Reduction of Tophole Risks Through Improved Application of Geophysical and Geotechnical Techniques

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy Barwise ◽  
Richard Salisbury ◽  
Gareth Wood ◽  
Micha Van Der Kraan ◽  
Tim Carrington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Site Investigation ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Shallow Water Flows ◽  
Offshore Oil And Gas ◽  
Human Costs ◽  
The Impact

The offshore oil and gas industry spends over $60bn per year on oil and gas wells and of this some $6bn, or around 10% is eaten up by geological and geotechnical problems such as stuck pipe, lost circulation, well bore instability, shallow water flows and other problems. On top of this are the environmental costs of the oil spills that can result from lost well control, and perhaps most importantly the human costs in terms of injuries and loss of life resulting from some of the worst incidents. This paper lists the geohazards within and around a well, the drilling risks implied by these geohazards, and the impact they can have on the planning and drilling of offshore wells. Current practice in geophysical and geotechnical site investigation techniques which, when correctly applied and interpreted, can help to reduce the risks and costs associated with the ‘Top-hole’ section is summarised and discussed (the Top Hole section is defined as the depth to the base of the first pressure containment string). Finally, a systematic approach to assessing and mitigating top-hole geo-risks through a multi-disciplinary geoscience and engineering approach is described. The authors are members of a working group of the Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics (OSIG) committee of the Society of Underwater Technology (SUT) who are drafting guidelines on the subject.

Changes in labour and safety regulation offshore: the productivity implications

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 539
Author(s):  
Eleanor Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Trade Unions ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Safety Regulation ◽  
Workplace Health ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Offshore Industry ◽  
Offshore Oil And Gas ◽  
The Impact

In recent years there have been ongoing tussles regarding the regulation of employment in the offshore oil and gas industry. Much of this conflict relates to the extent of union involvement in the industry, and the impact increased union activity may have on cost and productivity. This conflict has played out in the courts, legislature and the media. It is evidenced in the debate over the application of Australian migration laws to foreign workers offshore. This has involved lobbying by a number of organisations and Federal and High Court challenges to parliamentary intervention. Whether these laws apply has important implications for industry, as they include the practicalities and cost of engaging adequately skilled contractors for specialist tasks on major projects. Another recent example is the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) advocating for the application of the harmonised workplace health and safety regulations to the offshore industry. The application of these regulations would likely affect the extent of union involvement in the workplace, and have consequent cost and efficiency implications. In this extended abstract the author examines the impacts on industry of: recent and upcoming changes in employment regulation; uncertainties around the application of employment laws offshore; proposed changes to safety regulation; and, areas where industry is seeing advocacy for change.

The impact of recent shipping reforms on the offshore oil and gas industry in Australia

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Shane Bosma
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Marine Pollution ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Export Market ◽  
Shipping Industry ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Offshore Oil And Gas ◽  
Offshore Oil ◽  
The Impact

This peer-reviewed paper focuses on the impact of recent shipping reforms on the offshore oil and gas industry in Australia. These reforms are: the wholesale rewrite of the Navigation Act 1912 (Cth) by the Navigation Act 2012 (Cth), and the introduction of the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessels) Act 2012 (Cth); the registration of ships in Australia and the regulation of coastal trading in Australia; and, the regulation of marine pollution in Australia. The regulatory framework for offshore oil and gas facilities, and the interaction between the maritime legislation and the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth)—specifically, how the legislation applies at different stages of the operation of offshore oil and gas facilities—is considered. Also considered is the Australian Government’s Stronger Shipping for a Stronger Economy shipping reform package, which aims to position the Australian shipping industry to take advantage of opportunities provided by an expanding export market. This peer-reviewed paper also considers the new offences for oil pollution from ships, the widened scope of liability to include charterers of ships for oil pollution, and the significantly increased penalties for pollution offences promulgated by the Maritime Legislation Amendment Act 2011 (Cth). The text was finalised in November 2012, and for that reason developments after this date have not been treated.

Consideration of Geopolitical Challenges within the Analysis of Geoenvironmental Risks for Oil and Gas Development of the Russian Arctic

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 50-59
Author(s):  
O. P. Trubitsina ◽  
V. N. Bashkin
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Optimal Operation ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Stage Model ◽  
Oil And Gas Development ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Further Development ◽  
Geopolitical Risks

The article is devoted to the consideration of geopolitical challenges for the analysis of geoenvironmental risks (GERs) in the hydrocarbon development of the Arctic territory. Geopolitical risks (GPRs), like GERs, can be transformed into opposite external environment factors of oil and gas industry facilities in the form of additional opportunities or threats, which the authors identify in detail for each type of risk. This is necessary for further development of methodological base of expert methods for GER management in the context of the implementational proposed two-stage model of the GER analysis taking to account GPR for the improvement of effectiveness making decisions to ensure optimal operation of the facility oil and gas industry and minimize the impact on the environment in the geopolitical conditions of the Arctic.The authors declare no conflict of interest

Identifying Key Safety Culture Factors for the Offshore Industry

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Lou ◽  
Ezra Wari ◽  
James Curry ◽  
Kevin McSweeney ◽  
Rick Curtis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Safety Culture ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Transportation Safety ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
The Us ◽  
Offshore Industry ◽  
Offshore Oil And Gas ◽  
Offshore Oil

This research identifies key factors, or safety culture categories, that can be used to help describe the safety culture for the offshore oil and gas industry and develop a comprehensive offshore safety culture assessment toolkit for use by the US Gulf of Mexico (GoM) owners and operators. Detailed questionnaires from selected safety culture frameworks of different industries were collected and analyzed to identify important safety culture factors and key questions for assessment. Safety frameworks from different associations were investigated, including the Center for Offshore Safety (COS), Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The safety culture factors of each of these frameworks were generalized and analyzed. The frequency of the safety culture factors in each framework was analyzed to explore commonality. The literature review and analysis identified a list of common factors among safety culture frameworks.

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