In many ways the Oil and Gas industry is like any other industry - it has many elements which are hazardous and it has an obligation to maintain standards in health, safety and environmental impact.
However, when we consider the fact that a large amount of activity within the sector takes place offshore we need to include a very specific set of circumstances which increase risk and place extra pressure on personnel
You're possibly aware of the kind of offshore locations I'm talking about, but they could include:
Drilling Rigs
Production Platforms
FPSO - Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading
Diving Support Vessels
Supply Vessels
Survey Vessels
Trenching Vessels
Unique Challenges of the Offshore Environment
Step into any of these environments and you'll find people busy doing broadly the same jobs you'd find onshore - maintaining/modifying equipment, making repairs, performing installations, inspecting assets. The big difference is that they're surrounded by the ocean which can make just about any task much harder.
The offshore industry relies heavily on effective permit to work systems. However, the unique environment and conditions of offshore operations present a distinct set of challenges for implementing and maintaining these PTW systems.
1. Remote Locations and Limited Resources: Offshore platforms are often situated in remote, isolated areas, far from onshore support and emergency services. This can make it difficult to obtain timely assistance in case of emergencies or to ensure that all necessary resources, such as specialised equipment or personnel, are readily available.
2. Harsh Weather Conditions: Offshore operations are subject to extreme weather conditions, including storms, high winds, and heavy seas. These can disrupt work activities, create safety hazards, and make it challenging to maintain a consistent and reliable PTW system.
3. Dynamic Work Environments: Offshore platforms are constantly evolving as new equipment is installed, modifications are made, and production activities change. This dynamic environment can make it difficult to keep PTW procedures up-to-date and ensure that all personnel are adequately trained and informed. Space considerations usually mean that systems have to be built to fit in the minimum amount of space - which makes it all the more critical to have effective task management in place.
4. Language and Cultural Barriers: Offshore operations often involve a diverse workforce from different countries, with varying levels of language proficiency and cultural backgrounds. This can create communication challenges and misunderstandings, particularly when it comes to safety instructions and PTW procedures.
5. Fatigue and Stress: The demanding nature of offshore work, coupled with long hours and potential isolation, can lead to fatigue and stress among workers. This can impair judgment, increase the risk of accidents, and make it difficult to adhere to PTW procedures.
Choosing A Permit To Work System In the Oil & Gas Industry
To meet the unique challenges of the Oil and Gas industry, a Permit to Work system needs to meet the following criteria:
Flexibility - The system must to be able to deal with any permit type and allow users to create and edit their own question sets to suit their needs.
Isolations management - Creation and management of isolations is a safety critical feature which is particularly relevant offshore where people live and work amongst extremely high-hazard systems.
Visibility - Permit information needs to be immediately available to all involved personnel, with tight controls over access permission
Integrity - Data should be stored securely and be regularly backed up. The increase in cloud based applications means that it is no longer necessary to have to install and maintain expensive servers to host a PTW system.