TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
the unlikely event of a spill.
If, for instance, an operator is spudding an offshore well in West Africa, OSRL will work with the operator to identify contingencies through a risk assessment process that finds and assesses oil spill hazards then aligns equipment, processes and manpower in order to manage them. If an operator has access to OSRL’s well capping and containment equipment, OSRL’s logistics planning identifies the support required to ensure the equipment arrives in the correct order and is pre-configured ready to deploy on site.
In reality, few situations actually unfold according to plan, but if the most-likely contingencies and processes are considered beforehand, the response has a much higher level of success. OSRL’s current and recent experience of responding to oil spills ensures OSCPs are practical, actionable and written with OSRL’s unique insight.
EXERCISES
Fortunately, oil spills are rare, but the ability to be ready and able to respond rapidly must be available year round. OSRL works with organizations in order to maintain their response readiness through an assortment of drills designed around both subsea and surface scenarios.
One of the most practical methods is a
table-top exercise, in which OSRL collaborates with members by walking through responses to a number of different scenarios. Team members get a true understanding of what equipment is available (and when), and how to use it. Roles and responsibilities are clarified, and logistical and technical concerns addressed. OSRL also provides analysis of incident response in order to identifies gaps between capabilities and potential risks.
Some organizations maintain a level of in-house emergency response personnel and equipment. Generally, members with dedicated staff and equipment hold periodic dry-runs in order to assess response readiness. OSRL helps devise and coordinate these field exercises in order to optimize preparedness. A robust field drill provides response and emergency management members with the opportunity to practice skills, to work together closely and develop working relationships, and to make complex decisions under what can often be stressful circumstances.
An important aspect of all exercises is feedback. After field exercises, OSRL prepares reports detailing the level of response for personnel, equipment and logistics. These reports can highlight areas of excellence, as well as weaknesses; in the latter case, recommendations for improvement are often included.
OSRL also works with key organizations to observe and participate in government and regulatory exercises and workshops. This enables OSRL to better understand regulators and their mandates, and be better able to support members through services to satisfy those requirements.
In the future, OSRL will continue to liaise with stakeholders in the O&G industry to develop and deploy new techniques and response processes. For instance, as ice in the Arctic retreats, new regions for offshore exploration are opening up. Oil spills in cold environments represent specific challenges, from deploying clean-up assets in remote locations to dealing with dispersants in icy conditions. OSRL monitors academic work and if requested can assist with the testing of new equipment from service companies. In conclusion, although every year brings advances in technology and acumen, oil spills will never be entirely eliminated. To that end, OSRL, its members and all interested parties are working together to respond in the quickest, safest and most effective manner possible.
Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.
Alexander Graham Bell.
www.oilspillresponse.com July 2017 |
www.sosmagazine.biz | p23
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