Schlumberger achieved SEMS certification to Center for Offshore Safety Program expectations and 30 CFR 250 Subpart S requirements. Schlumberger is the first service/supply contractor to achieve this voluntarily, further demonstrating their commitment to SEMS, assurance of their safety management system, and to ensure they know where is best to focus their continuing work on safety management.
SEMS is intended as a continuous learning and improvement system for safety and environmental management. A key feature of SEMS is the focus on establishing, managing and measuring barriers that protect against escalation to a major incident. The voluntary COS certification program for contractors that is delivered via Audit Service Providers (ASP) requires participation in a COS program SEMS audit using independent verification by third-party auditors that have been assessed and accredited by COS. COS focuses on the importance of combining SEMS Leadership and effective SEMS to deliver a good safety culture.
DNV GL Business Assurance USA, a COS-accredited (ASP), approved Schlumberger for COS SEMS Certification based on the outcome of the COS SEMS audit. The audit scope included Schlumberger's head office, onshore manufacturing/service facilities, and verification of SEMS implementation at an offshore location where Schlumberger was active. A total of 12 locations were visited during the SEMS audit.
"While Schlumberger has had a comprehensive management system in place since the late 1980's, the SEMS certification audit provided a great opportunity to verify that our system meets the regulatory requirements of the US outer continental shelf. The exercise not only highlighted the numerous strengths of our organization but also identified opportunities for improvement. This process of continuous assessment and progression ensures that our system is maintained to the highest standards in the industry," said Rob Cummings, Schlumberger HSE manager – North America offshore.
Tom Teipner, Schlumberger president – North America, added, "While the current regulations apply only to operators on the outer continental shelf, I believe that voluntary participation in the SEMS audit process demonstrates Schlumberger's unwavering commitment to the safety and integrity of our industry. Leadership is about transforming a vision into a reality. This audit was another step forward in that vision of transforming the outer continental shelf into an area in which the safety of our people and respect for the environment is critical in everything we do."