bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sound and Marine Life: An International Joint Industry Programme for Research and Development
Authors: Smies M. , Young J. V. , Gentry R. L. , Campbell J.
Published: April 2008

The international Oil and Gas industry recognises the interest of regulators and environmental interest groups in the effects of man-made sound in the marine environment. For offshore oil and gas activities, this interest is focussed on, but not limited to, seismic surveying. Marine seismic surveys use air guns to produce pressure waves that are reflected by the subsurface geological strata. The reflected acoustic signals are processed to obtain two- or three-dimensional models of the geological structure.

While there is little evidence that seismic surveys have significantly negative impacts on populations of marine animals, there are considerable knowledge gaps that prevent comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation. In consequence, environmental regulators may and do impose limitations on seismic survey work to prevent or mitigate potentially negative impacts.

A number of oil and gas companies together with the International Association of Geophysical Contractors have initiated a Joint Industry Programme on Sound and Marine Life. This programme is funding research to obtain a better understanding of industry sound sources, the propagation of sound and the effects of such sounds on marine life. In addition, the programme is directed at the development of risk assessment and mitigation methodologies, including alternative technologies that produce less sound.
"Shadows", A Dynamic Safety Initiative
Authors: Genevois Jean-Michel , Bouillet Michel , Nilsson Torgny , Bergerot Jean-Louis , Vidal Jean-Claude
Published: April 2008

In 2005, it was evident for Total E&P UK that the battle for incident free drilling and well maintenance operations would become more difficult, with activity booming, lack of experienced workforce and the arrival of a younger generation of recruits. In the mature operating environment of the North Sea, a new Safety initiative needed to alert offshore teams to hazards around them and without adding procedures on top of existing ones.

The vision was to enhance risk awareness of newcomers who were not familiar with the hazards of the oil and gas industry and to refresh memory of the more experienced personnel through a paper and procedure less program.

The drilling team's initial inspiration was the power of the black silhouettes displayed on roadsides where traffic accidents had occurred.

The idea was to build our own silhouettes to display them on the drilling rigs, at locations where real or potential incidents had happened. Newcomers would immediately recognise hazards from the silhouettes and would learn details of the incident from an associated Safety Alert displayed on the provided "Shadows Board". The silhouettes stay in a given place for not more than three weeks for each Safety Alert, before being re-positioned. This is the dynamic aspect of the process. Contractors, as well as Operators, had collections of Safety Alerts which were gathered to construct a Safety Alert data bank which now contains around 1000 alerts, all laminated and part of the "Shadows Kit". Total E&P UK drilling and well maintenance team also produce its own Safety Alerts.

After a Shadows pilot test of six months on 4 drilling units, early positive results indicated a significant reduction of high potential incidents. From these encouraging results, Exploration and Production branch's Drilling Division of Total extended the initiative to fifty rigs worldwide.

The paper will detail how the project was handled with Contractors’ participation and will present the outcome of the project in terms of Safety culture, learning organisation and performance achievements, as well as future perspectives.
Improving Accuracy in Calculating NOx Emissions from Gas Flaring
Authors: Bakken Jørn , Langørgen Øyvind , Husdal Geir , Henriksen Tonje S.
Published: April 2008

The paper will present a proposal for a more accurate NOX emission factor and methodology for reporting NOX emissions from offshore gas flaring. The work has been performed by the authors on behalf of the Norwegian Oil Industry Association and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.

There are large uncertainties in reported NOX emissions from gas flaring. In Norway, a default emission factor of 12 g NOX/Sm3 of flare gas has been used since 1993 for reporting NOX emissions from offshore flaring. Increased focus on NOX emissions has raised the question how correct this constant value is. The factor does not account for variations in gas compositions, flare rates or flare types. Furthermore, this Norwegian default factor for offshore flaring is about 10 times higher than in other comparable countries. This emphasizes the need for further work in this field and that the basis for data brought into international treaties may vary significantly.

The present work has reanalysed earlier small and medium scale experimental data, and also included more recent DIAL measurements performed on full scale onshore flares (DIAL is a laser based measurement system). A new scaling law for the NOX emissions is proposed, which accounts for both the different gas types and pipe dimensions used in the experiments and measurements. Data scatter is significantly reduced compared to the original scaling law.

NOX emissions from several offshore flares have been calculated with the new scaling law by using recent flare data. Estimated total NOX emissions are reduced by 83% compared with today's calculation methodology in Norway using a constant value of 12 g NOX/Sm3 of flared gas.
Investigation of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) in Oil Fields and Oil Lakes in Kuwait
Authors: Abdullah F. H. , Saad H. R. , Farhan A. R. , Sharma M. M.
Published: April 2008

This paper represents the first report on natural radioactivity measurements in Kuwait's oilfields. Samples from various petroleum sectors in Kuwait have been investigated. Samples were collected from gathering centers, well heads and oil lakes. These have been measured for their radioactivity contents by using high-resolution spectroscopic system. From the γ-ray measurements, activity concentration have been determined for 232Th (range from 0.4 to 73.1 Bq\kg), 226Ra (from 0.4 to 113.9 Bq\kg) and 40k (from 11.9 to 463.5 Bg\kg). The location and the geological structure of oil fields are also considered. From the analysis of our preliminary data, we conclude that in general radioactivity concentrations are low and can be related to the structure of bedrock wherefrom oil is extracted. It is noted that the activities depend on the different sedimentary properties and other physical conditions.
Managing HSE Performance in difficult work EnvironmentS: The Approach of a Major Oil & Gas Producing Company in Nigeria
Authors: Ijenyo Jude Ochuko
Published: April 2008

Over the years, a major oil & Gas company in Nigeria had the battle of managing the poor safety attitude of employees and their participation in the company's Safety activities which hitherto resulted in very poor safety performance. In order to correct this anomaly, the company adopted a five point strategy to improve the poor safety attitude among the work force which resulted from monotony of job activities, age of the facility, external threats, peculiarity of the work location, and the ages of the employees.

The paper describes the approach adopted by the company to improve on safety even with the inherent difficult work environment that the staffs are exposed to. The approach involves active staff participation in activities, introduction of a holistic reward and sanction system, reorganization of training needs and delivery, partnering with host community and embarking on an aggressive and systematic enlightenment campaign. This approach boosted the morals of all stake holders and consequently turned out to be means of improving the Company's unsatisfactory safety performance.
Managing Explosion Risk in Arctic Areas
Authors: Høiset Stian , Fossan Ingar , Kaasa Øyvind
Published: April 2008

Oil and gas platform design for arctic locations is a challenge. Platform modules are traditionally built with open ends, providing natural ventilation that has a favourable effect on accumulation of a flammable gas cloud from a potential gas leakage as well as on explosion pressure reduction. However, open end design in artic locations will have a negative effect on the working environment, with a potential for high wind chill factor. This can lead to periods where workers are not able to perform maintenance on process equipment, resulting in lost production. In addition, open end design has a potential for icing of equipment.

A natural proposal could be to choose a closed end module design, where explosion panels at the module ends reduce the flow of cold air. However, studies have shown that introducing a closed module design will lead to both higher frequencies for ignition of gas leakages and higher explosion pressures, thus leading to a higher fire and explosion risk level. The increased explosion risk will lead to a higher design accidental load on structural elements, increasing construction cost.

The present paper presents an idea that may both reduce explosion risk compared to a closed module design and still maintain a satisfactory working environment in arctic areas. A concept with rotating wall elements, acting on gas detection, has the potential to reduce the strong explosion frequency by a factor of 3 compared to closed module designs.
Fugitive Emissions Management Through Infra Red Monitoring—Full Scale Field Application
Authors: Plisson-Saune S. , Suripno S. , Pradier B. , Cramer A. , Pramono H. , Camps R. , Lacamoire H.
Published: April 2008

The Indonesian Regulation requires the Oil and Gas Operators to managing their possible Fugitive Emissions. To comply with this requirement TOTAL E&P INDONESIE launched a comprehensive Infra Red Imaging Based Fugitive Emissions Survey completed by a Volatile Organic Components Specific Survey. The aim was to cover exhaustively all Production Units spread on a 1500 km2 area by detecting, quantifying each unknown gas release and assessing the Benzene, Toluene, Ethybenzene and Xylene content of these releases. The objectives were to protect the Health of the Operators possibly exposed to unknown VOCs, to improve the Safety of the Workers and Installations by tackling even minor gas leaks down to 3g/h and reducing VOCs emissions possibly contributing to the Global Warming. The paper describes the operational methodology used and its cost efficiency. It also describes the know-how and the improvements gained during the field survey. The selected technology, Infra Red Dynamic Digital Imaging, allowed detecting roughly 500 unknown leaks part of 2100 Fugitive Emission Sources. The related Green House Gas emissions were also quantified. The findings are used for improving HSE topics but also for taking lessons of design issues for future phases of development. The technology used is highly valuable for maintenance purpose.

The results, presented in the paper, show the operational feasibility and the advantages of this new methodology which takes into account the effect of Fugitive Emissions not only on Safety but also on Operator's Health and finally Environment. They also demonstrate the absence of major issue for the 3 H, S and E aspects provided the lessons of the Survey are conveniently taken into account and the mitigation measures correctly applied.
Holistic Environmental Management of Discharges from the Oil and Gas Industry—Combining Quantitative Risk Assessment and Environmental Monitoring
Authors: Nilssen Ingunn , Johnsen Ståle
Published: April 2008

Since the early 1990s focus on the environmental performance in the oil and gas industry has continuously increased. Technology development has resulted in a large variety of mitigation options, both with respect to source reduction, reuse and treatment of different waste streams and discharges. Testing, qualification and implementation of new technology is a result of the increased focus. In parallel, the need for appropriate management systems for decision support in the effort to minimise impacts of E&P activity has become evident.

The present paper introduces a system to meet this challenge, by integrating quantitative risk assessment (QRA), mitigation technology/measures and environmental monitoring. QRA methodology has been developed to cover major discharges and emissions to the environment and is used to identify cost effective measures to reduce environmental risk. The QRA is further integrated with monitoring to understand and document ecosystem conditions and effect/benefit of improved performance (discharge and emissions reduction). This integrated approach results in a holistic environmental management system. This paper will mainly focus on the QRA, the environmental monitoring and the integration of these two. Examples of practical application of this integration are given on discharges of produced water and drill cuttings.
MISS: Report an Incident Using a Mobile Phone
Authors: de Gier Wouter , Twilhaar Dirk Nijen
Published: April 2008

Unsafe conditions and acts may lead to the occurrence of an incident. Reporting those unsafe conditions and acts provide opportunities to prevent a potential significant accident from occurring. Unfortunately, many unsafe conditions and acts go un-reported; often because the means to report is not at hand at the time of occurrence (e.g. online or paper reporting form). Shell allows staff and contractors to report incidents using a (mobile) telephone. This tool is called MISS. Through number recognition, the incident reports are transferred automatically to the global incident management database. With the introduction of MISS, the number of reported unsafe situations, near misses, etc. has nearly tripled, without significantly compromising the quality of the reports.
Effective Contract Management — A Key For Better HSE Performance
Authors: Al-Failakawi Ali , Aravind Nandkumar , Mohiuddeen Mohammad K. S.
Published: April 2008

Contract Management is one of the key elements for Kuwait Oil Company's (KOC) HSE Management system, which deals with "Contractors Commitments and Involvement". KOC believes that, contractors those who are conducting business with the Company are the keys to its business performance and good HSE performance is an integral part of an efficient and profitable business management. In line with its commitment towards Contract Management, KOC has developed many processes such as guidelines and oversight procedures to ensure full HSE compliance and enhanced performance. These processes defined the contractor HSE performance expectations and vigorous oversight of Contractor activities while performing work for the Company.

Contractor HSE statistics are one of the key HSE performance measures for Kuwait Oil Company. Contractor's HSE involvement is highly visible in all its activities. These initiatives of KOC have given good results in better awareness of our HSEMS expectations, better understanding of our HSE requirements, improved cooperation towards achieving our HSE goals and targets, Lowered accidents and incidents, which ultimately resulted in better Contractor HSE Performance.

Contract Management is one of the major challenges to the Oil Industry. Complexity and volume of corporate contracts have increased considerably in the recent years, due to the ever growing demand of higher productivity. Company's HSE performance is taking a lead role in the success of any company, which is largely dependent on an effective contract management.

Effective Contract management is the need of the hour to assure quality HSE performance and uphold the Company's reputation and corporate image. It will also provide a base line necessary to allow companies to measure and monitor HSE performance of the contractors.This paper outlines the processes and the methodology being followed by KOC for enhancing its HSE performance through an effective Contract management.
Managing Environmental Incidents at Oil and Gas Facilities Before They Happen
Authors: Lee T. W. , Othman N. S.
Published: April 2008

Environmental incidents at oil and gas facilities includes oil spills, releases and leaks of hydrocarbon and other hazardous materials, emissions and discharges exceeding allowable limits and community complaints.

A survey by the Group office of a National Oil Company reveals that post environmental incidents management processes such as incident notification, reporting, investigation and follow-up actions are relatively well-established at its operating sites. These sites also have adequate oil spill preparedness which usually includes the establishment of oil spill contingency plan, the conduct of oil spill response exercises and the availability of oil spill response equipment and arrangement. The NOC in its pursuit for continual improvement in HSE risk management carried out a study to assess and review the level of proactice controls that needs to be in place to prevent or reduce environmental incidents.

A strategy which touches on three aspects, viz. organisation, process and people has been developed with the aim to prevent and control environmental incidents at oil and gas facilities within the Group. This strategy was tested at two of the operating sites where the activities carried out include an environmental management process review, environmental hazard review and a capability building program to enhance the awareness, knowledge and skill of site personnel with respect to environmental incidents prevention and control.

The effect of the effort was felt positively even at the early implementation stage when the HSE staff, the process operation engineers and maintenance engineers began to work together to review the environmental management process. The awareness training as well as the competency training to enhance the skill of environmental aspect identification and impact assessment proves to be effective in the prevention and control of environmental incidents at oil and gas facilities. The pilot project is now being promoted to other operating sites within the Group.
Bioremediation—The Journey From Hazardous to Green
Authors: Hamza Leila H. , Adly Tarek A. , Afifi Sameh
Published: April 2008

Often hard to avoid in petroleum companies, a vast amount of hydrocarbon contaminated wastes such as oil-base mud drill cuttings, tank bottom sludge and other contaminated soil that get generated. Bioremediation is considered a safe, environmental-friendly and economical remediation technique for these wastes, best suited for warm, dry climates similar to Egypt's. However, for large scale projects, remediation time (8 years) and land use (hundreds of acres) hinder its application.

Over the years, as a result of drilling operations, BP Egypt's Joint Venture - Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO) has generated tonnes of hydrocarbon contaminated wastes at its Western Desert (WD) and Gulf of Suez (GOS) Districts. BP and GUPCO have worked closely together to face the challenge of finding an effective, cost-efficient method to clean-up existing contamination and treat future generated hydrocarbon contaminated wastes. Previously at GUPCO, different treatment alternatives were utilized. However, they were discontinued because of environmental and safety hazards.

Thus, bioremediation was tailored and technically advanced into applied research by United Environmental with leading academic institutes in collaboration with BP-Egypt, setting a world record in handling huge contaminated quantities. Results determined bio-piling, a bioremediation technique, as most suitable for GOS and WD. Bio-piling requires less space and water - both of which are scarce at these locations. Also, with bio-piling remediation time is reduced dramatically.

Bio-piling was used to treat to action level about 15,000 and 11,000 tonnes of contaminated soil/mud at GOS and WD, respectively. Remediation was completed within 6 months. Treated soil/mud was used to develop green areas in desert environment. Also, remediation cost was reduced to about 65% less than similar application.

BP-GUPCO will continue to use bio-piling as an effective method of transferring hazardous waste into environmentally friendly application.
Capturing Mangement Information in the Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Sortland G. W. , Madaboosi M , Fox S. E.
Published: April 2008

BP is leading an International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) group to integrate health performance indicators in corporate reports. "Core" oil and gas industry indicators will enable more informed comparisons and dialogue between companies and stakeholders. Indicators under review include management system implementation, employee health programme participation, workforce health status, work-related illness rates and product-related health issues. This paper will focus on the process of determining Health metrics within BP through an external and internal benchmarking exercise. Additionally the paper will outline the implementation of business processes and technologies to accomplish a seamless gathering and reporting of management information. Data sources identified within the Health continuum will provide first line managers to Group level executives with leading and lagging indicators of performance. These performance indicators will assist in mitigating Management Control issues at the Group level.
Benchmarking Lifting Equipment Surveyors Competencies Using a Competency Model: A Major Step in Reducing Lifting and Handling Incidents in Nigeria
Authors: Ologe J. , Kue Y.
Published: April 2008

Lifting and handling operations is one of the main causes of High Potential Incidents (HPI) in the Oil and Gas Industry. With Nigeria's foray into offshore and deepwater oil and gas exploration and production, handling and lifting has presented itself as a major and critical part of our oil and gas operations. Concerted efforts and resources have been and are being channeled into training and retraining of personnel in acquiring requisite knowledge and competencies in the arts of lifting and handling to braze up with the increasing challenges. In the same vein, administrative controls in the form of tested and proven procedures, rules, lift planning; six monthly prescriptive inspection intervals are carried out. Yet incidents still occur due to equipment failure as identified by root cause analysis of most incidents. To arrest this trend and enhance quality service delivery; in 2006 Elf Petroleum Nigeria Ltd (EPNL) developed a model to benchmark the lifting equipment surveyors’ competencies and categorize their services. The result of the assessment conducted using this competency model was shocking. From the results of the assessment, it was self-evident to Elf Petroleum Nigeria Ltd, its contractors, subcontractors and the surveyors themselves that competencies were lacking or non existent in most of the certification services hitherto rendered. Following the outcome of this assessment, the management of Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited segmented the services of these surveyors into their respective areas of competencies and withdrew the services of those surveyors that lacked the requisite competencies, certifications, experiences, and qualifications to act as Third Party Lifting Equipment Surveyors.
HSE Considerations During Land Acquisition and Design and Construction of New Facilities
Authors: Adams Bruce
Published: April 2008

Constructing a new facility for an operating or oilfield services company is a significant undertaking involving an investment of millions of dollars and up to three years. This timeline begins when a business case for a facility is prepared and continues until facility commissioning. As building construction is not a core business of operating and service companies, there are different approaches to the issue, ranging from 100% outsourcing to in-house construction groups that handle all aspects of the project. No matter which approach is taken, processes and guidelines must be established to ensure a consistent, standardized approach to projects. These processes and guidelines are developed over time and are based upon experiences and lessons learned from previous projects. One area that is often overlooked is how health, safety, and environmental (HS&E) issues should be considered in the three primary phases of a construction project: concept and feasibility, design, and construction.

After reviewing internal construction practices in 2005, one oilfield services company modified its approach to facilities construction by forming a core team responsible for oversight of large construction projects. A key objective of this group was to review current practices and develop processes and guidelines to ensure that each project follows a standardized approach. This paper details how HS&E aspects of construction are included in these processes.

The reader will follow three major activities of a construction project-land acquisition, facilities design, and facilities construction-and be provided with the key items to ensure that each phase is successfully completed from an HS&E standpoint. The material presented is taken from a detailed list of items reviewed prior to project start.

This paper is based upon lessons learned from several large construction projects. It provides information necessary for any company to review its current construction practices and ensure that HS&E requirements are met.
Managing Chemical Risk at the Point of Procurement - Simple Tools for Efficient Chemical Risk Reduction
Authors: Gilbert Y. , Raahauge P. J. , Raivio T.
Published: April 2008

Consideration of the risk associated with operations at the earliest possible stage is a key factor for effective chemical HSE risk management. This paper describes the operational and strategic decisions behind the design and implementation of a method developed for Maersk Oil, where the responsibility for chemical risk assessment is transferred to the earliest possible point in the chemical handling chain - the procurement process.

Separate HSE risk assessment procedures conducted solely by specialists may lead to decoupling of the HSE considerations from the operational requirements. The objective was to integrate chemical HSE risk assessment into the overall consideration of chemical suitability (technical and cost) for a particular operation. When extending HSE risk assessment responsibility to operational staff with procurement responsibilities from HSE specialists, certain criteria must be met. The developed methodology was to meet the following targets:

Give consistent answers without applying HSE expertise; Be easy and fast to use; Take into account regulative demands; and Allow linking chemical HSE risk to management actions and corporate policy

The developed methodology provides the assessor with a simple yet plausible and understandable result of the associated level of HSE risk. The assessment is based on linking data supplied by the vendors to chemical usage scenarios supplied by the actual operative personnel. Implementation of the methodology for easy user interface is based on an IT-solution tailored to the operators existing processes.

This paper summarises the definition of the objectives and the main considerations taken when developing the methodology and presents an overview of the supporting tool developed.
Use of Risk-Based Business Approach for Characterization of Environmental Remediation Liabilities in Upstream Oil and Gas Production Facilities
Authors: Connor John A. , Ravishankar Krish , Mejia Juan Carlos
Published: April 2008

This paper describes a risk based business approach for use of the ASTM Risk-Based Corrective Action (RBCA) process to establish baseline environmental conditions, classify environmental risks, and predict the potential remediation costs associated with historical oilfield operations. As part of an environmental due diligence performed for upstream oil and gas production facilities in Colombia, this risk-based due diligence process allowed prioritization and characterization of sites based on key risk and cost drivers. The methodology facilitated identification of remedial action strategies and development of an appropriate remedial action schedule, based upon inspection and review of a representative sample of the oilfield facilities. The case study in this paper is for an oilfield consisting of 1710 well sites, 7 active production stations, 76 abandoned substations, 2 crude oil dehydration plants, and a gas processing plant distributed over an area of 190 square kilometers. Within the limited time available for the due diligence, the approach facilitated completion of the property transaction and allocation of reserves as escrows in project negotiations to the satisfaction of all parties involved.

For this case study due diligence effort, site inspections were conducted at a representative percentage of each type of oilfield facility to identify site conditions posing concern in terms of "primary risk factors" (human health or safety) or "secondary risk factors" (i.e., impacts on ecological resources, water resources, land use, or regulatory compliance issues). Observed conditions were then characterized according to the RBCA classification system to define the relative magnitude of the risk posed and the relative urgency of need for a response action. For each type of oilfield installation, these data comprised a "risk distribution," defining the key risk drivers and the frequency of occurrence of higher risk (Class 1) vs. lower risk (Class 2, 3, or 4) conditions. These risk distributions were then used to predict the probability of encountering similar conditions within the balance of sites not inspected during the due diligence process, as well as to establish an overall schedule and budget for remedial actions (i.e., addressing high-priority conditions in the near-term and lower-priority conditions at a later time).
HSE Philosophies Innovative Approach to Project Design
Authors: Al Nakib Mohammed A. , Jackson Christopher
Published: April 2008

Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO) is part of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) group of companies in the United Arab Emirates.

ADCO's basis for developing oil and gas facilities used to be site/field specific. This resulted in inconsistencies in plants' operating and maintenance requirements, as part of ADCO's continual improvement process it was decided to develop a document that reflects the basis for future developments.

ADCO therefore developed HSE Philosophy guidelines for engineering design and construction contractors on the over-arching principles to be included in preparing a project specific HSE Philosophy covering operation, maintenance and abandonment plans of any facility.

Each project must have a specific HSE Philosophy developed by project teams at conceptual stages outlining the basic corporate philosophies to be adopted. The design contractors further expand and detail the Project HSE Philosophy, incorporating their strategy based upon the generic and corporate philosophies.

The principal objectives of an HSE Philosophy are to:

Define the basis for a project to ensure a safe, risk based approach to design is achieved, thus minimizing the possibility of injury to personnel and public from the consequences of an accidental event.

Provide guidance in selection of equipment and design.

Define the design approach to be followed in accordance with Best Available Techniques (BAT) with pollution prevention controls.

Control environmental impacts of projects.

Optimize usage of natural resources on a sustainable basis.

Ensure design achieves demonstrable levels of As Low As Reasonably Practicable ‘ALARP’.

Ensure compliance with relevant HSE regulations, standards and codes of practice.

By following the HSE Philosophy all new ADCO facilities are being developed and operated to a consistent standard. The HSE Philosophy approach has now been adopted by all ADNOC group companies.
Using Past Experience to Optimize Environmental Monitoring in the North Sea
Authors: Bach S. S. , Robson M.
Published: April 2008

The North Sea Operators Committee in Denmark (NSOC-D) has compiled and analyzed the available seabed monitoring data around offshore production platforms in the Danish sector of the North Sea. Since 1989 monitoring of the seabed has generally been conducted in a format similar to the guidelines of the Oslo-Paris convention. The analysis indicated that natural temporal processes had a bigger overall influence on the fauna composition than did discharges related to offshore activities. Impacts on the seabed fauna composition resulting from offshore activities are in general confined to an area a few hundred meters away from the platforms.. In general the impact on fauna composition was related to drilling activities and pronounced if such activities had taken place less than 6 months before the monitoring was conducted The analysis has shown that impacts on the fauna composition typically had been eradicated within 1-5 years after cessation of discharges depending on the volume and the location of the discharges. Of all the physical and chemical parameters measured in the sediment the hydrocarbon concentration (THC) typically proved to show the highest correlation with significant changes in the fauna composition while most other parameters showed very little correlation. Additionally, monitoring the abundance of individual species in the samples seems sufficient to determine changes in fauna composition and conduct the relevant statistical analysis. Monitoring the biomass of the most important indicator species Amphiura sp, is however recommended. Appointing additional reference stations outside of the transect lines and more than 10 km away from the platform does not provide significant additional information and maybe even distort the comparison due to natural spatial differences in fauna composition. Routine monitoring around platforms where the impact is already well understood could therefore be reduced to a limited set of parameters and still provide the necessary background for describing changes in the seabed fauna.
Working in a Contractual Environment, "Pathways to a Common Goal"
Authors: Toutain Patrick
Published: April 2008

In 2002 Total embarked in a plan to reduce its Total Recordable Injury Rate by 60% in four years, i.e. below 4 injuries per million worked hour. In 2005 the TRIR of 2.59 was an achievement for Total and for its contractors, as they accounted for 78% of the worked hours. To progress further, the ‘Pathways to a Common Goal’ project was launched mid-2006. The vision for the project is that by working together, company and contractors, all injuries and illnesses can be avoided; the strategy is to address in partnership the key pathways to that common goal.

This paper presents the conclusions of reviews conducted in the initial phase of the project. The survey of practices identified gaps with HSE guidelines in areas of prequalification, Service Quality Meetings, and the implementation of a partnership at corporate level. It was also observed that incident rates are higher when the contracting strategy is a mixture of OGP's Mode 1 and 2 strategies. Review of expectations of the HSE Management System recommended a stronger alignment of audits protocols. The industry (OGP, Contractors' Trade Associations…) having developed over years HSE Guidelines and Recommended Practices, an expanded use of tools proposed by the industry for accreditation of contractors and for self-verification of the proper functioning of their HSE management systems by contractors was recommended. Gaps identified between practices and the standard contracting process were in contractual strategy, HSE bid evaluation, correction and mitigation of contractors' deficiencies, HSE plans, and supervision of the execution of the work.

By mid-2007 an action plan was established for implementation in cooperation with contractors. The significance of this paper is to share views on key selected actions that are developed in the areas of prequalification, bridging documents, practices in site supervision, joint audits, and standard HSE work packages, and so on.
Improving Road Safety in Corporate Fleet Settings—Engaging Technology, People, Government Organizations (Police) and Non Government Organizations (NGOs)
Authors: Al Kurdi Osama F. A. , Al Marzooqi Abdulla , Yousef Abbas Ahmed , El Farmawi Mohamad A.
Published: April 2008

Road safety continues to be one of the great challenges facing upstream/downstream oil & gas companies. In a global scene, the picture is no different, 3000 lives are lost daily due to road and traffic crashes, among young people aged 15-29 years-road traffic injuries are the second leading cause of death worldwide (WHO world report on road traffic injuries prevention). On 2004, ADCO and contractors have lost three employees due to road crashes; this triggered company wide efforts focused on improving road safety management system for both ADCO and contractors. In depth study of immediate and system causes of these crashes and other related data were conducted. Several deficiencies were identified effecting the implementation, communication and follow up of company road safety programs. A combined task force of ADCO and key contractors was appointed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of those deficiencies and to propose potential solutions. This paper explains the several key implemented recommendations in areas of technology, communication, journey management and alliance with governmental agencies. As a result of those implemented improvements, ADCO and contractors had no fatalities for the past three years; additionally ADCO had a sizable decrease in road traffic violations by employees.
Strategic Framework: A Key to a Successful Comprehensive and Sustainable Response to HIV/AIDS Epidemic
Authors: Fakunle B. , Imam A. , Hamelmann C.
Published: April 2008

HIV/AIDS continues to pose serious challenges to sustainable development, especially in developing nations and communities. The Bayelsa State of Nigeria is one state with an emerging HIV/AIDS epidemic. The Bayelsa State Action Committee on AIDS (BSACA) was the state body responsible for coordinating the response, however at the time of the study it had nor developed a strategic plan to address the epidemic. Against this background, the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) contracted Family Health International (FHI) to assist the State Government to develop a five year State Strategic Framework (SSF) for a comprehensive and sustainable response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Processes leading to the development included a desk review, formative assessment and training of stakeholders on technical strategies for an expanded comprehensive response (ECR). The SSF enabled the State to coordinate the use of resources and for every community to develop a strategic framework for a sustainable response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The "Science" Behind a Spillage Reduction Success
Authors: Sanchez-Thorin Ana , Garcia-Perdomo German , Perez-Velasco Edgar
Published: April 2008

Since 1994 BP Colombia has worked in onshore exploration and production at the fields of Casanare. Thirteen years of work on spillage prevention have made us built a continuously-growing knowledge about the know-how of spill reduction. Our success has been notable: from more than 150 contained spills (>1liter >1 barrel) during the first years down to 14 in 2007.

1999 was our break-point after 5 years of unsuccessful efforts to reduce contained spills. Three keystones were set in place: EMS, risk analysis and safety practices.

After meticulous monitoring of spillage volumes and analyzing most vulnerable activities, we decided to focus on fluid transfers. Knowledge of the step by step process, studying surroundings and environmental factors that could mean potential impacts, triggered the implementation of safety practices. Disclosure of such practices involved spillage risk analysis which gradually became part of an every-day activity kick-off start conversation. The seeds were sown; at the end of 2001 spills dropped to 120.

As EMS developed, practices became procedures and elements such as lessons learned, checklists and particularly incident investigations were basic tools for a noticeable improvement. The latter being the strongest for understanding root causes of spillages: mostly due to human factor, tools and equipment. Subsequently, people involved in fluid transfer activities were trained and tools and equipment certified.

The most dramatic changes occurred between 2002 and 2003, dropping to 71 and 47 spillages respectively. In 2006, 22 contained spillages, a mind-blowing number, became a reality. Knowledge growth throughout the years has made possible such remarkable success making BP Colombia a world leader in spillage reduction.
Tailoring Implementation for Standardized Processes
Authors: Franssen Taco , Hogge Bruce
Published: April 2008

There is a great challenge for companies with global operations who choose to operate with a common platform of work processes. Initially, the challenge comes in the shape of developing processes that are robust enough to fulfill the multiplicity of needs. Upon arriving at the standard, the challenge of implementation looms large ahead. Implementation, which is easily downplayed, is the quintessential adoption decision, where care must be taken to match adoption to the Strategic Business Unit's (SBU) capacity to adapt. Without it, development is merely an intellectual exercise. This paper presents the implementation process utilized by Chevron Global Upstream Operating Companies for a standardized global HES process.

At Chevron Global Upstream (GU) there has been a great deal of energy dedicated to the development of a broad array of Operational Excellence (OE) HES processes. This initiative has engaged subject matter experts the world over, each bringing their theoretical and practical knowledge from years of experience to bear on the development of the processes. Today, the focus has shifted from development to implementation, where the desire for consistency has been extended to ensure the process is implemented well, consistently location by location.

With processes in hand, the challenge moves from determining the wiring diagrams of the organizational workflows to making it happen. Welcome to the realm of implementation – where saying implementation and actually implementing are quite a different thing.
ADNOC's Air Quality Monitoring and Management System
Authors: Abuahmad Hazem
Published: April 2008

The ADNOC Group of Companies and its affiliates are the major oil & gas (upstream and downstream) companies in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. They are also the sole suppliers of fuel for other industries, for utilities (electric power generation and drinking water manufacturing by desalination), and for transportation.

As ADNOC is seeking efficient and accurate information on the effects of ADNOC Group of Companies’ operations, in view of the potential future development of the economy and industry in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, there is also a need to measure air quality on a regular basis. Therefore, ADNOC has decided to establish a comprehensive Air Quality Monitoring and Management System (AQMS) covering all of its Group of Companies oil & gas operations.

The objective of the AQMS is to give all major ADNOC and its group of companies a state of the art management system to describe ambient air quality around, and contributions from their onshore and offshore oil & gas facilities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. This can be visualized by Figure 1 below which illustrates the modules of an integrated air quality monitoring and management system.
Employee Competency Development and Engagement: The Surprising Impact on Sustainability, HSE Performance and Financial Results
Authors: Demski David , Arabie Kenneth
Published: April 2008

Employee morale and engagement have long been thought of as key factors in operational excellence. Where morale is low, the belief was that HSE, as well as other indicators, would be worse than where it was high. Proving this concept has been difficult but where it is proven true, then programs to engage employees could be more easily justified. Halliburton has assessed employee engagement worldwide and found a strong correlation between employee engagement and improved HSE, operational and financial results along with reduced employee attrition.

A holistic approach to assess employee engagement was used, examining all factors that make employees feel valued – career development, training, company direction, supervisor support, reward and recognition – with emphasis on how well the Company is developing them, how strongly they believe they have a future with the Company, and how actively their supervisors support them.

Because these issues so strongly affect employee engagement, a unique methodology was established for promoting improved performance and employee development. The more than 200,000 services delivered annually are performed using a set of standard processes. Operational and HSE performance metrics linked to these processes provide the basis for identifying critical competencies associated with each process and applicable to specific job roles. In turn training and development programs are based on the competencies required.

Results, Conclusions: Employee Engagement levels are predictors of business and HSE performance and improved employee retention.Developing the right competencies provides the key linkage between employee development opportunities and operational results.Utilizing a continuous improvement cycle in which operational and HSE results indicate opportunities for improvement in employee competencies provides a systemic approach for operational, business and HSE improvements.
The Strategic Value of Defining the Local Business Enabling Environment
Authors: Sherman Robert
Published: April 2008

There is no doubt that companies can have significant and beneficial economic impact in the long-term development of the countries where they operate, through responsible, transparent, profitable, and well-managed business activities. However, all too frequently, the impact (and the metrics used to measure it) is viewed in isolation from the bigger and more realistic picture. Inevitably, the emphasis is focused on measuring the number of local staff hired by international companies and the training they receive, which provides a rather narrow view of their contribution to sustainability. The reality is that a more holistic approach to measure economic development outputs and impact is urgently required by both the private and public sectors, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

This paper will discuss the lack of information (within corporations) about the local business enabling environment (BEE) and the development of a process that can help close the gap on this information. Without an understanding of the business enabling environment (in conjunction with internal sustainability activities and impact), it is much more difficult to be certain which issues should be prioritized by corporations in their sustainability strategies.