bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health Management Contract Guidance for Operators and Contractors
Authors: Barbey Alex , Hodgins Paul , Sharples Phil , Schunder-Tatzber Susanne , Mohammed Halim , Mika Frano , Jones Stephen , Dusadi-Isariyavong Asadang , Kostareli Artemis
Published: March 2016

Practical guidance is presented concerning the checklist developed by the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues from IPIECA and the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) for health management plan development and implementation that should be applied by operators and contractors during a contracting process that includes a health component.

There seems to be a gap in the operator and contractor relationship with regards to the health and hygiene responsibilities and expectations of both parties. There is no road map, user-friendly tool, or guideline to assist the operator and the contractor with regards the health and hygiene aspect of the work flow.

An effective health management system reduces or prevents health-related accidents, injuries, and illness, and, most significantly, loss of life. It can also reduce or prevent disruptions in operations. The effectiveness of the health management system in the workplace relies on active and positive collaboration among operators, contractors, and their subcontractors.

Practical guidance is presented for the development and implementation of all contracts that include a health component as determined by risk assessment. The aim is to promote transparent and effective health management communication in contracts to complement existing IOGP HSE Management – Guidelines for Working Together in a Contract Environment, Report No. 423. This current guidance covers health management system elements and requirements and examines the establishment of clearly defined roles and responsibilities among operators and contractors.
Noise and Vibration Database on Handheld Tools
Authors: Ognedal Tønnes A. , Klovning Reidulf
Published: March 2016

One of the main results from a project to develop best practices of interventions aimed to reduce noise-induced injuries in the Norwegian petroleum industry is a unique, publicly available, database for noise and vibrations from handheld tools. This database also includes one simple and one advanced calculator for noise and vibration exposure.

The database contains today field measurements of noise and vibrations from around 300 handheld tools and vendor data from more than 200 handheld tools. The data are sorted in activities related types of tools, for instance "sand blasting" and "grinding". These again are put together in groups of processes; the two previous activities belong to the process "Surface cleaning". Statistical calculations make it possible to present the average value and the uncertainty for each collection of data. A high uncertainty may be the result when the noise varies a lot for different ways of handling the tool. The data in the database is useful in finding the best activity type for a certain process with respect to noise and vibration. It may also be used to find specific tools with low noise and low vibration levels. Thereby it may be possible to change one chosen activity by "substitution" with a less noisy one or find the best specific tool within the same group.

The calculators picks data from the field measurements in the database or you may use you own data. A simple calculator helps you to calculate the maximum allowed working time with a chosen type of activity or tool. With the advanced calculator, you can find the noise and vibration exposure for a combination of activities, and you can add contribution from the general noise level in the area.

The database with the calculators provides much more detailed evaluations than the normally used diagram methods. In most situations, this enables more effective worktime during the day. Taking into account the real uncertainty for each situation ensures a high degree of safety against overexposure. Therefore, the database contributes to better use of resources as well as better safety against noise-induced injuries.

The main project was carried out in 2012-2014 in cooperation between the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association (on behalf of the operators on the Norwegian continental shelf), the Federation of Norwegian Industries and the major unions in the Norwegian petroleum industry, organized as a tri-partite effort. The project provided helpful tools concerning area noise, helicopter noise, noise barriers, hearing protection and knowledge about reasons for hearing damages including improved systems for audiology monitoring, and the database presented in this paper.
Next Generation 3D Dropped Object Risk Assessment
Authors: Fossan Ingar , Pappas Jan A. , Nodland Sverre , Dhanabalan Shyam Sundar , Buhugni Anand , Shim Albert
Published: March 2016

Offshore operations are continuously heading towards deeper, harsher and more complex environment. As offshore infrastructure is increasingly being transferred to the seabed, it has become more critical to analyze dropped object risks accurately.

Traditionally, a two dimensional approach is used to estimate the risk of dropped objects. This method tends to involve the representation of subsea structures as simple geometrical shapes on a flat elevation. Coupled with selectively defining drop points based on engineering judgment, the risk picture of a hit on the structure from sinking objects is both limited and undervalued due to the limitations of this methodology. Selection and positioning of risers that extend deep into the ocean depths are plagued not only by its unique environmental conditions but also from the nature of its operation and connection points. The screening process involves risers with different profiles and properties, thus dissimilar exposures to dropped objects. This aspect is often overlooked due to the lack of visibility and may adversely impact facility design and resulting operational procedures.

This paper demonstrates the importance of applying innovation and taking advantage of technology to continually add value through enhancing safety with cost effective methods to drive more informed decisions for dropped object risk assessments. Lloyd's Register has packaged its years of experience in this domain into its new software to calculate the risk of exposure and damage to subsea structures such as hydrocarbon risers, umbilicals, mooring lines, subsea valves, templates and more. This methodology is compliant with existing industry practice and is further improved with intuitive visualization and a more comprehensive analysis of the dropped object risk. This new tool utilizes a continuous distribution of drop points defined by, but not limited to, topside crane specifications and their operating profiles. The impact of directional and magnitude of ocean currents on both floating and sinking objects are considered across the entire column. Automation of this task has led to new frontiers in performing parametric studies helping clients identify the risk drivers in the overall picture by introducing site-specific safety improvements for crane operations in the form of easy-to-use visual aids, optimized supply vessel approaches to offshore facility and optimization of subsea infrastructure layouts. These results are presented intuitively through the use of three dimensional plots, polar charts and more.
Fatigue In Fly In Fly Out Operations
Authors: Flower David , Arnulf Laurent , Kumarasamy Devan , Pelat Francois , Phillips Kimberley , Reeves Graham , Schunder-Tatzber Susanne , Steenman Gerald , Kostareli Artemis
Published: March 2016

This paper discusses the potential implications of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) operations is respect of fatigue on the health and performance of individual employees and the operational safety and efficiency in such oil and gas operations.

Several studies have shown that there is an association between working hours, shift work and workers’ health, alertness and performance. Fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) operations transport individuals temporarily to and from the worksite in geographically remote areas, crossing multiple time zones, instead of relocating the employee and their family. Following travel to a different time zone or a change from day shift to night shift, the circadian clock changes and needs time to adjust. During this adjustment period, employees’ alertness and decision-making ability is affected. FIFO workers invariably work shifts, with a 12-hour shift pattern being the most common, particularly in the offshore sector, with individuals often working without rest days during their tour of duty.

This paper defines fatigue, explores its impact on human physiology and introduces the challenges that fatigue presents for both workers and their families in the context of FIFO operations. Careful planning, travel management, diet, sleep environment, lifestyle management, and other important factors are necessary to address fatigue. Fatigue management systems need to be comprehensive and multidisciplinary in nature. Strong leadership support and stakeholder involvement are crucial elements in the implementation of a fatigue risk management system. In addition, training at both the management and operator level is critical to implement fatigue risk controls to adequately address the aspects of FIFO operations both in and outside the workplace.

The paper introduces an IPIECA-IOGP guidance document which provides managers with an outline of the fatigue issues inherent in FIFO operations and guidance on: the nature of fly-in, fly-out operations, travel, fatigue risk management systems, training, accommodation, sleep and fitness for task in relation to FIFO operations. The document includes an extensive and detailed checklist for all personnel with related responsibilities on how to manage FIFO operations and a fatigue impairment checklist for supervisors.
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility or Corporate Sustainability Responsibility
Authors: Smith Hans Christian , Litsheim Bosse
Published: March 2016

How can small and medium sized companies relate to these three letters that have such an extensive meaning? Should they develop a policy and system for meeting the requirements in UN Global Compact and/or the GRI – Global Reporting Initiative? How does personal experience influence the interpretation of policies and actions? What can be done to create meaningful policies and actions in a small and medium sized company to enhance its work with CSR?

In our Master of Management thesis, we have explored how a small business in the fjords of Norway worked with CSR. We interviewed several of its key personnel regarding how they understood CSR, what they did, how the employees in the company responded and how their customers responded to their efforts.
Safety Coach Concept: Creating a Culture of Learning
Authors: Lammerding Benedikt
Published: March 2016

Eliminating serious incidents, which includes both - personnel and process safety, remains the most important priority for E&P-industry. This requires a safety culture with an appreciation of a near miss reporting by everyone at each level of an organization.

In Germany ExxonMobil has implemented the Safety Coach Concept, a safety program that helps to engage employees and contractors on peer-to-peer level to share near misses and to learn from those with a higher potential.

To achieve these objectives more than 600 employees and contractors have been trained in small groups of eight to twelve people with a specific focus on hazard and risk identification, effective communication and awareness of personality types. One key objective is actively caring. Each employee - no matter to which company he or she belongs - has the obligation to raise concerns, intervene and stop work, if she or he feels that something is not safe. In this context it is important to provide positive and remedial feedback on near miss reporting and reward good sharing.

In addition company's safety representatives have become safety coaches with dedicated time to observe on a peer-to-peer level within the workgroups on a weekly basis. One of the key advantages is the creation of an environment of trust.

This paper describes the Safety Coach Concept and first results of the near miss reporting and personal accountability in Germany since 2014. It gives an overview about important tools to identify and understand hazards and risks, the so-called Life-Saving-Actions and Risk Tolerance Factors.

This paper gives an outlook on the next evolution of the concept with Process Safety Coaches. It is necessary to create an understanding of barrier health and effectiveness. An important tool is to define these barriers in an asset-specific register for major hazards. Another one is the development of key Process Safety Actions analog to Life-Saving-Actions.
"Sharing Love for Health & Safety," an Innovative Communication Campaign Designed to Create Workforce Engagement Through the Spread of Health and Safety Messages in Unconventional Ways
Authors: Scotti Davide , Matkin Darren , Ruffolo Simona
Published: March 2016

Scope of this paper is to share how Saipem has revolutionized (and continues to do so) the language used to communicate health and safety in the workplace, with the aim of instilling passion for these issues in its workers and encouraging them to always, first and foremost, think about how to protect their health and safety as well as those of the people with whom they live and work.

We knew we could not use conventional means of communication to reach this very challenging goal. We decided to find a way to bring a breath of fresh air to an industry that has historically based its communications on rational and procedural methods by innovating our language.

Another key factor for change was creating engagement and aggregation, bringing people together through their passion for health and safety and creating shared values within the company.

This is how health and safety at work became the focus of the "Sharing Love for Health & Safety" campaign which unleashed the creativity and enthusiasm of thousands of people around the world: they made extraordinary material using various artistic forms of expression (ranging from theatre to painting and photography); with the aid of multimedia, organized Flash Mobs; reinvented the Selfie fad and renamed it "Safe-Selfie;" and used famous songs that were inspired by the themes of life and safety.

The "Sharing Love for Health & Safety" campaign, launched by Saipem in 2012 on the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on the 28th of April, is revived each year with new ideas and trends.

The increasingly viral participation by Saipem employees in this initiative is the demonstration of the cultural change initiated by the company. The success of this campaign is the very proof of how a company population, with no sense of geographic or cultural boundaries, can feel united by their shared passion for life, health, well-being and safety.

By studying innovative tools, choosing new universal forms of expression and ways of coming together and aggregating, Saipem has distinguished itself as the company where thousands of people share the same values and focus primarily on health and safety at work.

Naturally the way ahead is long, but the seeds for generating a true cultural revolution have been firmly sown and are starting to germinate.
The Influence of Communicating on Safety Measures on Risk-Taking Behavior
Authors: Groeneweg Jop , Mors Emma ter
Published: March 2016

Risk-taking behavior is an important contributing human factor to incidents and notoriously difficult to influence. A basic premise of approaches to improving safety by putting in extra levels of protection (e.g. the Swiss cheese model) is that providing information on the number of layers in place does not influence the risk-taking behavior of employees. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that people have a "hard-wired" optimal perceived risk level: we compensate for risk-reducing measures by taking greater risks until the desired level of risk is again reached (risk homeostasis). The research presented in this paper shows that communicating the quantity of protection measures in place has a clear and substantial effect on risk-taking behavior and performance. Although the limitations of this study should be recognized, organizations might reconsider conveying detailed information to their employees on the number of safety measures adopted. Preserving ignorance among employees of the enhanced protection in place creates a stronger "safety buffer" as it reduces risk-taking behavior and improves employees’ efforts to make sure that the presumed "last" layer will hold. The practical implications for organizations on how to communicate effectively on safety measures will be discussed.
Stakeholder Engagement on Shale Gas in Europe: Has It Already Failed?
Authors: Chaîneau Claude-Henri , Lennock Jean
Published: March 2016

The production of natural gas from unconventional sources in the United States, and more generally North America, has put a spotlight on an industry that has been developing in the US for more than 30 years. This industry is a complex web of companies that produce, process and transport gas and oil. It has reshaped the energy supply market in North America and created a new business model. Since 2010, interest in unconventional gas has spiked in Europe with several companies revealing their interest in shale gas. The production of shale gas is characterised by the drilling and fracking of a large number of wells creating a significant footprint on the natural and human environment. This footprint and the perceived environmental impacts associated with it, have transformed engagement between companies and its stakeholders including advocacy groups, NGOs, academics, scientists and politicians. Relationships with communities living close to, or affected by, these activities have also been influenced by the public debate, on the ground protests and widespread communication of ‘facts’ by those against shale gas. The emotional debate has even spilled over into the media: some journalists and publications have become anti-shale gas activists in their own right. Politicians’ opinion appears to be balanced between the pros and cons. Oil and gas companies are increasingly forced to compete for space to present technical approaches, current or future economic benefits as well as their approach to managing positive and negative impacts. This is not facilitated by the ambivalence of elected politicians and government staff towards shale gas exploration. While a heated debate and anti-shale gas activism took place in North America during production, the European protest was in full swing in the early exploration phase. Total has experienced the opposition to shale gas in several countries. In France, a highly charged and emotional debate resulted in a moratorium on hydraulic fracturation and the cancellation of licenses. Having learnt from this experience at home, Total has consistently sought to, or encourage its partners to, proactively engage all stakeholders particularly local communities as well as opposition activists, take part in public debates at national and local levels, and demonstrate transparency through the disclosure of environmental and social studies, and the early sharing of information. However, the force of opposition and criticism remains undiminished and appears to be extending to conventional activities.
Global Environmental Baseline & Monitoring Survey GEMS - Over a Decade of Results Oriented, Monitoring and Assessing the Oil Industry Impacts on the Deep Offshore Environment Case study: Block 17- Girassol field
Authors: Martins Elcio , Manuel Mario , Merzi Thomas , Canovas Sophie , Guillou Anaïs
Published: March 2016

The aim of this paper is to present the Affiliate's environmental monitoring strategy and summarize results of indicators to follow up cumulative impacts on deep water environment, between 1998 and 2015, which proved to be rather low or negligible, and acceptable on the long term.

Since February 1998, when the first environmental baseline study (EBS) was performed (in Block 17: Girassol) to describe the initial state of the environment, the Affiliate has been conducting regular offshore monitoring campaigns with the aim of characterizing the water column, and marine sediments around existing installations and developing fields. These surveys are not limited to Block 17, but also extend to other Affiliate offshore blocks in Angola.

In March 2015, the Affiliate's most demanding Global Environmental Baseline & Monitoring Survey (GEMS) was completed, which covered six different offshore blocks, with a work scope ranging between EBS and EMoS (environmental monitoring survey), comprising 226 sampling stations for sediment and benthic macrofauna, 26 for seawater, 17 for phytoplankton and 8 for foraminifera. Another specificity of this latest GEMS was the scientific vessel that was shared among Operators through a joint agreement, of course with some legal and operational constraints considering the socio-geographic context of the project. Technically, besides the Affiliate's required guidelines and rules, the parameters to be tested also had to meet recent regulations from the Ministry of Petroleum. Physico-chemical and biological data obtained over the past 17 years have been used as indicators of environment quality, and its regular monitoring allows assessment of the sensitivity of the marine environment to petroleum activities.
Evaluating Possible Site Locations From a Social Perspective: Reducing Risks and Impacts
Authors: Lennock J. K. , Roeygens J.
Published: March 2016

For significant developments, particularly on greenfield sites, an evaluation of technically and financially feasible alternatives is recommended by international and industry organizations such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and IPIECA. From a social perspective, this evaluation is the opportunity to identify potentially significant social impacts of the development and how these may be avoided or reduced particularly through the choice of alternative project design elements or modified project locations. The process also facilitates early engagement with stakeholders on project design and impacts.

In two very different social contexts in Africa and Asia, two Total subsidiaries recently undertook a social evaluation of different potential site locations for major installations, well pads, and onshore pipeline routes. In both cases, the social context was complex and significant social impacts for the local population were likely. Risks to the Company's image and reputation were also highlighted. The methodology for the evaluation included the definition of three categories of screening criteria based on: potential interactions between the community and future project facilities, sensitivity of the receiving environment, and the capacity of the community to accommodate changes driven by project facilities. A range of sub criteria allowed a detailed description of the three criteria and a ranking according to a four level evaluation as well as an estimation of probability.

Potential avoidance and mitigation measures for the most significant impacts were identified where possible and, in one of the two cases, cost estimates were presented. While the methodology needed adapting according to the context, the overall approach proved to be robust in the identification of highly sensitive areas from a social perspective. In each case, it was possible to demonstrate social impacts leading to more significant social disruption and the risk of social disarticulation linked with certain sites compared to others. The ability to identify impacts on the population and, subsequently, risks and costs for the Company enabled the modification of preferred sites from a technical perspective in one case. In the second case, a parallel process was applied to evaluate the environmental sensitivities and a combined evaluation presented to the project team. This led to the ex-ante selection of sites with less social and environmental impact.

This paper will describe the methodology that was developed for the social evaluation and its application in two contexts. It adds to the existing body of knowledge on the social evaluation of potential site locations by outlining an approach that may be adapted to very different and complex social contexts.
Improving Environmental Performance by Sharing Information on Offshore Drilling Discharge Environmental Science and Drill Cuttings Treatment Technology
Authors: Zhang Changyong , Brom Roxanna , Getliff Jonathan , Smith Joseph P.
Published: March 2016

This paper describes literature reviews commissioned by the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) and initiated by the IOGP Drilling Waste Management Task Force that address recent environmental science related to the discharge of drill cuttings into the marine environment. The focus is on the environmental effects of discharge of cuttings drilled with non-aqueous drilling fluids, and recent developments in the technology of drilling waste management. The objectives of these reviews are to provide industry with information for improving environmental performance of offshore drilling and to facilitate communication between industry and stakeholders concerning environmental effects of offshore drilling and factors to be considered in decision making related to drilling waste management.

Environmental consultants were engaged to prepare an update of a 2003 review and synthesis of environmental fate and effects of drilling discharges and to prepare a review of recent technology developments applicable to the management of drilling waste. Information sources used in the preparation of the reviews included published and gray literature as well as discussions with industry and technology subject matter experts.

The concept of classifying base fluids according to aromatic content, introduced in 2003, continues to provide a useful framework for discussing the environmental effects of cuttings drilled with nonaqueous drilling fluids. Several large multiyear monitoring programs, covering operations in four geographic regions, where cuttings drilled with very low aromatic content base fluids were used, were reviewed as part of this effort. In most studies, recovery usually began shortly after drilling was completed and was often advanced within a year. Organic loading of sediments was a significant contributor to effects, suggesting that recently introduced treatment technology, such as centrifugal cuttings dryers and thermomechanical cuttings treatment systems, will improve environmental performance in offshore drilling by reducing the organic content of discharged cuttings. Differences among technologies in processing rates, power consumption, air emissions, and requirements for deckspace on drilling rigs are factors for consideration in the selection of cuttings treatment technologies. Sharing this information among companies involved in offshore drilling provides opportunities for improving industry environmental performance.
Outreach and Communication; Phase Two of the Joint Industry Project on Oil Spill Response
Authors: Nicoll A. , Cox R.
Published: March 2016

Following the Montara (2009) and Macondo (2010) oil spill incidents, the international oil industry has undertaken an unprecedented collective effort to apply the lessons from these and other oil spill incidents to improve the management and technical aspects of oil spill response. Over the last three years the IOGP/IPIECA Joint Industry Project (JIP) on Oil Spill Response has overseen 19 specific projects to enhance knowledge and understanding of good practice across a wide range of related technical disciplines. The legacy of this effort includes a comprehensive library of peer reviewed outputs ranging from scan/ glance technical overview products through the broad suite of 24 Good Practice Guides, and also includes a number of deep study-level technical papers and reports.

The challenge today is to inculcate this vast body of technical guidance into the awareness of decision makers through a coordinated programme of communication and outreach. The overarching aim is to raise levels of knowledge and understanding relating to the tools and techniques of oil spill response amongst opinion formers and decision-makers. In so doing, industry can overcome barriers that currently restrict / prevent access to use all available response tools, based on a scientific assessment of the most appropriate response strategies.

Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) is working with industry on initiatives designed to socialise these outputs within a broad range of stakeholders. Key steps on this journey include: Stakeholder Mapping: understanding the organisations where exposure to the new suite of technical outputs will offer the greatest strategic reward. OSRL has analysed a wide range of stakeholder organisations and rated them according to their respective influence to differentiate organisations that only require a passive awareness from those where coordinated engagement offers the greatest opportunity to influence decision makers.Influence Multipliers: Seeding knowledge and understanding from within, through expanding the network of technical experts and advocates from within Oil Spill Response Organisations (OSROs) and other aligned organisations in the responder community. This strategy can also be used by member oil companies of OSRL and the JIP to reach deeper into these organisations to where oil spill response is not a core discipline.Leverage existing forums: Ensure the JIP outputs are firmly embedded in the activities of the IMO / IPIECA Global Initiative (GI) and also make more effective use of national and regional oil industry associations and other response community networks to give appropriate exposure to the JIP outputs.

This paper will discuss each of these ongoing initiatives and will highlight the successes that have been achieved and the challenges that remain.
Hammerfest LNG Plant in Norway - Significant Local Value Creation
Authors: Darell Holand Kari Mette , Rønning Ragnhild
Published: March 2016

Objective

Snøhvit is the first production facility for LNG in Europe, the world's northernmost LNG plant and the first offshore project in the Barents Sea. When the Norwegian Parliament passed the Snohvit Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) in 2002, Hammerfest was a town in recession and the population number was declining. This paper will address Statoil's approach to establishing business in Hammerfest, and discuss key success factors regarding how local value creation was achieved.

Methods

Close cooperation with the municipality and dialogue with civil society have been important activities all along since Statoil's establishment. The Impact Assessment process was carried out in 2001 to map potential environmental and socio-economic consequences of the Snøhvit development. During the construction phase a ripple effect study, which included follow up research on extended effects three years into operation (2010), was undertaken together with the municipality of Hammerfest and Finnmark County. This study covered issues like economic extended effects, community planning and social changes.

Results

As operator of Snøhvit and constructor of the largest ever industrial project in northern Norway, Statoil is now contributing significantly to creating value for local communities in the north of Norway. The decline has been turned around and Hammerfest municipality has now a steady growth. Schools have been refurbished, a culture centre has been built, infrastructure is updated and new properties are developed. Today there are 356 Statoil employees at the LNG facility with the majority of them living in Hammerfest. Reports on actual deliveries from suppliers in Northern Norway provide an example of the achievements: Goods and services worth NOK 1.8 bn were delivered in 2014 and suppliers hired a total of 649 persons in Hammerfest.

By establishing a supplier development program (LUNN) and engaging with suppliers through an industrial coordinator for northern Norway, Statoil has contributed to the development of the local supplier industry. Specific content in supplier contracts, such as a local office, opening for smaller vendors and alliances of vendors were important measures. Statoil is also a co-owner in a local business incubator situated in Hammerfest.

Novel/additive information

Management of expectations, requirements in contracts, close cooperation with the local authorities and engagement with civil society have been key to Statoil's success in the north. This paper will further describe important elements to achieving the success in creating value for the local communities.
Advanced Process Safety Barrier Management by Applying Proactive Incident Investigation to Failed or Impaired Barriers
Authors: Groot Arthur
Published: March 2016

This paper describes an approach to standardizing proactive incident investigation to failed or impaired barriers and risk management. Whilst many will agree that the Oil and Gas (O&G) and process industries have been very successful in improving occupational safety, improvements in process safety management are lagging. Process Hazard Assessments has become a recognised tool to assess process design and production operations around the world even though they have a tendency to concentrate on the design phase only, rather than considering all aspects of the integrity of operating systems in the total life cycle of the asset. In response, barrier management based on the BowTie model is being widely promoted in the O&G industry to understand operational risk in more detail and influence potential results. The structured approach of the BowTie forces an assessment of how well all initial threats are being controlled and how well prepared the organisation is to mitigate consequences should things start to go wrong in the total life cycle of the asset. It highlights the direct link between the controls (preventive and corrective) and the management systems. But how can risk based on the performance of these process safety barriers be managed? In general barriers are not fully reliable. They have common causes of failure (i.e. human factor, organisational deficiencies, etc.), there are paradigm shifts in barrier expectations (i.e.shallow water vs deep water drilling) and multiple barriers are required to assure to acceptance level of risk. In the event of a major process safety incident, the scenario is investigated in-depth and the failures of the barriers are analysed by utilising methods such as 5-why, TRIPOD, SCAT, etc. The lessons learned include optimising barriers and defining missing barriers. From a preventive point of view, however, it is even more important to investigate failed barriers individually as Tier 3 or Tier 4 incidents as defined in the API-754. This paper reviews the process and results of such an effort. The author has utilised this method for O&G operating companies and discusses the lessons learned from this experience. Based on the results from this application, it is shown that the BowTie method in combination with incident analyses on barriers can be adapted for understanding and monitoring barrier performance and how to influence barrier performance.
Cross-Matching Fitness-to-Work with Assignment to Work Location
Authors: Cauchi Gerald , Barbey Alex
Published: March 2016

An operational location health risk assessment (OL-HRA) tool has been created that the health and human resources departments of an oilfield services provider use to determine the health risk level of each operational location. Results are compared before and after systematic, coordinated implementation of the OL-HRA tool with respect to preventing incorrect assignments for an employee's fitness-to-work to a location's medical environment.

Fitness-to-work is managed by the company's health department, and assignment to work in the 85 countries where the company operates is managed by the human resources department.

Employees with potentially serious health/medical issues discovered during periodic fitness-to-work medical assessments are sometimes found to be unfit to work in assignments located offshore, on vessels, or even in office jobs located in remote locations or in locations where health care facilities are deemed to be substandard. These individuals are referred to as restricted 1 (R1). These individuals may, however, still be medically fit to work in locations where good-quality medical facilities are readily available.

Although it is evident that all vessels and offshore installations are by definition R1 locations, meaning that an R1 person cannot be assigned to work in these R1 locations, the vast majority of company operational locations around the world were not clearly identified as to whether they were R1 or non-R1 locations.

To ensure that employees with pre-existing health conditions could be assigned to adapted operational locations, it was deemed essential to develop a tool that could be used by both the health and human resources departments to assess the health risk level of each operational location.

The OL-HRA tool is used by each operational location's health, safety, and environment (HSE) manager and the company's approved health care professional to obtain a health risk level for the location.

Before the implementation of this OL-HRA tool and its systematic and coordinated use by the health and human resources departments, more than 1,000 R1 employees were assigned to R1 locations with an inappropriate medical environment for their specific health concerns.

The OL-HRA tool has not only improved management and assignment of employees who have a potentially serious health/medical issue, it has also decreased the number of hospitalizations and evacuations among high-mobility employees while reducing the company's health-related expenditures.
Hiring of Community Casual Workers: A Key Component of a Successful Entry Strategy With Communities in a Precarious Environment
Authors: Michel Olivier , Muyobo Marion , Leroy Anne-Sophie
Published: March 2016

Total E&P Uganda, present in the country since 2011 and partnering with the UK Company Tullow and the Chinese Company CNOOC, is operator of an oil exploration project located in the northern west area of the country. Exploration activities require daily interaction with rural and highly vulnerable communities which are sensitive to potential social destabilization of their environments. Given the large scale of the proposed oil development project, expectations amongst communities are high. This has led, among others, to demands for employment among populations likely to be directly affected by the project. However, obtaining jobs for ‘casual’ or unskilled workers is exposed to high potential for corruption and uncertainty. This vulnerable category of workers could be easily exploited and manipulated. The local hiring process is often an opportunity for local leaders to influence and maintain their dominant position locally.

Total E&P Uganda was, therefore, confronted by the following challenge: how to recruit, equitably and in a transparent manner, a limited number of people without skills in areas where hundreds of people could do the same job? Following dialogue with local stakeholders and internal reflection, Total E&P Uganda put in place a simplified application form for the registration of candidates. This was followed by a simple system of ballot box drawing of candidates. The drawing of candidates takes place publically, in the presence of potential candidates and various local stakeholders and is based on the principle of "first drawn, first served". The process of drawing candidates is carried out during the course of a morning. This process is perceived by communities as fair and transparent and is logistically simple to put in place by contractors under the supervision of Total E&P Uganda teams.

This approach reinforces the link with those communities that are the most directly affected by the presence of the operations. By providing temporary employment as a tangible compensation for disturbance, it is part of the first positive entry strategy with communities, among others. The approach relies on community values such as equal opportunities and transparency of information. There are immediate positive benefits for the community. The success is immediate with positive results while relying on important values within precarious societies such as equal opportunities for the entire community and the need for information.

Since February 2012 Total E&P Uganda, through its contractors, has supervised the temporary recruitment of more than 1,200 people. This recruitment strategy has been integrated into the subsidiary management system and is recommended in all contracts issued by the subsidiary.
Produced Water Management Under the Norwegian "Zero Harmful Discharge Regime" – Benefits With the Risk Based Approach
Authors: Steinar Nesse , Eimund Garpestad , Egil Dragsund
Published: March 2016

The "Zero harmful discharge regime" has been implemented on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) since the late 1990's, and has amongst other resulted in significant reduction of oil discharged with produced water. The current management strategy is to conduct Best Available Techniques (BAT) assessment for new fields/installations, assessing injection of produced water and adequate cleaning solutuions prior to discharge to sea.

The current regulative requirement is 30 mg/l oil-in-water (as a monthly average) and the Norwegian regulator has announced a possible stricter limit at 10-15 mg/l for new field developments. The Norwegian petroleum industry finds this an inappropriate requirement, which will deviate from the principle of a risk based approach, and imply costly solutions not aligned to the actual level of environmental risk.

This paper presents a holistic view on performance of produced water management on the NCS, including overview of solutions for all fields, with performance data and trends for the period 2009-2014, and discusses the benefit of continuing the management regime and regulation level of today.
Subsea Mechanical Dispersion, Adding to the Toolkit of Oil Spill Response Technology
Authors: Brandvik Per Johan , Davies Emlyn , Krause Daniel F. , Beynet Pierre A. , Agrawal Madhusuden , Evans Peter
Published: March 2016

The size distribution of oil droplets formed in subsea oil and gas blowouts is known to have strong impact on their subsequent fate in the environment. Fine droplets are frequently neutrally buoyant and within the full body of water they are available for biodegradation. Subsea Dispersion Injection (SSDI) is an integral part of achieving this goal, lowering the interfacial tension between the oil and water. However, despite their many advantages, the use of SSDI are limited both by the logistical constraints of deployment and legislative restrictions over its use. Adding to the toolkit of methods that achieve subsea dispersion without the use of chemicals would therefore enhance oil spill response capability.

There are other ways of reducing the effects of interfacial tension within the oil such as increasing the interfacial shear by introducing more turbulence within the rising oil plume. Using a combination of laboratory experimentation and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) we have explored the potential of three mechanisms – 1) a rotating bladed shearing mixer, 2) ultrasonic cavitation and 3) high pressure water jetting. Physical experiments were conducted at the SINTEF Tower Basin facility in Norway. A scaled-down oil plume of Oserberg blend (1 L/min) was subjected to shear using commercially available rotating and ultrasonic devices both normally supplied for industrial mixing applications and adapted for operation within the tank. Results were compared to chemically dispersed oil under the same conditions. CFD modelling of water jetting was conducted using the BP High Performance Computer facility adopting a Volume of Fluid (VOF) multiphase model with advanced turbulence modelling and automated mesh refinement. Boundary conditions were set to replicate, as close as practical, the dimensions and physical properties used in the tank experiments.

Results indicate that all three modes of increasing interfacial shear could be effective in dispersing oil. The ultrasonic device created a broad distribution of oil droplet sizes, spanning 10-100 μm in diameter whilst the mechanical shearing technique dispersed oil droplets into a narrower size distribution, centred on 16 μm. These values fall close to the droplet size of the same oil dispersed using chemicals of 70μm. Estimation of droplet sizes in the water jetting scenarios yielded values <50 μm.

These tank scale experiments indicate that a new class of oil spill response technology may be possible using a mechanical device – Subsea Mechanical Dispersion (SSMD). The varieties of techniques that have been shown so far to be effective indicate that a range of devices may be designed and scaled to suit different oil spill scenarios and become a valuable addition to this class of response strategy.
Water and oil: Sustaining our Future?
Authors: Yagüe C. , Santamaría C. , del Estal É. , Marín E.
Published: March 2016

A responsible and reliable Oil & Gas Company has to consider water a strategic resource. Water management is essential for energy production. Consequently, we are committed to reducing water demand and impacts on freshwater in areas of water stress. Therefore, it was necessary to focus all the efforts on meeting the challenge of developing a centralized water management program.

The Repsol Water Tool (RWT) was developed to meet this challenge. It is grounded in an integrated methodology, based on the WBCSD Global Water Tool (GWT) and the GEMI Local Water Tool™ (LWT™) and adapted to our specific operational needs. This new tool identifies nine water-related risks and evaluates the major risk level in our operated production assets and industrial facilities considering internal and external water aspects. The internal indicators are the level of instrumentation or measurement; water usage such as sanitary, process and produced water; water treatment technologies; and water quality legal requirements and company standards, e.g. Environmental Performance Practices (EPP) for discharge limits in wastewater. The external parameters are the water availability and associated ecosystems of water sources and receiving water bodies; future water demand; regulatory and business risks; and social risks. All water data is collected and loaded into the RWT which then evaluates all water-related risks through the application of indicator scoring criteria.

Within the Company E&P Business, nine operated production assets which are located in five countries were evaluated in 2014. The results display very interesting conclusions due to the different characteristics of our site operations. The production assets evaluated are located in tropical, subtropical and temperate zones. These include operations onshore and offshore, jungle and poor vegetation regions, water scarcity and high water availability areas, high and low water supply areas, indigenous and local communities, where there may be environmental legal restrictions or no strict regulatory aspects. The main goal and deliverable has been the Company water improvement plan (2015-2020) focused on reducing water-related risks, managing water sources mitigating impacts on local communities and not incurring penalties.

The novelty of this approach is in the ability to facilitate decision making prioritization in investments. It improves operational efficiencies, preventing liabilities, influence in local communities, management of contingency plans and any other risk-mitigation measures.