Major Offshore Events

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Major Offshore Events

The development of safety systems is largely driven by lessons learned from incidents particularly catastrophic events. This ebook provides an overview of some of the incidents that led to the development of new offshore safety standards and techniques. Three of the incidents occurred onshore but their impact was so profound that they affected the entire energy-related business, regardless of location or industry type. (One of the offshore incidents - Blackbeard - was actually a non-event, but it offers profound lessons to managers and leaders at all levels.)

The importance of these events is not just to do with the loss of life and the environmental damage that was caused, but also in the lessons that can be learned from them. Three events from other industries are also described because of the impact they had on all industrial safety management programs.

Not only do these events show that catastrophic events can happen to anyone they also provide a wealth of lessons learned. Each event is analyzed to show what went wrong and what corrective actions were taken. The events are also analyzed in terms of the elements of SEMS and, where sufficient information is available, of culture.

The selected events are listed in a Table, which has seven columns:

1. The name of the event;
2. The year in which it occurred;
3. Its location;
4. The type of operation (shipping, drilling, production);
5. A very brief description as to what happened;
6. Its environmental and economic impact; and
7. The number of fatalities.

Table of Contents

Introduction 
Titanic (1912)
   The Event
   Lessons Learned
      Regulations 
      Emergency Response
      Design Standards
      Economic Pressures
   Elements of SEMS
   Elements of Culture
Santa Barbara (1969)
   The Event
   Incident Analysis 
   Long-Term Impact
   Lessons Learned
      Follow the Rules
      Public Response
      Economic Loss
   Elements of SEMS
Alexander L. Kielland (1980)
   The Event
   Elements of SEMS
Piper Alpha (1988)
   The Event
   Incident Analysis
   Long-Term Impact
   Performance-Based Standards
   Leadership
   Elements of SEMS
Valdez (1989)
   The Event
   Captain’s Responsibility
   Long-Term Impact 
   Lessons Learned 
   Elements of SEMS
Snorre A (2004)
   The Event
   Elements of SEMS
Mumbai High (2005)
Blackbeard (2006)
   The (Non)-Event
   Long-Term Impact
   Elements of SEMS
   Elements of Culture
Montara (2009)
   The Event
   Long-Term Impact
   Lessons Learned
   Elements of SEMS
Gullfaks C (2010) 
   The Event
   Lessons Learned
Deepwater Horizon /Macondo (2010)
   The Event
   Long-Term Impact
   Lessons Learned
      Rules Should Be Followed
      Not “Taking a Risk for Safety”
   Elements of SEMS
   Reports
   National Commission Report
      Management of Change
      Intervention
      Communication
      Lessons Learned
      Balancing Risk and Profitability
      Regulatory Failures
      Recommendations
      A1: Risk Management
      A2: “Safety Case” Approach
      A3: International Forum
      A4: Independent Agency
      A5: Regulatory Funding
      B1: Strengthen NEPA
      B2: Interagency Activities
      C1: Oil Spill Planning
      C2: District Plans 
      C3: State and Local Involvement
      C4: Increased Research
      C5: Dispersants
      C6: Offshore Barrier Berms
      D1: Oversee Source-Control Efforts
      D2: Source Control Plans
      D3: Accurate Estimates
      D4: Proposed Well Design
      INPO
      Culture
National Commission Report
   Findings
   Culture
BOEMRE Report 
   Findings
   Personnel Changes and Conflicts
   Culture
National Academies Report
   Regulations
   Measurement of Performance
   Culture
SPE Summit
   Description
   Other Industries
   Mission Management
   Conclusions
Effect of Regulations

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Copyright © Ian Sutton. 2024. All Rights Reserved.

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