bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Environmental Response and Recovery at Drilling Platforms in the Gulf of Thailand
Authors: Kelly J. R. , Kropp R. K. , Uhler A. D. , Zielinski M. B. , Tawatchai S. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
An extensive environmental assessment study was conducted in 1990 around six drilling and production platforms in the mid-Gulf of Thailand to assess the impacts of petroleum hydrocarbons arising from the discharge of low toxicity oil-based drilling muds. Studies focused on chemical contamination from the discharge of drilling mud and cuttings, and the effects on the biological community structure of the local bottom sediments. Sampling was performed to assess chemical and biological conditions in bottom sediments surrounding these platforms, measurements of physical oceanography and currents aided interpretation of distributional patterns. The main findings of the studies included: (1) Surface sediments surrounding wellhead (drilling) platforms were enriched by the discharge of bariteladen drilling mud/cuttings containing Mentor 26, a low-toxicity oil used in Gulf of Thailand drilling operations. Components of discharge materials were noted to 1,000 m, but the primary area of influence was restricted to within 100–250 m, where elevated levels of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) and barium (Ba) were detected along with enrichment by coarse-grained sediment. Spatial patterns of mud/cuttings components were consistent with physical oceanography, in particular, at each platform investigated, PHC/solids were further dispersed in the direction of dominant currents, (2) Biological response, as indicated by the benthic macrofaunal community, was strongly related to PHC concentration and the response was similar at platforms where drilling muds and cuttings were discharged, (3) Further from platforms (250–1,000 m), more subtle biological changes were noted that seem related to low-level enrichment in PHC, Ba, and fine-grained particles, (4) From the detailed comparisons of two platforms drilled over a 5-year period, biological differences were statistically demonstrable and the changes implied over time were in the direction of recovery.
Subcontractor Management in Today's 3D Environment in Louisiana
Authors: Dillane Tony 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The size and complexity of today's 3D seismic crews means that subcontractors are used to do a variety of tasks, including, Conventional survey, GPS survey, Drilling, Ramming, Airboat and Small boat rental, Catering, Bridging and Recording.
Depending on the terrain and the environmental concerns, the personnel required can be 100 to 300.
Seismic crews have a high turnover of personnel. Therefore the issue is how to manage subcontractors and ensure that they complete their contract requirements with consideration for the environment.
High turnover and so many personnel on a crew, (with many cultural and language differences), from several different subcontractors presents problems for the crew management in controlling large numbers of personnel and equipment.
This is presently of particular concern in Louisiana where, due to the current "boom", there are twenty-five 3D crews working in swamp and marsh areas that are environmentally sensitive.
Geco-Prakla is currently undertaking TZ 2000 and is utilizing both it's own and subcontract seismic crews to acquire over 1000 square miles of 3D data per year in southern Louisiana.
One of these areas is Turtle Bayou
The key to the successful completion of the project was Proactivity.
The tender included specific HSE requirements.
Before final award of the contract the client and subcontractor met and discussed specific articles related to safety and environmental issues so that the subcontractor fully understood what was required. This avoided confusion at the start up and during the contract period.
Before the work started an audit of the subcontractors personnel and equipment was carried out to ensure contractual compliance. Then regular follows up audits were done.
Only by eliminating confusion and the tender stage and by constant monitoring is it possible to efficiently manage a crew with several hundred personnel and tens of subcontractors
The Consequences of Increasing Use of Information Technology amongst Employees in the Data Department
Authors: Kornberg I. J. , Storay K. G. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
IT technology increase efficiency, but may also have consequences on working environment. The results of this study indicate that the combined effects of increased and changing use of IT can be of significant on the working environment. IT technology generate a tougher and more demanding work situation. Continual changes in technology structure and program systems produce a feeling that it is difficult to keep up with developments. Increasing numbers of employees feel that work is gradually invading their leisure time. E-mail is not adequate medium for complex communication. The documented effect of the developing trends highlighted above is stress. The authors recommend that further analyses must be carried out.
Ergonomic Design and Musculoskeletal Disorders on Platforms in The North Sea
Authors: Høivik Dordi 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Musculoskeletal disorders have a multifactorial etiology. An epidemiological cross-section study among catering personnel on oil/gas platforms in the North Sea was carried out in 1996. The results show an incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms of 72 per cent from reported symptoms for the previous 12-month period. About 50 per cent of the respondents reported that their symptoms were work related.
A lot of work has been done to improve ergonomic design. All employees have been trained in ergonomic principles for physical work.
Of those participating in the study, 90 per cent were satisfied with the technical facilities at the work place. 90 per cent said they had enough time to do their job. Less than 10 per cent said that heavy lifting was a problem. Why do they still have work- related musculoskeletal symptoms?
It is important to focus on ergonomic design and how the body should be used for performance of working operations. But this is not enough! Various interventions are necessary.
TRIPOD DELTA: Safety Performance Redefined
Authors: Groeneweg J. , Roggeveen V. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Human error is an important contributing cause in many accidents. Consequently the elimination of human error should be a most promising target for accident prevention. Tripod concentrates upon systemic factors and the way in which management decisions can propagate into substandard conditions at the work place. It attempts to help the organization to control the business process and not to focus primarily on the individual worker or the negative consequences like accidents, environmental spills and health problems. Optimal control of the controllable environmental conditions that cause human error makes an organization maximally intrinsically sound. This paper illustrates how these conditions are managed in an industrial environment.
The Rule of Three: Situation Awareness in Hazardous Situations
Authors: Hudson P. T. W. , van der Graaf G. C. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The criteria for making Go – No Go decisions are often conservative because the decision rule (i.e. to stop flying helicopters, to go around with a tanker, to shut down a platform or halt concurrent operations) does not take the interaction of multiple factors into account. All of the situations and events leading to an incident are sub-standard, but taken in isolation none of them usually appear dangerous enough to warrant halting operations and taking stock. Accidents rarely happen because of a single catastrophic failure, except when that failure is at the end of a chain of non-catastrophic failures and organisational oversights. Go – No Go decisions are hard to make, especially when situations have been deteriorating slowly, and a clear decision rule can help. The Rule of Three is proposed as a way of combining information to make operational decisions.
Crew Resource Management for Offshore Teams: Lessons from Aviation
Authors: Flin Rhona , O'Connor Paul , Mearns Kathryn , Gordon Rachel 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The European and North American airlines now use a specialized form of human factors training for pilots, ground and cabin crew, called Crew Resource Management (CRM). It is mandatory in the UK that all airline pilots undertake CRM training. CRM emerged as a result of accident analysis (e.g. Tenerife air disaster) which showed that human factors relating to leadership, problem solving, communication, team working and stress management were contributing to near misses and accidents. The training is based on ongoing research which identifies particular areas to target and the aim is to reduce errors by catching them before they become problems, and to enable crews to function at the highest level of efficiency if a problem does occur.
CRM is being used with medical teams, nuclear power plant crews and maintenance crews, and it appears that this type of focused human factors training is particularly suitable for offshore safety management. Using the results from our offshore research projects we are designing a prototype version of CRM for offshore crews. This is one method of ‘closing the loop’ between accident analysis and response. Details of the CRM training and new evaluation project for the UK oil and gas industry will be covered.
This work is a part of a larger project called ‘Factoring the human into safety: Translating research into practice being carried out by the Industrial Psychology group of Aberdeen University. This 2 year project sponsored by: Agip; AMEC; AOC/Brown & Root; BP; Coflexip Stena; Conoco; Elf; Health & Safety Executive (OSD); Oryx; Salamis; Sedco Forex; Shell; Texaco; and Total. The aims of the project are to:
Develop a bench-marking study to identify, analyze and share best practice on human factors safety-related issues. Develop crew resource management (CRM) packages for training offshore teams in human factors issues. Systematically analyzing the human factors causes of accidents so that the information can be used to develop training programs for CRM.
Building Trust Through Consultation and Assurance
Authors: Sykes R. M. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Introduction
A fundamental internal change process, or transformation, has been underway in the Royal Dutch/Shell Group since 1995. The case for change was driven by the realisation that business performance, in a ferociously competitive world, was simply not good enough. However, in the midst of this process, criticism by Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the media of both the proposed deepwater disposal of the Brent Spar storage buoy and environmental performance in Nigeria, brought home the realities of the external world. These events brought health, safety and environment (HSE) very much onto the transformation agenda.
Understanding Through Consultation
Although the Group has had an HSE policy in place for many years, the realisation that decisions made in good faith drew strong a reaction from large areas of society signalled that something was fundamentally wrong. The approach was to treat the issue in the same way as a fatal accident, undertaking a far-reaching review of the root causes. And just like a fatal accident review, the learning points were both numerous and instructive. The first step was to obtain views of the way in which society's expectations of large, multinational companies have changed. A series of round tables were held in 14 countries bringing together 159 Shell executives and 145 external participants, including members of pressure groups, academics, researchers, journalists and other opinion formers. Interviews were also conducted with executives from 44 Shell companies, and 60 existing surveys by Shell companies were reviewed.
The principal conclusion of this work was that in the past, Shell met expectations extremely well and, consequently, had an excellent reputation. Currently, however, the company does not meet all expectations and its reputation has therefore suffered. Shell has steadfastly remained true to its original self – the world, however has changed. There are of course some expectations which no company could realistically hope to meet without great difficulty or disproportionate cost. This must be made clear and some of these dilemmas have been discussed in the 1996 Group Health, Safety and Environment Report.
Accident and Injury Pattern in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production – A Two Year Prospective Study
Authors: Ajayi P. A. , Okegbemiro S. A. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
A key objective of the Protecting People and the Environment Policy is safe operations and, accident prevention is of paramount importance in achieving this. A two-year prospective study of the accident and injury pattern was carried out in Chevron offshore operations in Nigeria, from August 1995 to July 1997 to determine predisposing and other factors that may aid an effective accident prevention program. During this period, 259 injuries were seen in the company industrial clinic based on the Escravos Terminal. Total clinic attendance during the same period was 60,000 and the workforce averaged 2900. 8% of the injuries occurred in Chevron employees and 92% among contract staff. Injuries were classified using Loss Prevention Guide No. 7 of Chevron Corporation as follows: First aid cases – 27%; Medical cases – 57% and Lost work day cases – 15%. There was 1 fatality during the period and this was an expatriate contractor who sustained severe head injury from a fall. 65% of accidents occurred in the months of March to August, which coincides with the rainy season in Nigeria. The most common injuries were: hand injuries – 39% (mostly lacerations, crush injuries and fractures); lower limb injuries – 21%; scalp and facial injuries – 14%; eye injuries – 9%. Other injuries included long bone fractures, blunt chest injuries, burns and joint dislocations. Caterers (food handlers) and manual workers, mostly unskilled, were the most common group of workers injured. Most injuries occurred during the day shift (81.5%). Common causes of injury in our workplace are also stated. The injury distribution suggests a possibility of underreporting of minor / first aid cases and employees are encouraged to report all injuries without fear. Post-accident drug testing has been introduced as a way of discouraging workplace substance abuse. Other measures have also been put in place.
Venezuelan Legislation, the Risk and its Impact on Corporate Business
Authors: Galdós-Colón A. J. I. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The risk concept is closely tied to the idea of responsibility, which in turn has several modalities. These various formscan be either criminal, administrative, labor-related, civil and objective. The professional risk theory inspired the formulation of a number of currently existing legislations connected with employer responsibility. Moreover, this risk theory is the very backbone of the Organic Law for Prevention, and Work Atmossphere and Environment, and the very essence of the Law lies in what is known as the "principle of prevention". This protective aspect is directly tied to the social rights associated with labor itself; it is inherent to the work condition. In other words, the principle is shaped by the eventuality of risk and the responsibility that exists in the case of environmental damage. It should be noted that in this respect the underlying principle is that the "contaminating agent is the one tha pays" in addition to any of the other administrative and criminal responsibilities that may arise. All of the above has a clear impact on corporate business and makes it necessary tl take a closer look and adopt preventive measures. If these aspects are not awarded their due attention not only the business will have to the deal with civil, criminal or administrative sanctions but also with significant industrial losses generated by the shutdown of installations or accidents of wide dimensions.
Gas Extraction and Risk of Subsidence: the Case of the Northern Adriatic Gas Fields, Technical Issues
Authors: Cassiani G. , Zoccatelli C. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The exploitation of offshore gas fields in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy) has been jeopardized by a growing sensitivity of the public opinion to an allegedly possible subsidence impact on the heavily urbanized coast. The proximity of the city of Venice, with its invaluable legacy of historical monuments and masterpieces has made the debate even harsher. A detailed procedure of environmental impact assessment is currently undertaken by the central Italian government. Considerable energy and resources have been expended by Agip in its effort to show that the project has no actual consequence on the stability and elevation of the coast. A large number of lab tests and in-situ compaction measurements have been collected in an area that spans the whole Northern Adriatic offshore of the Italian coast. New lab techniques have been devised to reconcile in-situ and lab compressibility, the latter one being consistently biased towards higher values. The geology of the area is known in great detail thanks to a large 3-D seismic survey performed in recent years. Extensive and detailed modeling of the whole area has shown that no tangible risk exists of subsidence affecting the Venetian lagoon area and the Po river delta. For extra safety, a water injection plan has been set up to prevent the depressurization from propagating through the lateral aquifers away from the gas fields. We present the state of the situation from a technical viewpoint, while it is clear that also political, economical and social aspects play a fundamental role in cases like this.
Comparative Evaluation between a Modified CFP Separator and All Other Available Oil-Water Separation Techniques
Authors: Kenawy F. A. , Kandil M. E. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Oily water treating equipment are categorized as 1) primary treatment equipment to remove bulk oil and to protect the downstream facilities from surges and upset conditions, 2) secondary treatment equipment to refine the water, or 3) tertiary treatment equipment to polish the water. The mission of this paper had been tailored to make a comparative evaluation between the operation/effectiveness of a developed CFP (Cross Flow Pack) separator and all other available oil-water separation techniques. Data obtained from this study revealed that economics, size of equipment and simplicity of operation favored only traditional oil-water separation facility to do the essential primary treatment.
The CFP separator is one of the facilities which could be used effectively for oil-water separation process because it is 1) inexpensive, 2) occupies a small area and 3) has low operating cost, has the potential to recover all oil droplets bigger than 30 micron. Therefore, to meet environmental regulations while using these facilities, it is necessary to continue the study and research to improve its effectiveness.
Best Practices on Oil Spill Prevention and Contingency Planning
Authors: Kenawy F. A. , Mohamed Galal Desouki 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company is committed to implementing high standards of environmental quality and safety in its operations.
In spite of the best care and preventive measures taken, it is a fact that accidents do occur, so GUPCO has prepared a workable and flexible oil spill contingency plan has been prepared, able to cope with any oil spill scenario in the Gulf of Suez where its offshore operation exists. The plan is applicable to all work offshore controlled by GUPCO, and to all employed or contracted personnel required to work on such operation.
Our oil spill contingency plan objective is to provide rapid and effective response to offshore oil spills and to minimize harmful effects on the marine environment and on commercial and public amenities. The call out of response teams and the emergency task group is consistent with the level of emergency.
Adequate and sufficient oil spill response equipment are available for oil slick surveillance, oil containment and recovery, and chemical dispersion.
Local and outside support resources have been also coordinated to ensure timely and adequate response in case of disasters.
Emergencies are a surprise when a lack of preparation prevails, so continuous training and frequently held drills are therefore vital to prepare all employees for fast and adequate response.
Fast and adequate response has been proved during the 2 major oil spill accidents reported during 1996.
Optimisation Of Fire and Explosion Protection On FPSO
Authors: Medonos Sava , Rogers Chris 
Published: December 2007

Introduction
The present goal setting or prescriptive safety regimes in various parts of the world require that the design of equipment and structures of an offshore or onshore facility considers accidental loading in addition to the operation loads. Safety critical systems should function under accidental loading for a defined period of time to provide one or more of the following:–prevention of major hazard event,–control of the event, and–mitigation of the event.
Requirements for safety critical systems are defined in the form of performance standards. According to Ref. 1, a "performance standard is a statement, which can be expressed in qualitative or quantitative terms, of the performance required of a system, item of equipment, person or procedure, and which is used as the basis for managing the hazard - e.g. planning, measuring, control or audit - through the lifecycle of the installation." There are high and low level performance standards. High level performance standards describe operating company's risk criteria. The confirmation that the high level performance standards are satisfied is provided by Quantitative risk Assessment (!RA). QRA uses "rule sets" to predict the effects of accidental loads on offshore facilities. In general, rule sets are based on past experience, statistics and simplistic response models, and require a great deal of human judgement. As such, they sometimes do not predict accurately enough the behaviour of systems affected by accidental loads, which often leads to over-conservatism and unnecessary costs due to severe design conditions.
If the risk assessed by the QRA exceeds the high level performance standards the designer is required to provide adequate measures for the facility to resist accidental loads so that the risk can be brought withing the corporate risk criteria. These measures are expressed in the form of low/system level performance standards that describe the parameters the safety critical systems must achieve in terms of:–functionality–reliability and availability–survivability, and–dependency/interaction between systems.
For risks of escalat ion of an incident, a conflict exists between over-conservative QRA rules sets that dictate the conservatism of performance standards, and the actual behaviour of equipment and structures. The thermal and strength reserves that already exist in equipment and structures would justify more realistic performance standards. This conflict normally leads to over-design and unnecessary high costs for operating companies. This Paper describes how this conflict can be avoided and summarizes typical findings of a recent study carried out for a FPSO