The objective of this project is to provide expert assistance to BSEE as it conducts a comprehensive audit of the approved Accreditation Body for the Safety and Environmental Management Systems program. This audit is to ensure that the Accreditation Body is meeting the requirements set forth in 30 CFR 250.1922.
BSEE will utilize the results of this project to consider the revision, development and implementation of additional policy and regulations aimed at reducing the risk of human injury and fatality resulting from helicopter operations on the OCS.
BSEE requires the contractor to evaluate the existing process safety industry standards and documents mentioned below, develop a comparison and gap analysis against both Subpart S and the API RP 75 standard, and make recommendations on areas for improvement. BSEE intends to use these recommendations to address potential future rulemaking with the ultimate goal of improving the effectiveness of SEMS and the improvement of the overall safety culture of oil and gas operations on the OCS.
The objective of this study was to evaluate meteorological and oceanic trends to identify safe time windows to transport and set platforms, to establish the abilities and limitations of the equipment used to transport these platforms and support their operations, to assess the risk and environmental impact associated with an oil spill, and to identify weaknesses in personal safety equipment for use in cold and offshore environments.
Understanding human limitations of control room response became more apparent following the sinking of the semi-submersible P-36 offshore Brazil in March of 2001. The purpose of the work was to improve the way in which human factors is integrated within safety management in hazardous industries, both offshore and onshore. This was achieved through development and validation of the Influence Network (IN) technique.
The Minerals Management Service sponsored the 2nd International Workshop on Human Factors in Offshore Operations, April 8-10, 2002, in Houston, Texas. This workshop (HFW2002) will continue to build on the information presented at the 1st International Workshop on Human Factors in Offshore Operations which was sponsored by the MMS in 1996.
A number of recent accidents have involved cranes on offshore platforms. A workshop was held with a variety of experts to:
1) examine and review these accidents in light of current equipment design, operational practices, worker practices and training, and regulations; and
2) develop recommended courses of action that could improve safety. Workshop attendees included a variety of invited experts on crane operations on offshore platforms, offshore safety planning, and personnel training.
This project will develop a methodology and tools that will allow the MMS to readily compare the risks of offshore systems that introduce new technologies with the risks of existing systems. The permitting process for a deep water offshore project requires operators to complete a Deep Water Operating Plan (DWOP). A portion of the DWOP describes the new technologies incorporated in the project, and the operator is required to show that the proposed system with the new technologies is at least as reliable as existing systems.
Project determined the risk of leaving wells temporarily abandoned and shut in and to determine if the risk can be lowered with remediation efforts. The final report is available.
MMS donated funding to support the Offshore Operators Committee's (OOC) management of two Performance Measures/Best Practices Workshops. The OOC was contracting with the University of New Orleans, and was responsible for all the prior arrangements and distributions, and staffed the registration tables. The two workshops were held at the Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans, LA on November 10, 1998 and at the Sheraton North Hotel in Houston, TX on November 12, 1998.
