HSE ‘we must get the learning right!’
“The past is where you learned the lesson. The future is where you apply the lesson. Don’t give up in the middle!” Dale Carnegie, American writer and lecturer.
This topic provides discussion and guidance to do with SEMS — the offshore Safety and Environmental Management System that was promulgated following the Deepwater Horizon/Macondo catastrophe in the year 2010.
A LinkedIn group provides current information to do with SEMS.
Copyright © Ian Sutton. 2018. All Rights Reserved.
Safety Moment #59: In-Kind / Not In-Kind Change
The topic of Management of Change (MOC) is discussed in the following publications:
- Safety Moment #5: Management of Change — Defining Change and
- Safety Moment #67: The Most Important PSM Elements - Management of Change
In this Safety Moment we look more deeply into the distinction between “In-Kind” and “Not In-Kind” changes.
White Whales and Black Swans: the Revised BSEE Drilling Rules
This article from the online journal The Hill makes some pointed criticisms to do with BSEE’s rolling back of regulations that were introduced following the Deepwater Horizon/Macondo explosion and fire. It states,
The Case for Safety Cases
The Deepwater Horizon/Macondo catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) in the year 2010 demonstrated the need for new safety management regulations. The draft regulations went through various iterations, and the name of the responsible government agency changed twice. In the end, the SEMS (Safety and Environmental Management System) regulation became a requirement for offshore oil and gas operations in the United States.
Lowest Level of Risk (BSEE)
Overview (BSEE Risk)
As part of its Well Control Rule BSEE appears to have made a major change in the manner in which offshore risk is to be managed. Section 250.107(a)(3) states,
[y]ou must protect health, safety, property and the environment by utilizing recognized engineering practices that reduce risks to the lowest level practicable when conducting design, fabrication, installation, operation, inspection, repair, and maintenance activities.
Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS)
The SEMS rule applies to oil and gas operations in U.S. waters. It is administered by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). The rule holds the facility accountable for the overall safety of the offshore facility, including ensuring that all contractors and subcontractors have safety policies and procedures in place that support the implementation of the operator's SEMS program and align with the principles of managing safety set forth in API RP 75.