Page 60 - Oil&Gas-AustralAsia-2015-Issue-3
P. 60
M ARITIME
Safety first, safety always
By Nazery KHALID
dents such as the Exxon Valdez tanker has become more pronounced amid
As mankind’s dependence oil spill in Alaska (1989), Deepwater growing dependence on shipping to
on the sea to facilitate Horizon platform oil spill in Gulf of facilitate global trade and dependency
much of global trade and Mexico (2010) and most recently the on offshore hydrocarbon energy. MSC,
a undertake a host of fire on Pemex oil platform in the Gulf a subsidiary body of the IMO Council,
offshore activities such as of Mexico in April 2015 that killed four consists of all Member States and is the
exploration and produc- workers provide grim reminders of the highest technical body of the IMO. It is
tion of oil and gas, cargo need to maintain optimal safety while a platform to discuss and consider areas
transportation, passenger undertaking offshore works. related to shipping safety such as aids to
travel, fishing and port In response to these incidents, govern- navigation, construction and equip-
operations, the need to ments and oil majors have undertaken ment of vessels, manning, prevention
ensure safety of lives and steps to boost safety to prevent inci- of collisions, handling of dangerous
assets at sea has become dents from happening or at the very cargoes, ships and port security, and
even more pronounced. least minimize their probability of piracy, among many others.
occurrence. In April 2015, the Obama Various conventions and measures
Offshore structures such as rigs, administration unveiled a plan to better introduced covering a wide range of
topsides and jackets are getting bigger, safeguard offshore oil wells aimed at aspects affecting the way ships are
heavier and more complex. The same preventing a repeat of the Deepwater designed, built, equipped, operated and
goes with tankers whose dimension Horizon disaster. The measure entails even scrapped have been introduced,
continue to get bigger and their danger- codifying many of the existing safety being debated and considered for adop-
ous goods cargo load heavier, and the measures already undertaken by oil tion, and will no doubt come into the
distance travelled farther. New spe- companies and their contractors to picture in the future to ensure safety at
cialized ships such as FPSO and FLNG enhance the safety of offshore wells. It sea prevails.
have very complex onboard configura- also includes more rigorous mainte- This includes, among others aids to
tion within small spaces which demand nance and testing of equipment that act navigation, construction and equip-
their operators and crew to exercise as a last line of defense against uncon- ment of vessels, manning from a safety
utmost caution when working on them. trolled blowouts of oil and gas. standpoint, rules for the prevention
These underline the need to maintain
safety and security to ensure lives, cargo IMO and safety at sea
and assets at sea are protected. The
repercussions of incidents such as colli- With regard to shipping safety, the
sion, cargo spill, fire and explosion can International Maritime Organization
be very damaging to assets, companies, (IMO), the special United Nations body
industries, economies and the environ- responsible for safety at sea and marine
ment, not to mention posing a threat to environmental protection, has intro-
the lives of those working offshore. duced a slew of conventions and regu-
The spate of accidents at sea in recent lations to ensure ships, their crew and
times involving the deaths of rig work- cargo, and the marine environment are
ers, immigrants, refugees and passen- well protected. Without safe navigation
gers, and incidents involving merchant and adherence to the highest standards
ships demand a higher level of vigilance of safety, shipping – a pivotal means of
from the stakeholders in the marine transporting the lion’s share of global
industry to put more emphasis on trade and a key facilitator of offshore
safety. In the oil and gas industry, inci- oil and gas exploration and produc-
tion – cannot be carried out smoothly,
efficiently and in a cost competitive
manner.
In this regard, the work of IMO’s
Maritime Safety Committee (MSC)
A A58 OIL & GAS ustral SIA JULY/AUGUST 2015 www.oilandgasaustralasia.com
Safety first, safety always
By Nazery KHALID
dents such as the Exxon Valdez tanker has become more pronounced amid
As mankind’s dependence oil spill in Alaska (1989), Deepwater growing dependence on shipping to
on the sea to facilitate Horizon platform oil spill in Gulf of facilitate global trade and dependency
much of global trade and Mexico (2010) and most recently the on offshore hydrocarbon energy. MSC,
a undertake a host of fire on Pemex oil platform in the Gulf a subsidiary body of the IMO Council,
offshore activities such as of Mexico in April 2015 that killed four consists of all Member States and is the
exploration and produc- workers provide grim reminders of the highest technical body of the IMO. It is
tion of oil and gas, cargo need to maintain optimal safety while a platform to discuss and consider areas
transportation, passenger undertaking offshore works. related to shipping safety such as aids to
travel, fishing and port In response to these incidents, govern- navigation, construction and equip-
operations, the need to ments and oil majors have undertaken ment of vessels, manning, prevention
ensure safety of lives and steps to boost safety to prevent inci- of collisions, handling of dangerous
assets at sea has become dents from happening or at the very cargoes, ships and port security, and
even more pronounced. least minimize their probability of piracy, among many others.
occurrence. In April 2015, the Obama Various conventions and measures
Offshore structures such as rigs, administration unveiled a plan to better introduced covering a wide range of
topsides and jackets are getting bigger, safeguard offshore oil wells aimed at aspects affecting the way ships are
heavier and more complex. The same preventing a repeat of the Deepwater designed, built, equipped, operated and
goes with tankers whose dimension Horizon disaster. The measure entails even scrapped have been introduced,
continue to get bigger and their danger- codifying many of the existing safety being debated and considered for adop-
ous goods cargo load heavier, and the measures already undertaken by oil tion, and will no doubt come into the
distance travelled farther. New spe- companies and their contractors to picture in the future to ensure safety at
cialized ships such as FPSO and FLNG enhance the safety of offshore wells. It sea prevails.
have very complex onboard configura- also includes more rigorous mainte- This includes, among others aids to
tion within small spaces which demand nance and testing of equipment that act navigation, construction and equip-
their operators and crew to exercise as a last line of defense against uncon- ment of vessels, manning from a safety
utmost caution when working on them. trolled blowouts of oil and gas. standpoint, rules for the prevention
These underline the need to maintain
safety and security to ensure lives, cargo IMO and safety at sea
and assets at sea are protected. The
repercussions of incidents such as colli- With regard to shipping safety, the
sion, cargo spill, fire and explosion can International Maritime Organization
be very damaging to assets, companies, (IMO), the special United Nations body
industries, economies and the environ- responsible for safety at sea and marine
ment, not to mention posing a threat to environmental protection, has intro-
the lives of those working offshore. duced a slew of conventions and regu-
The spate of accidents at sea in recent lations to ensure ships, their crew and
times involving the deaths of rig work- cargo, and the marine environment are
ers, immigrants, refugees and passen- well protected. Without safe navigation
gers, and incidents involving merchant and adherence to the highest standards
ships demand a higher level of vigilance of safety, shipping – a pivotal means of
from the stakeholders in the marine transporting the lion’s share of global
industry to put more emphasis on trade and a key facilitator of offshore
safety. In the oil and gas industry, inci- oil and gas exploration and produc-
tion – cannot be carried out smoothly,
efficiently and in a cost competitive
manner.
In this regard, the work of IMO’s
Maritime Safety Committee (MSC)
A A58 OIL & GAS ustral SIA JULY/AUGUST 2015 www.oilandgasaustralasia.com
