Oil industry outlines global recommendations to reduce likelihood and impact of well incidents
The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, has released its recommendations to improve well incident prevention, intervention and response. These recommendations comprise a fundamental package of safety and response initiatives for the industry and represent its response to recent accidents such as Macondo and Montara.
Working together over almost a year, 20 OGP member companies pooled their knowledge and experience through a dedicated Global Industry Response Group (GIRG) of 100 experts.
Collaborating with national and international regulators and industry associations from the outset, GIRG divided its work into three core areas – prevention, intervention and response – and recommended for each the creation of three new industry bodies. These bodies are tasked with advocating continuous improvement and investment in the equipment, procedures and behaviour that will reduce the likelihood and impact of well incidents.
GIRG’s key recommendations include:
Prevention
- Establishment of an OGP-governed Wells Expert Committee (WEC) that will develop better capabilities and practice on well engineering design and well operations management in order to reduce the likelihood of future incidents
•········· Recommendation to industry and regulators that a “two (independent and physical) barrier” policy is in place during the life of a well
•········· Introduction of a 3-tier review process
•········· Promotion of human competency management systems
Intervention
- Development of a consortium of nine major oil companies that will enhance the industry’s ability to cap future well incidents, will study further the need for, and feasibility of, global containment solutions, and will develop an operating model for any equipment
Response
- Creation of a Joint Industry Project (JIP) including OGP and IPIECA· to improve coordination between key stakeholders internationally and advance continuous improvements in oil spill preparedness and response capabilities
- Recommendation to establish key principles on the value of dispersants, their effective deployment, and regulatory pre-approval for their use
- Enhancement of existing recommended practices for In Situ Burning
OGP Executive Director Michael Engell-Jensen said:
“These proposals are another important step in a permanent and ongoing industry-wide commitment to improve well design, operations and incident management.
“The technical content of these recommendations is of course highly specialised. However there is one very important principle in common – prevention of future well incidents is paramount."
