to OSPAR Convention

What Is PARCOM?

PARCOM was the Paris Commission established under the 1974 Paris Convention to regulate land-based pollution sources affecting the North-East Atlantic, operating alongside the separate Oslo Commission (OSCOM) until both bodies merged in 1992 to form the unified OSPAR Commission that now governs offshore chemical use, drill cuttings discharge, and marine environmental protection for oil and gas operations across the European Continental Shelf.

Key Takeaways

PARCOM (Paris Commission) and OSCOM (Oslo Commission) merged in 1992 to create the current OSPAR Commission under the unified OSPAR Convention.
The PARCOM chemical classification lists — Green, Grey, and Black — were the direct predecessor to OSPAR's current HMCS (Harmonised Mandatory Control System) colour-coded classification.
PARCOM Recommendation 89/5 first established the principle of substituting hazardous offshore chemicals with less harmful alternatives, a precursor to OSPAR's elimination targets.
Industry references to "PARCOM lists" in legacy drilling fluid documentation refer to the pre-1992 classification system now superseded by OSPAR HOCNF approvals.
The PARCOM framework's influence persists in current OSPAR structure: contracting parties, reporting obligations, and chemical assessment methodology all trace directly to PARCOM precedents.

PARCOM History and Transition to OSPAR

The Paris Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Land-Based Sources entered into force in 1978, with the Paris Commission (PARCOM) as its governing body. For offshore oil and gas, PARCOM's most significant contribution was developing the chemical notification and classification system that required operators to characterise all offshore chemicals before use. PARCOM published its first lists of substances acceptable, restricted, or banned from discharge in the late 1980s, using Green (acceptable), Grey (restricted), and Black (banned) classifications — the three-colour logic that OSPAR's later HMCS retained and refined.

The Oslo Convention (1972) had separately established the Oslo Commission (OSCOM) to regulate dumping at sea. By the early 1990s, the overlap between PARCOM and OSCOM mandates — particularly around drill cuttings and offshore waste — had become operationally awkward for regulators and industry. The 1992 OSPAR Convention merged both commissions into OSPAR, with the first ministerial meeting in Paris establishing the unified framework. The OSPAR Commission formally replaced both PARCOM and OSCOM on 25 March 1998 when the required number of contracting parties ratified the 1992 Convention.

PARCOM Legacy in Current Drilling Practice

References to PARCOM in drilling fluid literature and well documentation typically appear in older field development plans, legacy mud programme designs, and chemical product data sheets from before 1998. A chemical described as "PARCOM Green List approved" carries the legacy classification from the pre-OSPAR system; operators should verify whether a current OSPAR HOCNF approval exists for the same product before using it in North-East Atlantic waters. Some service companies maintained both PARCOM and OSPAR classification data during the transition period, but all current regulatory submissions require OSPAR HOCNF format.

Fast Facts

PARCOM's 1989 Recommendation 89/5 on the reduction and elimination of discharges of dangerous substances from offshore sources was the first international regulatory instrument to apply the substitution principle to offshore chemicals — requiring operators to demonstrate that no safer alternative existed before using a restricted substance. This precautionary principle, introduced by PARCOM more than 30 years ago, remains the foundation of OSPAR's current hazardous substance elimination strategy.

Tip: If you encounter "PARCOM approved" or "PARCOM Green List" on a chemical product data sheet, treat it as historical documentation only. The PARCOM classification system has had no regulatory standing since the OSPAR Commission superseded it in 1998. Confirm the product holds a current OSPAR HOCNF approval in the specific contracting party (Norway, UK, Denmark, Netherlands, or Ireland) where it will be used. Regulators including Miljodirektoratet (Norway) and CEFAS (UK) will not accept PARCOM classifications as evidence of compliance on any current offshore well programme.

PARCOM is also known as:

Paris Commission — the full name of the intergovernmental body that administered the Paris Convention prior to the 1992 merger
OSPAR — the successor body that replaced PARCOM; current regulatory references use OSPAR exclusively
Paris Convention — the 1974 treaty that established PARCOM; distinct from the 1992 OSPAR Convention that superseded it

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PARCOM still active?

No. PARCOM was superseded by the OSPAR Commission in 1998 when the 1992 OSPAR Convention entered into force. All regulatory functions previously carried out by PARCOM are now performed by OSPAR. References to PARCOM in current industry documents are historical; no regulatory submissions, chemical notifications, or discharge permits are processed under the PARCOM framework.

What were the PARCOM chemical lists?

PARCOM published three lists classifying offshore chemicals by environmental hazard: the Green List (substances acceptable for use and discharge offshore), the Grey List (substances requiring strong regulatory control, including heavy metals such as zinc, lead, and chromium), and the Black List (substances banned from discharge, including mercury, cadmium, and persistent petroleum hydrocarbons). These lists were the operational predecessor to OSPAR's current HOCNF colour classification system.

Why PARCOM Matters in Oil and Gas

PARCOM matters primarily as historical context: understanding that current OSPAR environmental standards for North Sea drilling fluid selection, chemical notifications, and cuttings discharge trace their origins to the PARCOM framework helps petrophysicists, drilling engineers, and environmental compliance teams interpret legacy well documentation accurately. A drilling programme designed under PARCOM rules in the 1980s or early 1990s will reference chemical products, discharge standards, and approval processes that have since been updated or replaced. Knowing that PARCOM became OSPAR — and that OSPAR tightened the chemical standards significantly — explains why legacy fluid formulations that were once compliant would require reformulation under current North Sea regulatory requirements.