With demand for natural gas increasing these days and profits skyrocketing, it is more than expected for the offshore oil and gas sector to grow worldwide.
This said, drilling projects make big money and take an enormous workforce. Let's look at the job of an oil rig manager and his primary responsibilities: he ensures operations are handled efficiently and also help keep the crew safe. Besides coordinating with three to four crews and managing day-to-day drilling activities, he must adhere to oil rig safety practices and follow environmental and other government laws and policies. Not an easy job to oversee a large part of the operations for safety. Most of it is the day-to-day safety of the crew and making sure they have what they need to follow policies.
In the past, oil rig operations focused primarily on maximizing output at the expense of worker safety and environmental concerns. However, the industry has evolved in recent years as incidents made headlines and the world has become more environmentally conscious.
A traditional view of oil rigs was that they were purely functional structures, designed for a single purpose: to extract oil as much as possible from the ground. Increasing technological advancements have played a crucial role in their transformation into multifaceted companies, balancing the desire for profit with the desire to minimize environmental impact and ensure worker safety.
As a result of the evolving socio-political landscape around oil rig operations, nations and communities are increasingly concerned about environmental degradation and climate change. It has resulted in tighter regulations and a greater demand for transparency as a result of this scrutiny.
A life on an oil rig is unlike any other. Workers often spend weeks or even months on the rig, away from their families and the comforts of home, and the awareness of ever-present dangers makes it a unique experience. It is a demanding environment that requires strong camaraderie among crew members. The daily routines on an oil rig are rigorous. Long hours, physically demanding tasks, and the need for unwavering attention to detail can take their toll on even the most experienced workers. Despite this, the rig offers moments of breathtaking beauty as well—the sunrise, the calm of the sea on a clear day; the starry nights in which the rig is enveloped in darkness as the sun rises over the horizon.
Managers of oil rigs must understand the human element and prioritize the well-being of their crew, both physically and mentally. It is possible for managers to support their teams by providing training, fostering a sense of belonging, and communicating with family members at home on a regular basis.
In general, oil rig accidents and injuries result from the improper handling or maintenance of equipment. This includes a long list:
Struck-By/ Caught-In/ Caught-Between
60% of on-site fatalities in the oil and gas extraction sector result from struck-by/caught-in/caught-between hazards caused by moving vehicles or equipment, falling equipment, and high-pressure lines.
Falls
Workers must access platforms and equipment located high above the ground or sea. OSHA requires fall protection to prevent falls from the mast, drilling platform, and other elevated equipment.
Explosions and fires
Workers in the oil and gas sector are exposed to the risk of fire and explosion due to the ignition of flammable vapours or gases. Combustible gases, such as well gases, vapours, and hydrogen sulfide, can be released from wells, production equipment or surface equipment such as tanks and shale shakers. In the case of FPSOs, large amounts of crude oil are stored on the ship. Ignition sources can include static, electrical energy sources, open flames, lightning, cigarettes, cutting and welding tools, hot surfaces, and frictional heat.
Confined spaces
Workers on offshore oil rigs and FPSOs are often required to enter confined spaces such as petroleum and other storage tanks and other confined spaces around a wellhead. Oil rig safety hazards associated with confined space include ignition of flammable vapours or gases. Health hazards include asphyxiation and exposure to hazardous chemicals.
Ergonomic hazards
One of the most experienced hazards is ergonomics-related injury risks, such as lifting heavy items, bending, reaching overhead, pushing and pulling heavy loads, working in awkward body postures, and performing the same or similar tasks repetitively. However, risk factors and the resulting injuries can be mitigated or, in many cases, eliminated through interventions such as pre-task planning, use of the right tools, proper placement of materials, education of workers about the risk, and early recognition and reporting of injury signs and symptoms.
High-pressure lines and equipment
Compressed gases or high-pressure lines create another set of hazards. Internal erosion of lines might result in leaks or line bursts, exposing workers to high-pressure risks from compressed gases or high-pressure lines. If connections securing high-pressure lines fail, struck-by hazards might be created.
Electrical and Other Hazardous Energy
Uncontrolled electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, or other energy sources can be hazardous if the equipment is not designed, installed, and maintained properly. Additionally, administrative controls such as operating procedures must be developed and implemented to ensure safe operations.
Machine Hazards
The most significant risk is rotating wellhead equipment, including top drives and Kelly drives, draw works, pumps, compressors, catheads, hoist blocks, belt wheels, and conveyors. They might be injured if they are struck by or caught between unguarded machines.
Vehicle Collisions and flight accidents
Workers and equipment are required to be transported to and from well sites. Wells are often located in remote areas and travel long distances to get to the sites. As a result, highway vehicle crashes are the leading cause of oil and gas extraction worker fatalities. Roughly four of every ten workers killed on the job in this industry are killed due to a highway vehicle incident. For offshore rigs, the transport to and from the helipad falls into this category. The flight to and from the offshore platform is generally very safe, but proper training in an emergency landing is essential.
Learn more about HSE offshore
There is a set of suggestions and recommendations on mitigating hazards at oil rigs. A quick fix would include reliable lighting for low-light or confined areas, keeping work surfaces dry and slip-proof, wearing properly cleaned waterproof boots, providing toolbox kits for repair, safety and first aid. On an offshore oil rig, it's necessary to react safely to hazards on the job—especially unexpected ones, such as weather or a malfunction when a timed machine suddenly turns on. This is where experience, industry knowledge, and training gained through the years kick in (Related: see how the Great Crew Change may impact safety on an offshore oil rig). For an oil rig manager, job hazards are present every day in various situations. This means that workers must vigilantly navigate their job and safety plans through rotating and moving equipment, fatigue from long hours or shift work.
Being mindful is essential for everyone on the oil rig. The repetitive motions of the job can sometimes cause workers to take shortcuts. Grabbing without a glove or forgetting to wear safety glasses are the most common occurrences. Being aware of your surroundings is important as well. A bump into specific machines or equipment can cause hazards. Slips, trips, and falls on the metal stairways in certain weather conditions or just being in a hurry are other safety precautions crews should be mindful of.
With technological changes, crews should stay mindful of new safety procedures that require dynamic thinking. For example, with the heavy presence of overhead equipment, a person moving up and down on the derrick must consistently know their positioning, especially on windier days. Knowing when those machines start and stop is a big help in safety.
Risk assessments, hazard identification, and demonstration of safe practices are part of an oil rig manager's daily duties (read more about crew attendance). Safety has to be the top priority. The hazards are always there. Whether it's dangerous is based on the safety policies in place. Planning and preventing incidents include:
There is no one-solution-for-all for oil rig safety, but developing an emergency response plan based on the rigs' workflow, which will differ depending on the rig, is the right way to go forward. Avoiding, mitigating, and warning safety hazards is the proper strategy to face oil rig hazards and implement a safety management regime (learn more about emergency mustering and alternative mustering solutions like the analogue T-card system).
The importance of technology has grown steadily for the oil rig safety factor through continuous reinvention, reorienting the practice in the industry. Whereas in old days, extracting of oil was done with the use of manual labor and simple systems, of course increasing the danger of accidents and injuries occurring; nowadays, with the help of advanced automation, real-time monitoring, and data analytics, the oil rigs have entered a completely new frontier in regard to the management of safety and minimization of human error.
Everything from drilling operations to the monitoring of equipment has been automated, which reduces the possibility of accidents because of fatigue or human oversight. Sensors and real-time monitoring devices across the rig perform constant checks on conditions related to pressure, temperature, and equipment integrity. These systems can instantly alert managers and workers about anything irregular, allowing for prompt corrective action that may well prevent some form of accident. This includes the use of blowout preventers fitted with state-of-the-art sensors, which have remarkably reduced the risks arising from uncontrolled oil or gas leakage.
Drones and robotic systems also contribute significantly toward oil rig safety, mainly related to the inspection of areas that are inaccessible or pose a danger. These methods and technologies enable detailed assessment without exposing workers to risks, hence contributing toward general safety and operational efficiency. But even with such innovations, let one thing be clear: the use of technology alone can never free the area of its contingent risks. Safety management also deals with the proper training of crew members, vigilant oversight, and formulation of protocols incorporating competencies of both human and technological elements. In short, a prudent approach toward further steps in developing and advancing the oil industry will be to balance human expertise with state-of-the-art technologies with which safety within the operations at offshore platforms is sustained and continually improved.
How tall are Oil Rigs?
The average height of a normal drilling rig is approximately 38 meters (125 feet) To put this into perspective, it is as tall as a 10 or 11-storey building! Imagine standing at the base of this towering structure, craning your neck to see the top. It's truly awe-inspiring. Engineers who are fascinated by drilling rigs or simply people who are interested in understanding how things work are always impressed by the height of drilling rigs. Next time you see one, admire its grandeur and the incredible work that goes into building these towering giants.
What is the biggest danger on an offshore oil rig?
Fires and Explosions: Maritime workers are around all sorts of flammable and explosive materials when working on an offshore oil rig. Burns are quite common in cases where the maritime worker comes into contact with dangerous chemicals and in areas that lack proper safety equipment.
Our human resilience, adaptability, and desire for progress are exemplified in the operations of an oil rig. The importance of safety cannot be overstated as we continue to harness the earth's resources. Each step of the interaction between machinery, nature, and man must be meticulously choreographed for life, well-being, and environmental sustainability. We must continue to explore energy with a reverence for life, respect for the environment, and a commitment to the safety of every individual who ventures onto these massive platforms as we explore it further. One thing remains constant in an industry characterized by constant change and evolution: the value of human life is irreplaceable.
Dive deeper into one of our core topics: Personnel on board
Sources:
(1) https://www.bssukhse.com/safety-on-oil-rigs/
(2) https://hsi.com/blog/oil-and-gas-rig-safety
Note: This article was updated on the 11th of October 2024