One of the key performance indicator’s of an installation’s integrity performance is the number of hydrocarbon releases, along with the importance of workforce competency in managing these risks. While North Sea statistics had shown a continued pattern of reduction in unplanned hydrocarbon releases dating back to the mid-1990s, in 2010 the figure increased by more than a third compared to the previous year. The number of major and significant releases, regarded as potential precursors to a major incident, rose to 85 compared to 61 in 2008/09 – the lowest since the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) began regulating the industry. The HSE estimates that 50-70% of hydrocarbon releases have causes linked in part or in whole to human factors – what people do, or don’t do, when designing, maintaining and operating equipment offshore.
‘Since Piper Alpha, health and safety issues concerning offshore platforms have vastly reduced. However, the work practices involved are not risk free and still have the potential to cause considerable loss of life when things go wrong,’ says Andrew Imrie, director of oil & gas industry learning and skills provider Atlas Interactive.
‘Release rates can vary from platform to platform, taking into account factors like age, construction material, geographic location and so on but incorrectly fitted equipment and improper operation are the most widespread operational causes of hydrocarbon releases. With the push now on for the industry to reduce the number of incidents by 50% over the next three years, companies need to be looking at how to build this reduction target into their plans.’
Through its Step Change in Safety initiative, the UK North Sea industry is focusing on two main areas in 2011: continuing to reduce the number of hydrocarbon releases and improving safety culture, with an emphasis on competence and human factors.
‘The human interface remains a significant contributor to leaks, but its role as an effective weapon for attacking problems shouldn’t be underestimated,’ says Imrie. ‘Automatic systems detect only a proportion of all leaks. Indeed, statistics collated by the HSE have shown that a third of all major leaks and two thirds of significant releases are detected by people.
‘Whatever detection system is in use, it is evident that the best method of identification for these releases is human. Along with maintaining and replacing equipment, organisations should therefore be looking to capitalise on the resources already at their disposal by increasing the knowledge base and awareness of their staff.’
It is important for operators to ensure that equipment is fully maintained to prevent the most common types of failure, he adds. These include piping, instruments, storage tanks, valve manual and flanges where particular care needs to be taken to ensure their reliability.
Industry has identified five main pinch points when it comes to leaks:
A good practice toolkit offering guidance for managing these five areas has been made available to operators by Step Change in Safety, but Imrie believes there are other danger areas which companies should also take into account.
‘There is no doubt that an awareness of the causes and impact of vibration and corrosion or safety critical components like bolted joints and small bore tubing will help companies evolve an effective management system and make a significant contribution towards meeting the UK’s vision to be the safest offshore oil and gas region.
‘Failures in the integrity of, for example, flexible hose assemblies can cause leakage of flammable or toxic substances and, in the worst case scenario, can compromise the operation of safety and control systems, impact on the safety of personnel or cause environmental problems.
‘Inevitably, there are a whole host of other areas which also merit closer inspection, however. In the oil & gas industry, many routine jobs involve the use of pressure testing, both in operations and in maintenance. It is important to examine why and how pressure testing is performed and assess the different methods of pressure testing used. Workers should also be familiar with the different types of pressure testing equipment used and be able to identify the potential associated hazards and risks.
‘Mechanical joint integrity is also key,’ Imrie continues. ‘Ensuring your workforce is familiar with the principles of the equipment and technology associated with the bolting of flanged joints for pressurised systems will go a long way to helping them identify areas of risk. Being familiar with the various methods of tightening joints in a pressurised system, the theories involved with torque tightening, tensioning techniques and the selection and set up of correct torque wrenches may sound obvious but it can go a long way in terms of maintaining high levels of competency. It is also useful for workers to know how to correctly use bolt tightening data.’
While the benefits of reducing the human risk factor speak for themselves, instigating a culture change within an organisation in order to achieve it is not always so easily done.
Atlas is currently working with Step Change in Safety to develop a workforce survey aimed at gauging engagement at the work site and helping managers drive positive changes in how they communicate with their workforce and encourage a constructive safety culture in every individual.
‘To my mind, improved communication at all levels, good induction and a continuing focus on training and competency are key going forward,’ says Imrie.
‘There is a great prize to be achieved if the industry pulls together. Halving the hydrocarbon release rate may seem like a challenge but through increased training and good management of those elements which make errors more likely we can reduce the likelihood of a major accident happening and ensure the security of oil and gas supply.’ OE
| Electrical qualification training on tap Denver, Colorado-based NTT Workforce Development Institute says its recently introduced Skill Circuit electrical qualification training will help US oil & gas producers and related service providers resolve a compliance quandary, namely: how to establish a documented process for qualifying field supervisors and workers that perform hazardous electrical work on well sites, in refineries or in other hazardous work environments. T he relevant standard as per the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration, OSHA 1910.332c, states that for qualified electrical workers the training required by this section shall be of the classroom or on-the-job type, NTT points out, adding: ‘Employers may be unpleasantly surprised to learn that per OSHA training mandates, their senior production operators or field workers are not considered qualified unless the company has documented training records that meet OSHA criteria.’ NTT says its training program, with its blend of instructorled classes, e-learning tools and hands-on labs, exceeds OSHA’s requirements and empowers companies to create, and sustain, a defensible and documented process for electrical worker qualification. Training is typically conducted on-site at the employer’s location, eliminating employee travel time and expenses and allowing NTT to customize its program for the company’s specific facilities, equipment and personnel. |
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