Solving Community Protection for Inhabited Areas on an Peninsula Close to an Offshore Drilling Site
Authors: Sabet Karim , Groeschke Henning , Zeidler Michael 
Published: April 2018

An international Oil and Gas operator required H2S safety solutions for their offshore drilling project to deal with up to 23% H2S. As the drilling location was near shore, a major challenge was protecting a community of approximately 50 homes and yards situated on the perimeter of the Emergency Awareness Zone. Preventing the potentially fatal consequences of an H2S release was of the utmost importance.

An Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of 3.1 kilometers was determined as a restricted zone only accessible for the operational personnel during the well test. Furthermore, an Emergency Awareness Zone (EAZ) of 4.3 kilometers was identified. Although the community is situated just outside of the EAZ, the project specific H2S Contingency Plan foresaw a notification of the local population in case of a release. In addition, information about potential H2S concentrations would be vital for emergency responders, such as police or civil defence.

A cutting-edge community protection solution was implemented, composed of gas and environmental monitors and wireless communicated H2S and SO2 sensors linked together to control the conditions within the EPZ and the EAZ. The system was capable of real time data stream to monitor online remotely. This allowed the operator to have instant tracking or reporting of the gas levels within the area. The operator was supplied with qualified and trained H2S safety personnel and an extensive training program was launched to ensure that all involved personnel are aware of the risks and necessary control and mitigation measures.

The customization and installation of a reliable, online perimeter-monitoring system allowed continuous data stream which made remote monitoring of the vicinity, based on both RF and web technology available for instant tracking and monitoring. Real-time information accessible from anywhere in the world allowed the operator to be aware and be prepared for any emergencies that might occur. SMS and email alerts were also programmed in case of any emergency to ensure a prompt response. Despite the difficult weather conditions at the shoreline (high humidity), the set-up worked very reliable with minimal false alarms. The system also provided a detailed data log for future analysis. Emergency responders felt assured by the degree of precaution implemented, knowing that they would be warned in a timely manner in the event of an emergency.

This case study presents an analysis of conventional and newer community protection systems and discusses in detail the significance of this innovation in dealing with rapidly expanding production near communities. It gets critical information on record and in real time, effectively reducing response times and helping the customer safeguard their assets, the community and emergency responders before, during, and after any event. The case study outlines how to make communities feel safe and how to conduct EPZ and EAZ monitoring efficiently using state-of-the-art technologies and customizing equipment to suit unique worksite requirements.