The activities regulations § 72a

§ 72a Leaving of waste, equipment and other material

Leaving waste and other material in the marine environment that can cause damage and inconvenience to the environment, is not permitted without permission from the Norwegian Environment Agency.
For exploration drilling, all permanently mounted equipment that is visible above the seabed, such as wellheads, must be removed after use.
Section last changed: 01 January 2021

Prohibition of leaving waste and other material on the seabed as mentioned in the first subsection, is a clarification of the Pollution Control Act (in Norwegian only) Sections 7 and 28. The Norwegian Environment Agency will pursue a strict practice in processing applications for leaving waste and other material and will only exceptionally grant permission for this. The operator is recommended to contact the Norwegian Environment Agency in connection with the assessment of whether abandonment in specific cases will cause damage and inconvenience to the environment and before the application for abandonment is submitted. With regard to the prohibition of dumping, reference is made to the Pollution Control Regulations (in Norwegian only), Chapter 22.
The Norwegian Environment Agency may grant exemptions from the provision in the second subsection in accordance with the Framework Regulations Section 70. This can only be granted if special and unforeseen reasons as a result of structural damage or similar challenges, can be documented. The Norwegian Environment Agency is bound by the OSPAR Convention In this respect.