…as conference zeroes in on safety in oil and gas sector

ALL accidents are avoidable and the importance of safety in the oil and gas industry must never be bargained with.

This was the message of Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Vincent Adams on Monday to scores of stakeholders in the oil and gas industry in Guyana. At the time, he was speaking at the Marriott Hotel at an Operational and Environmental Safeguards Conference on Enhancing Offshore Exploration and Production (E&P) Regional Capacity.

The two-day conference was organised by Hunt Petty LP, in collaboration with the EPA, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC); the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD). The conference aims to expand dialogue among stakeholders on the best operating practices which protect the environment of the common territorial waters of the Caribbean.

A SAFETY CULTURE

Addressing the audience, Adams said that the reality is that while every company states that safety is their number one priority, this is not always reflective in their daily actions. He stated that the core attributes on how companies operate must include safety as a culture; “stop-work” authority for every worker who sees the risk of danger; high ethical standards; capacity building for employees; paying attention to the ‘human factor’ of workers and more.

He also advised contractors that procedures often help to maintain safety and operators must be involved in preparing these procedures and encouraging employees to stick to it. “The major accidents are not caused by anything that’s complicated or sophisticated. It’s by just those simple deviation from what’s in the procedures,” Adams said.
He stated that while the probability may me low for an accident to occur, the consequence will be high which is why preventative measures or risk management remains key.

Added to this, the EPA Director stressed that Guyana, though guided by international standards for safety, needs to establish its own local standards based on what fits the county’s unique situation. “We are in the process of very, very aggressively working toward getting to that point when we will have developed our local standards,” he assured.

MODEREN STRATEGIES NEEDED
Also addressing the audience was Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe who told the gathering that even while Guyana’s oil and gas industry is on an upward trajectory, stakeholders must not lose sight of the importance of safety and how the environment and its inhabitants can be affected.

The Energy Director stated that an oil spill in Guyana can even have Regional implications and oil and gas companies and the countries in which they operate are therefore faced with the challenge of meeting the world’s energy demands while minimizing risks. In this regard, Dr. Bynoe stated that a risk management approach with modern strategies must be adopted by companies. During the conference, specific analysis of oil-spill related agreements is being placed on Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Other themes which will also be examined include technology and best practices for preventing, containing and mitigating spill-related risks; governmental cooperative agreements for responding to an oil spill in the Region and capacity development for civil society infrastructure, public resources and education. Stakeholders will also discuss capacity enhancement through Regional cooperation; Guyana and the Caribbean; deep-water source control; risk management of collateral activities; enhancing the capacity of human resources and more.