HEALTH & SAFETY
Detection of a small gas leak can avert a chain reaction
Tis difficult process means risk assessments are vital. Tese need to be carried out early with escape, evacuation and rescue measures put in place, as many assets have remained in situ for years and taking them apart brings with it new safety challenges. Metal fatigue, including hydrogen embrittlement or sulphide stress cracking, can result in a release of hydrogen sulphide gas if it’s not tackled effectively. When entering a well that’s been abandoned, maybe for years, workers need to prepare for the worst- case scenario because they will be dealing with a lot of unknowns. As production declines in the UK Continental Shelf, the most easily accessed fields have been exhausted. With new fields in deeper waters, under higher temperatures and pressures, as well as longer pipelines, logistics are becoming increasingly difficult which not only challenges the integrity of assets, but means workers are faced with a more dangerous environment in which to operate.
Although there has been significant
investment in new infrastructure, around half of offshore platforms are beyond their original design life with many assets commissioned in the early 1970s now forecast to continue operating to 2030 and beyond. Investment in new assets and the extension of the life of existing plants present both safety and commercial challenges. Tere is no doubt about the health effects of breathing air contaminated
with H2
smell very low concentrations of H2
S and although most people can S, it
is dangerous to assume that odour would provide adequate warning. In a perfect world, the safest exposure to H2
S would be none at all.
PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION It’s vital that anyone working in an area where concentrations of H2
CHANGING FACE OF OFFSHORE INDUSTRY Advancements in gas detection methods over the years and new technology mean H2
S safety is easier to get to grips with S may
be present should have the very best training. Just seconds of exposure at low concentrations can be lethal, shutting down the system that regulates breathing. Tere should also be a contingency plan to ensure all staff have been shown how to use hydrogen sulphide safety equipment correctly in all hazardous areas. Gas detection equipment should be present wherever the gas might exist, as well as respiratory protection for normal and emergency use. Training should include recognising the characteristics, sources and hazards of H2
in response to H2
S and knowing how to react S warnings in the
workplace. It should also include rescue techniques and first-aid procedures in light of H2
S exposure, especially
with regards to confined space entry procedures. Workers should have a plan ready at the time, because if the H2
than ever before for today’s offshore operators. Innovations such as wireless gas detectors and autocalibration methods have changed the face of oil field H2S safety within the past decade. Training also helps workers recognise the dangers of H2
S and today we are not
just better at educating workers, but they are also better equipped. Te oil and gas industry as a whole is making tremendous efforts to raise awareness of H2S to have incident-free and environmentally safe operations now and in the future. Dräger Marine and Offshore UK is committed to working alongside its industry partners to pioneer safety solutions for the future. It offers training at any location and works closely on training solutions with its four North Sea countries; the UK, the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark. Te company can deliver the H2
S S sensor
alarm goes off, they need to know how to react immediately. Having a plan and equipment at the ready ultimately saves time and money, which otherwise could be lost due to inactivity if the platform has to be abandoned.
basic safety training course accredited by the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO) at its dedicated Training Academy and Service Centre in Aberdeen. Te half-day course gives all petroleum industry workers the knowledge and skills to work in environments where the presence of this potentially lethal gas poses a risk. l
For more information visit
www.draeger.com/oilgasuk
www.engineerlive.com 53
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