Practical Lessons from Major Accidents
|
|
|
Join Our List
|
 |
|
|
Greetings!
One hundred years ago, California's southwestern Central Valley was showered with 90,000 barrels of crude per day until the well site caved in-18 months and nine million barrels of oil later. Read about that record-setting release in this month's Practical Lessons bulletin. As always, we value any feedback. |
| Practical Lessons From Major Accidents |
|  History Repeats Itself "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (Source: philosopher and novelist George Santayana). This bulletin briefly reviews several historical oil spills, all of which affected change for the future. Read more. |
| IRC Calendar |
|  2010 Education EventsERM's July 22 seminar about safety cases in the future of GOM drilling surpassed our expectations. More than 100 industry professionals attended, which contributed to a lively closing panel discussion. The U.S. Department of Interior recommendations in May included initiating a safety case regime for U.S. offshore drilling and this seminar introduced the concept of safety cases to attendees. August August 10: Achieving Sustainable EHS Improvement Through Behavioral Change is the topic of an ERM seminar scheduled for August 10, 2010, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Registration deadline is Monday, August 9. For more information and to register, click here. Date TBD: The Introduction to Safety Cases seminar was so well received in Houston that a Louisiana event has been requested and is being planned at a venue there. Watch for an upcoming announcement. If a colleague might be interested, suggest that he or she join our mailing list. Participation in Deepwater Technical Symposium August 18-19: Morris Burch, former CEO of IRC Risk and Safety and a current Partner at ERM, will present in the technical program (topic: safety cases), and ERM will have exhibit space (booth number 38) at the 14th Annual Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Technical Symposium in New Orleans. We hope to see you there.
September
September 16: The Great Debate: A Safety Case Regime for U.S. Offshore Drilling? Moderated discussion posing some tough questions to leaders of industry associations, the drilling industry, oil and gas exploration, and safety case experts. Sponsored by SPE Safety and Environment Study Group. Read more and register > Society of Professional Engineers Gulf Coast Section website
Give Us Your Feedback
Your feedback about our education events is always appreciated and helps us continually improve. |
Safety Cases as Gulf Coast Drilling Requirements
|
| Why the Emphasis on Safety Cases?
This condensed report from our last bulletin is worth repeating because of its relevancy. For the entire write-up, visit our bulletin archives.
- Blowout preventer (BOP) equipment and emergency systems
- New safety equipment requirements and operating procedures
- Well-control guidelines and fluid displacement procedures
- Well design and construction - casing and cementing
- Increased enforcement of existing safety regulations and procedures
The last area includes adoption of safety case requirements. Safety cases have long been used by many other nations. A common guideline followed (though others exist) is that of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC). The IADC has two sets of HSE case guidelines, one for offshore and one for onshore drilling.
The week of July 4, IADC met to begin developing U.S. Guidance on HSE Case (Safety Case) Bridging Documents. The Bureau of Ocean Energy (BOE) (formerly Minerals Management Services [MMS]) is expected to include this in an Interim Final Rule issued on or about September 27. Proposed legislation that has been introduced in the Congress would include a statutory mandate for a Safety Case. |
|
|
The ERM North American Risk Practice addresses your tough issues in the risk and safety arena. We promise remarkable delivery, practical answers, and to always be responsive. The North American Risk Practice group is based in Houston, although ERM has 137 offices worldwide. Our speaking engagements receive outstanding feedback.
Sincerely, 
Morris Burch, Partner
 North American Risk Practice
Environmental Resources Management Southwest, Inc. 15810 Park Ten Place, Suite 300
Houston TX 77084
telephone: 281.600.1000
Protecting life and increasing production by shaping the design and operation of hazardous facilities
Copyright © 2010 Environmental Resources Management Southwest, Inc., Houston, Texas, USA |
|
|
|
|
|
