Untitled Quiz

Course Information

• Course Title: International Technical Certificate in Oil and Gas Operational Safety
• Course Code: HSOH 4100
• Instructor: Dr. Ravi Rangarajan
• Room #: 19.2.21
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 4495 2661
• Certificate Issuer: NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health)
• Unit: IOG1 (Management of International Oil and Gas Operational Safety)

Element 1

• Purpose and procedures for investigating incidents in the oil and gas industries
• How lessons learned can improve health and safety in the oil and gas industry
• Hazards inherent in oil and gas extraction, storage, and processing
• Risk management techniques in the oil and gas industry
• Purpose and content of an organization's documented safety evidence

Element 2

• Principles of assessing and managing contractors
• Tools, standards, competency requirements, and controls applicable to Process Safety Management (PSM) in the oil and gas industry
• Role and purpose of a permit-to-work system
• Key principles of safe shift handover
• Safe plant operation and maintenance of hydrocarbon-containing equipment and processes
• Hazards, risks, and controls for safe start-up and shut-down of hydrocarbon-containing equipment and processes

Element 3

• Types of failure modes leading to loss of hydrocarbon containment
• Controls available to maintain safety-critical equipment
• Hazards, risks, and controls for safe containment of hydrocarbons (offshore and onshore)
• Fire hazards, risks, and controls relating to hydrocarbons
• Hazards, risks, and controls for operating boilers and furnaces

Element 4

• Control measures to minimize the effects of fire and explosion in the oil and gas industries
• Principles, procedures, and resources for effective emergency response

Element 5

• Main hazards and suitable controls for marine transport
• Main hazards and suitable controls for land transport

Element 1: Health, Safety and Environmental Management in Context

• This element is a general context for health safety and environmental management

HSE Management in Oil & Gas Industry - Learning From Incidents

• Why Investigate Accidents and Near-Misses?

  • Accidents may recur, and outcomes can worsen.
  • Understanding causes prevents recurrence.

• Near-Misses:

  • Indicator of accident potential.
  • Treat each near-miss as a free warning.

• Incident Investigation Purposes:

  • Identify immediate and root causes
  • Identify corrective actions
  • Record incident facts
  • Meet legal requirements
  • Manage claims
  • Improve staff morale
  • Implement disciplinary actions
  • Gather data for further analysis

• Types of Incidents:

  • Near-miss: unplanned event with potential, but no actual injury
  • Accident: unplanned event resulting in injury, damage, or loss
  • Injury accident: personnel injury
  • Damage-only accident: equipment or property damage
  • Dangerous occurrence: event reported by relevant authorities (e.g., major gas release)
  • Ill-health: disease or medical condition directly attributed to work

• Before Investigation Begins:

  • Safety of the scene (safe to approach?)
  • Casualty care (injured needing aid?)

• Basic Investigation Procedures:

  • Step 1: Gather facts
  • Step 2: Analyze immediate and root causes
  • Step 3: Identify suitable corrective measures
  • Step 4: Plan remedial actions

• Immediate Causes: Agent of injury/ill health

• Underlying Causes: Unsafe acts/unsafe conditions

• Root Causes: Failures in management systems/safety concern (human factors)

• Gathering Information: Secure the scene, interview witnesses collect factual info, check documentation

• Analyzing Information: Draw conclusions about immediate and root/underlying causes.

HSE Management in Oil & Gas Industry - Learning From Incidents - Hazard Inherrent in Oil and Gas Operations

• Flash Point: Lowest temperature at which sufficient vapor is released
• Vapor Density: Measured relative to hydrogen
• Vapor Pressure: Pressure exerted by vapor in equilibrium with liquid (or solid)
• Flammable Classification: Extremely flammable, highly flammable, flammable
• Flammable Substances: Classified by flash point ranges
• Combustible: Substances that can burn; flammable involves ignitable vapors
• Explosive Atmosphere: Hazards from gas/air mixtures within flammable limits (especially in confined spaces)

HSE Management in Oil & Gas Industry - Learning From Incidents - Toxicity

• Toxicity: Ability of a chemical to cause injury.
• Chemical Classifications: Categorized based on their toxicity (health effects) as Very toxic, Toxic, Harmful, Corrosive, Irritant, Sensitizing, Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, Toxic for Reproduction .

HSE Management in Oil & Gas Industry - Learning From Incidents - Explosives Atmosphere Situations

• Explosions can occur during hot work, where flames/sparks occur, and where electrical/static electricity creates sparks.

HSE Management in Oil & Gas Industry - Learning From Incidents - Properties, Hazards, and Gases of Oil & Gas Operation

• Hydrogen: Highly flammable/explosive, colorless, odorless, low density, low ignition energy, not toxic, asphyxiant at high concentrations
• Methane: Highly flammable/explosive, colorless, odorless, low density, easily ignited, simple asphyxiant
• LPG: Easily liquefied and highly flammable, colorless/odorless, denser than air, explosive mixtures flashing-back easily, simple asphyxiant
• LNG: Easily vaporizes, highly flammable/explosive, colorless/odorless, simple asphyxiant
• Nitrogen: Non-flammable, colorless/odorless/tasteless, used as inert material in flammable atmospheres
• Hydrogen Sulphide: Flammable gas; silent killer (10 ppm fatal), colorless, intense rotten-egg smell; denser than air, accumulates at low levels, can travel long-distances and flash back when spark is applied, toxic, irritates eyes, skin, and respiratory tracts
• Oxygen: Naturally present in air, colorless/odorless; non-flammable, supports combustion, highly reactive to oils and greases
• Associated Products (Additives): Anti-foaming agents, Micro-biocides, Corrosion preventatives, refrigerants, water and steam, Mercaptans, Drilling muds (oil or water-based, gaseous), sludges

Managing for Health and Safety (HSE) - Risk Management Techniques

• Qualitative Risk Assessment: Basic approach using descriptive terms (e.g., high, medium, low) to estimate likelihood and severity

• Semi-Quantitative Risk Assessment: More detailed, using numerical values within ranges to quantify likelihood and severity

• Quantified Risk Assessment: Applying numerical values to estimate likelihood and severity with more specificity.

• Bow-tie Diagram: Graphical model that visually represents hazard realization

• Swiss Cheese Model: Model illustrating likelihood of failures resulting from multiple levels of defense

• Hazard and Operability (HAZOP): A structured methodology to explore potential deviations from expected process performance

• Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA): Analyzing potential component/system failures, including potential outcomes

• Event Tree Analysis: Graphical model for analyzing accident sequence through a detailed risk assessment

• What If Analysis: Asking "what if" questions to consider various hazard realization scenarios

• Risk Management Objectives: Managing risk to tolerable levels

• ALARP: As low as reasonably possible risks

• Risk controls: Steps taken to reduce likelihood/consequence in risk management

HSE Management in Oil & Gas Industry - Organization's Documented Evidence

• Safety Cases (Offshore): Required in some jurisdictions; duty-holder confirms safety measures are employed
• Safety Reports (Onshore): Documents describing how safety measures are met across installations
• Legal Requirements/Good Practice: Compliance with legal requirements, notifications across stages of use.
• Documented Evidence Purpose: Ensure duty holders operate facilities safely, prevention and mitigation of major accidents, demonstrates the process used and ability to correct errors.