OIL, GAS & RENEWABLES
A DYNAMIC APPROACH TO TRAINING AND COMPETENCE
Huw Bement, Managing Director of CompEx, explains why, in the context of an ever-evolving energy industry, a highly trained, competent workforce remains vital
he energy sector is widely regarded as hazardous and high risk. But it’s also a sector where safety is a top priority, and rightly so. CompEx was established following Lord Cullen’s investigation into the Piper Alpha disaster which tragically killed 167 people offshore in 1988, making it the world’s deadliest oil rig accident.
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More than 100 recommendations in the report were transformational for the North Sea oil and gas industry and have helped establish the region as a global safety leader. Data from the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) in 2021 showed lost-time injuries (LTIs) are consistently lower in the UK than its European counterparts, while OEUK reported that 2022 was the safest year to work in offshore oil and gas since records began, with a 22% reduction in process safety dangerous occurrences.
The UK energy sector’s reputation and expertise in safe work practices, training and competency has international reach, and has also been adopted across other safety- critical industries. Our heritage lies in oil and gas, but in more recent years CompEx has been focused on building cross-sector flexibility, becoming the recognised competency standard for other industries like pharmaceuticals, food manufacturing and utilities.
Change is inevitable within the energy industry. Over the years, conventional oil and gas has become increasingly complex. With reserves now often found in deeper, more remote, harsher offshore locations, operations have become increasingly
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challenging, and this has intensified the need to maintain safe working conditions in these hazardous environments.
You also don’t need to work in the energy sector to grasp the scale of the climate change challenge and the immense effort required to address it. It’s an issue now firmly rooted in the mainstream and in the minds of people of all ages and backgrounds. The pursuit of net zero sits at the top of global political and public policy agendas, news bulletins and in board rooms the world over. The acceleration towards low carbon energy sources clearly presents new safety risks, but by focusing on training and competency, this will help keep the workforce safe while paving the way to the energy system of the future.
Staying up-to-date CompEx qualifications are based on international technical standards – predominantly IEC 60079 – and when these are updated, we act quickly to ensure our qualifications are also updated to remain relevant to today’s industry needs. As the energy sector transitions, we’re supporting the workforce in adapting to not only new technologies and processes, but even entirely new energy sources. Take hydrogen, for example. The UK has all the experience, resources and people needed to become a leading producer and exporter of hydrogen. Hydrogen, however, behaves differently when compared to other conventional gas fuels because of its molecular size and weight, which means it’s volatile, more likely to leak and will rise and disperse quickly in open environments.
For the last three decades, CompEx
qualifications have provided credible assurance for people working in explosive environments. They enable organisations to embed competent people at the heart of their operations.
With energy transition taking global centre stage, it’s easy to focus entirely on new energy sources and renewables energies. However, despite this evolving landscape, increasing global demand for energy means oil and gas will remain part of our energy mix for decades, even as the profile and proportions change.
This continued demand is pushing operations into harsher environments however, and maximising recovery of resources now involves deepwater fields, Arctic operations and working with unconventional resources like shale gas. These environments pose major technical and safety challenges, and demand an ever- increasing level of competency. Looking ahead, it’s critical to build a workforce prepared for the demands of the future energy system, but we must not lose sight of the challenges right in front of us. Investing in training and occupational competence will ensure today’s workforce is well-equipped to handle both current and future energy needs.
The CompEx scheme is the recognised global solution for validating the competency of staff working in all industries with potentially hazardous and explosive atmospheres.
CompEx
www.compexcertification.com
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