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Safety in Drilling Manual PDF
Safety in Drilling Manual PDF
Contents
Drilling
EP 95-0210
HSE
MANUAL
ii
Contents
EP 95-0210
Section Title:
Drilling
Rev
Chapter
Nos.
Description to amendment
All
Amended by
dd/mm/yy
No.
0
Date
16/10/95
EPO/61
iii
Contents
Contents
4 Preparation
2 Overview
1 Introduction
46
3.3.3 Resources...................................12
3.3.4 Competence................................13
3.3.6 Communication...........................20
3.3.7 Documentation and its control....21
3.5.1 General.......................................24
5 Equipment
5.1 Maintenance.....................................58
58
5.5.4 Foundations................................61
5.6.4 Elevators.....................................65
6.5.1 General.......................................80
6.5.3 Equipment...................................81
6.5.4 Monitoring...................................82
6.6.1 Housekeeping.............................87
71
6 Operations
ii
Contents
7 Associated Activities
91
7.7.3 Responsibilities..........................111
APPENDIX I
Policies
114
APPENDIX II
Responsibilities of Key Staff 116
APPENDIX III
Land Rig Move Plan
122
APPENDIX IV
Classification of Hazardous
Areas
124
APPENDIX V
Operation of Diesel Engines in
Hazardous Areas
128
Abbreviations
132
Glossary
134
References
136
Index
140
iii
1 Introduction
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Objectives
This document is a development of EP 55000-34 'Safety in Drilling' revised in July 1991 which it now
supersedes. It is aimed at both Company and contractor staff involved in drilling operations. It is intended
to:
identify health, safety and environmental hazards in the drilling operation and provides guidance on
how risks can be reduced
provide guidance on drilling HSE related issues
describe how to develop the essential core of a HSE Management System (HSE MS) appropriate to
drilling operations
enable an assessment to be made of a contractor's approach to HSE which will assist in the contractor
selection process and facilitate better control of HSE in the drilling operation.
1.2
Background
Activities on drilling sites and rigs present potential major hazards to health, safety and the environment.
This is exacerbated by the diversity of the personnel involved resulting from the use of contractors and
subcontractors and the international nature of the business.
Despite our best endeavours accidents still occur, people are injured, the environment may be damaged
and Company assets put at risk.
The basic cause of accidents can be frequently identified as a lack of effective planning or a failure to
train personnel to achieve competence. The recognition of all the potential hazards of a drilling operation
during the planning stage is essential so that they can be eliminated or at least controlled. Similarly,
attention shall be paid to the programme for training personnel to a standard which enables them to
perform competently the requirements of their job function and duties.
2 Overview
OVERVIEW
2.1
This document addresses HSE aspects of the business process activity 'Drilling and Well Operations' as
defined in the Shell Exploration and Production Business Model, the EPBM (Ref. 1).
The HSE Management System (HSE MS) for a drilling operation has effectively the same components as
the overall system for the Opco which are described in EP 95-0100 and other referenced parts of Volume
1. This section describes many of the requirements of an HSE MS as they relate to a drilling operation.
The remaining chapters provide guidance on drilling HSE related issues that might be encountered and
may be useful in the development of hazard registers associated with an HSE Case.
It is not the objective of this document to provide comprehensive guidance on the development of an HSE
Case. A great deal of guidance is provided, however, on the management of hazards. Much of this advice
is a distillation of experience gained by many knowledgeable staff over a long period.
2.2
The following chapters of this document are shown in Figure 2.1 indicating their hierarchy.
Figure 2.1
Preparation
Equipment
Operations
Associated
Activities
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Preparation
This chapter provides guidance on HSE requirements associated with site preparation, materials
procurement, transportation to site, and moving the rig.
Equipment
Hazardous zone policies are detailed, and the background to personal protective equipment requirements.
A good deal of information is provided on hardware. Drilling equipment is primarily under the control of
the contractor but the Company Supervisor shall be aware of the HSE related matters in order to verify
that proper control is being exercised.
Operations
This chapter covers the HSE aspects of executing the drilling operation.
Associated activities
The operation of drilling a well entails the use of other services such as wireline logging and well testing
services. This chapter gives guidance on the hazards associated with such operations and on the
responsibilities of the drilling department when such activities are taking place.
The text draws in part on work carried out in Opcos and single string ventures and consequently reflects
the views of a wide variety of staff in a number of areas. It also incorporates work by the Safety
Management System team in SIEP, with the intent that it is compatible, in a drilling engineering specific
way, with guidance documentation provided in EP 95-0310.
In essence, an HSE Management System is a reflection of the objectives of an enterprise and the manner
in which these objectives are to be met as laid down by its senior management. Achievement of the hazard
management objectives will be realised through the setting up of an organisation in which responsibility is
assigned and to which resources are provided. The standards and procedures through which the objectives
will be met are defined by those with the necessary expertise. The implementation of standards is
monitored through performance indicators and assured through periodic audits. Such audits are reviewed
by management who may initiate system changes to facilitate improvement. The system is additionally
made live through loops which feedback improvements and corrections at all stages.
The system incorporates the eleven elements of enhanced safety management (ESM) and increases their
effectiveness through the structured improvement process. The quality management structure and the
ESM relationship is illustrated in Figure 3.1.
Figure 3.1
ESM Principles
Visible senior management commitment
Sound HSE policy
Line responsibility for HSE
Competent HSE Advisers
High, well understood HSE standards
Effective HSE training
Corrective
Action
Implementation
Monitoring
Audit
Review
In this chapter it is intended to provide guidance on how Drilling Engineering Departments should
structure their HSE MS in a way which is fully compatible with Group guidance. Drilling Engineers will
then be in a better position to assess the completeness and compatibility of a contractor's HSE MS and
also the rig HSE Case which defines the controls that assure safety in a drilling operations project.
3.1
The foundation of an HSE MS is leadership and commitment from the top management of the Company,
and its readiness to provide adequate resources for HSE matters.
3.2
This chapter gives guidance on the content of a Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) policy and the
objectives such a policy is intent upon fulfilling. Within Opcos, departmental policies are derived from the
corporate document, which is itself invariably based on Group guidelines, though adapted to take account
of specific area needs. Consequently, a good deal of commonality is seen between them. Likewise,
contractors follow the same general principles.
Figure I.1 shows the Group policy guidelines on health, safety and the environment as endorsed by the
committee of managing directors in June 1991.
Likewise, contractors are required to support policies which advise that the health and safety of all
persons on the installation or worksite, and all others who may be affected by its activities, together with
the protection of the environment:
are of prime importance to the contractor who will seek to maintain the highest practically achievable
standards in respect of these
have equal status with the other primary business objectives
are line management responsibilities which form an integral part of the duties of all supervisors.
3.3
The responsibility for all well operations aspects of exploration, appraisal and development drilling, and
workover operations, lies with the Drilling Engineering group which also sponsors and manages all
drilling and most associated contracts.
The responsibility for health, safety and the environment in the well operations process is vested in the
Head of Drilling Engineering. In practical terms, elements of this responsibility are delegated through the
line.
Operations, in this sense, cover the complete process from planning, through execution, to review and
improvement. Thus, for instance, the writer of the drilling programme is responsible for the accuracy and
completeness of that programme in the same way as a Driller is responsible for the safe execution of drill
floor operations.
Secure adjacent wells and facilities as required. Move in, rig up, drill and
complete or workover wells according to programme, rig down and move
or demobilise as appropriate.
Prepare an end of well report which will enable an in-depth analysis of the
operation. Apart from being an important record, the report will facilitate
cost and HSE improvements in later wells.
3.3.1
The Company shall define, document and communicate, with the aid of organisational diagrams where
appropriate, the responsibilities, authorities, accountabilities and interrelations necessary to implement the
HSE MS. These shall include those of all personnel who manage, supervise and/or monitor HSE-critical
activities. Refer to EP 95-0100 HSE Management Systems, Chapter 3 for further advice on organisational
structure. Guidance on individual responsibilities for key staff, both Company and drilling contractor, is
given in Appendix II. Any inconsistency between Company and contractor HSE MS shall be resolved
prior to commencement of operations.
The conduct of operations in a manner which takes full account of the health and safety of personnel,
protection of the environment and local culture and circumstances is the responsibility of all involved,
with each layer of supervision being responsible for their subordinates in accordance with the principle of
line responsibility.
Contractor responsibilities
The main contractor is responsible for:
implementing a management system directed at providing a safe worksite
implementing an on-site HSE programme
providing for the safety of contractor and subcontractor personnel
controlling work and health conditions at the rig site
training contractor personnel to ensure safe operations
10
Company responsibilities
The Company is responsible for:
verifying that contractors' HSE policies, standards, and procedures are acceptable to the Company and
conform with applicable laws and regulations
verifying that contractor's HSE programme is accomplishing the desired HSE objectives
reporting any hazards to appropriate contractor supervisors when situations exist where safety has
been compromised and following up to ensure that appropriate action has been taken to correct the
situation
requiring the Company's subcontractor's personnel to observe the rig contractor's HSE programme and
co-ordinating activities between rig contractor and Company subcontractor personnel to avoid conflicts
identifying responsibility for third party equipment maintenance and operability and ensuring that such
responsibilities are discharged
emergency contingency plans requiring co-ordination of third party groups. Such plans will include
responses to oil spills, rig evacuation, etc
monitoring contractor and Company personnel HSE performance and assisting in the implementation
of improvement initiatives.
11
3.3.2
Management representative(s)
3.3.3
Resources
The changing roles of both Company and contractor staff with the advent of integrated engineering and
incentive contracting strategies need to be addressed in the planning stages of operations. The decision
making process shall be agreed prior to start-up and both the numbers and calibre of contractors' staff
shall be commensurate with the demands and objectives of the job. HSE audits and operations reviews
have frequently found that the demands on the contractor's Toolpusher have been underestimated.
Responsibilities should be agreed and matched by levels of authority. Staff should not be held responsible
for areas where they do not exercise control.
In this respect, job descriptions for supervisory staff enables both numbers and competencies to be defined
in the contract rather than being modified on an ad-hoc basis after commencement.
A clear job description will also assist in facilitating a smooth transition with respect to the changing role
of the Company Drilling Supervisor.
12
3.3.4
Competence
General
All staff shall be competent to discharge the responsibilities of their jobs or be in the process of gaining
such competence in a supervised manner. Work roles that are key to the HSE management of the operation
shall only be performed by those persons who can discharge their responsibilities safely and effectively.
The contractor's Base Manager is responsible for ensuring that all HSE critical activities are covered by
standards of competence and an assessment scheme to assure continuing competence is in place. He shall
fulfil this requirement in accordance with corporately defined standards.
The contractor's Rig Superintendent is responsible for ensuring that all personnel on the rig (other than
those undergoing training who will be under direct supervision) are competent to carry out tasks without
risk to the health and safety of themselves and others.
The contractor's capability to provide competent staff is assessed during the prequalification appraisal
stage of the contract process and by continuous assessment throughout the course of the contract.
Company management is responsible for the provision of personnel who are competent to perform their
defined roles and will monitor continuing competence through the formal annual performance appraisal
review.
13
Qualifications
Contracts should define the qualifications of staff holding key HSE and
operational responsibilities. Where such responsibilities include the control of
significant hazards, the qualifications shall include a tested practical element
(e.g. for a Driller, the possession of a well control certificate which includes a
successful simulator exercise endorsement, for a Barge Engineer skills in
ballasting and rig stability).
Increasingly, the demands of senior rig supervisory jobs require skills not
formerly required of contractor's staff. Contracts should explicitly state the
scope of senior job positions and verify that incumbents are qualified to hold
them.
Training
Safety training should be based on competence requirements, and take into account development plans.
The effectiveness of training will need to be assessed through observation and drills. The Company
Drilling Supervisor on contractor rigs has an important role to play in verifying that contractors fulfil
their obligations in the above. Some specific requirements are suggested below.
The contractor's Rig Superintendent and the Company Drilling Supervisor have undertaken technical
and managerial training in accordance with local legislation and contractual requirements. All
supervisory personnel have undergone a programme of training and assessment in dealing with
emergency situations, supplemented by a programme of drills and exercises on the installation
All persons involved in permit-to-work procedures are trained, satisfactorily examined and authorised
for the specific worksite.
Job specific safety training shall be provided for all personnel in safety critical roles
Everyone working at the site shall have attended an induction briefing covering key HSE procedures
and, where necessary, survival training
Specialist emergency response training shall be carried out for all personnel with specific duties (e.g.
fire team training, H2S training, etc). This subject is further discussed in 6.5.9, also in EP 95-0260
Logistics.
14
Persons who have a specific responsibility (e.g. fire team, helideck crew)
shall have a valid certificate of completion of the appropriate course. In
addition to the rig medic, there should be at least one other trained firstaider on shift at all times. These personnel should be involved in regular
drills, under the supervision of the medic, to maintain the necessary
competence.
Training should also be given to staff who on occasion have to assume
responsibilities normally undertaken by others. Particular attention should
be paid to areas normally covered by service contractors whose equipment
and materials may arrive before the personnel. An example here is the
competence requirements to assure the proper storage of explosives and
radioactive sources.
Pressure control
Certain key personnel on the drilling unit shall hold a valid certificate of
examination from a recognised pressure control course. These personnel
are:
Company Drilling Supervisor
Well Site Drilling Engineer
Contractor's Rig Superintendent
Toolpushers
Drillers
Assistant Drillers
Subsea Engineers
The exam shall have been passed at supervisor level by all except the
Drillers and Assistant Drillers. Where subsea wellheads are being used the
above listed personnel shall have a subsea endorsement. Where drilling
contracts stipulate the requirement for volumetric stripping equipment,
supervisory staff of both the Company and drilling contractor shall be
trained in the technique.
High pressure/high
temperature operations
Hydrogen sulphide
15
Induction training
Employee induction
programme
16
For those personnel unfamiliar with the drilling unit or its operations, and
who will be staying onboard to work or who will be staying onboard
overnight, a brief trip around the installation should be arranged. The trip
should cover:
lifeboats, life rafts and survival equipment
restricted areas
escape routes
emergency telephones
rig office
radio office
sick bay
alarm systems and procedures.
An induction booklet is useful both for detailing the above information and
for reference.
Visitors and new crew
members induction
(onshore)
Experience
3.3.5
Contractors
17
18
Reporting relationships
A combined organogram which integrates the individual Company and contractor organograms is a clear
way to depict the reporting relationships between the various parties.
Once established, it is important not to circumvent the agreed reporting route other than in a previously
documented manner such as, perhaps, the Emergency Procedures. This can often prove difficult in
practice due, for instance, to drilling contractors being unable to get telecommunications licences from the
host government. Proper planning may not overcome such difficulties, but it will allow the procedures and
organograms to reflect the realities of the situation rather than being in conflict with practice.
Subcontractor HSE
All service and subcontracting companies and their staff are required to work to similar consistent high
HSE standards, and achieve comparable levels of HSE performance as the drilling contractor. They will
be assessed accordingly. Monitoring of subcontractor's HSE performance is continuous and integral with
the monitoring of the drilling contractor's own performance.
Service and subcontractor employees who work at the site are exposed to risk, both as a consequence of
the potential hazards of the site and from specific work activity performed. They should be advised of
significant location hazards identified in the risk assessment or hazard register, how these are controlled or
mitigated, and the emergency procedures and muster arrangements.
All new employees shall attend a HSE induction course prior to commencement of work.
Contractor should specify training, competence and experience requirements for each specified position,
together with the responsibility of the contractor for fulfilling and maintaining such requirements.
Contract holders are responsible for these specifications and for verifying that the contractor meets this
obligation. Line supervision has the responsibility for monitoring work performance.
On large, long term contracts, service and subcontractors are required to provide strategies which identify
the methods for assessing staff competence, determining training needs, and defining the system for
maintaining the currency of training and competence.
Given the principle that the drilling contractor's senior site representative is responsible for safety on the
rig, other line supervisors, including Company staff, shall report to him on safety issues. Service and
subcontractor staff shall also fall under his authority in this respect. The face that they may report to the
Company Drilling Supervisor, as the contract holder, on technical performance matters does not
undermine this principle.
The proper exercise of the drilling contractor's authority and responsibility requires that he includes
service and subcontractor facilities in his inspections and ensures that they maintain high HSE standards.
When the Company is the contract holder, their representative also has responsibilities in this respect and
should ensure that high personnel and equipment standards are maintained.
Joint inspections of service contractor operations will both demonstrate the common cause held by the
Company and the drilling contractor, and improve the drilling contractor's understanding of hazards
associated with operations where he has traditionally had little involvement.
19
3.3.6
Communication
Daily on-site co-ordination meetings are an effective forum for eliminating unwanted simultaneous
operations and minimising disruption to operations. Access to information is particularly vital to staff with
a planning function, the corollary of this being that they should be able to influence decisions being made.
The advent of integrated engineering services should improve information flow, but care needs to be taken
that contractors who are not part of the integrated engineering services package are included in this flow.
It is vital that staff at the rig site and in base offices have a common understanding of ongoing operations
and that the quality of information is not compromised through any filtering process. To this end daily
reporting should be a joint effort with both Company and contractor line supervisors being present at both
ends when operational (including HSE) information is being communicated and decisions being made.
At meetings between contractor and Company management, HSE issues should always be on the agenda.
The rig HSE committee should meet (preferably weekly) and be attended by the contractor's Rig Manager
who will provide a communications link between site meetings and management meetings.
HSE meetings are held to:
stimulate a two-way communication between staff and personnel which is relevant and constructive
monitor and promote HSE consciousness
report upon unsafe conditions or practices and their correction
generate suggestions on how to improve HSE performance at all levels.
Regularly scheduled HSE meetings are required. These meetings and any specially convened meetings
should be led by appropriate line supervisors. They should ideally be conducted in the language of
personnel in attendance, though necessity might dictate the involvement of an interpreter.
HSE meetings should have a structured form with the provision of HSE themes and suitable support
material. They should be action oriented, relevant and should encourage participation. A base supervisor
should be a regular attendee and report between HSE meetings held in the field and at the base office.
They should include a review of any recent incident and HSE procedures implemented to prevent its
recurrence. Every individual shall attend a HSE meeting at least once per crew cycle. Rig site weekly
meetings should not be protracted to the point where attendees lose interest. Crews should be given the
opportunity to provide input to the agenda.
Each meeting should be documented, and the minutes should include a listing of those in attendance,
topics covered and any HSE concerns raised. Minutes should be copied to the Company Drilling
Supervisor and posted on notice boards in relevant languages.
20
3.3.7
Scope of standards
Standards lie at the heart of an HSE Management System and can be divided into four groups:
Management standards
Set the framework in which the Company operates and deals with
corporate policies, objectives, accountabilities and controls.
Engineering, equipment
and material standards
Set the standards by which equipment and materials are procured and by
which the control of change is effectively managed.
Working standards
Set down the way in which day to day work is carried out, monitored and
inspected. They include work procedures and particularly those which
relate to HSE critical activities.
Competence standards
Implementing standards
The management process includes:
The auditing of contractor rigs, contractor management and, where appropriate, the rig HSE Case, to
ensure these conform with Company standards and operational safety objectives.
21
Control of standards
The Head of Drilling Engineering is responsible for the specification, maintenance and monitoring of
appropriate standards and for specifying their scope and application. Any planned deviation from Group
standards shall be approved at Group level and documented.
Reference should be made in this chapter to the standards and reference material to which the Drilling
Engineering department conducts its business.
Appropriate, controlled documents should be available on all rigs and in the base offices of Company and
contractors.
Company standards should be reviewed and updated in line with changing technology and practices.
Amendments shall be approved by the Head of Drilling Engineering.
22
3.4
The Hazards and Effects Management Process (HEMP) has four steps:
systematic identification of hazards
assessment of the significance of hazards
implementation of suitable hazard controls
planning for recovery in the event of loss of control
The process is applied by asking a series of questions of each activity. This document lists the drilling
activities in sequence although the Drilling Engineer shall ensure that the list includes all activities which
are likely to occur during the operation being considered. Refer to EP 95-0300 and EP 95-0310 for further
details.
The questions which shall be addressed are:
have hazards been identified in the process of carrying out this activity?
are the results of the hazard occurring of consequence? (i.e. is there a risk of injury or loss?)
are hazards being controlled in any way whilst the activity is being carried out?
is it necessary to plan for recovery or emergency response in the event of the hazard being released?
23
3.5
3.5.1
General
For the planning phase of an operation to be effective it should concern itself with the prevention of
incidents through the elimination or control of hazards and the mitigation of consequences should the
hazardous event occur.
It follows that a process needs to be followed to systematically identify and assess hazards and develop
the controls to manage those which cannot be eliminated. This can be achieved by:
use of Group or locally developed policies, standards and procedures
making a scouting visit to assess the situation on the ground
study of legislation and supporting approved codes of practice (where these are available)
a thorough analysis of the particular operation (see 3.4)
a study of accident, incident and ill health data from previous operations. For the drilling phase of a
new venture, such data may be available from the seismic acquisition phase
Other narrative in this chapter considers the HSE considerations in the well planning process.
24
25
HSE targets
Site selection
3.5.2
Asset integrity
3.5.3
Permit-to-work
A permit-to-work system shall be in place which includes procedures for non-routine and critical
operations such as hot work, heavy lifts, electrical work, confined space entry and the handling of
radioactive materials and explosives. On contracted drilling units working in isolation, the contractor's
procedures should be adopted with any necessary changes. They shall define the individuals responsible
26
Concurrent operations
Concurrent operations (also referred to as simultaneous operations) pose problems which demand high
levels of co-ordination to control effectively. Detailed hazard identification and risk assessment are
required during the planning phase of such an operation. Such assessments will invariably lead to a
manual of permitted operations (MOPO) which will define which operations are permitted to be
conducted simultaneously and which are not.
Refer to 7.4 for further details.
27
Definition
Forecasting
Essential to the ability to take timely action to counter the adverse weather
is an accurate weather forecasting service. This service may be supplied
on contract either from a local source, if one exists, or from an
international weather forecasting service. A good local service will be in a
better position to provide short term forecasts which are important for
predicting localised storm conditions.
Assistance to the forecasting service can be provided by passing regular
weather reports from the site of operations. This in turn should improve
the accuracy of forecasting.
The development and movement of adverse weather systems shall be
closely monitored such that appropriate preparations are made in a timely
manner. In some areas prone to heavy weather, a sector system, whereby
progressive action is taken as a storm approaches, shall be developed.
Developing a procedure
Operations planning
28
There are three phases in safety planning during heavy weather when using a floating drilling installation:
Phase I
Stop drilling operations, make the well safe, hang off drill string and make
preparations for disconnecting.
Phase II
Controlled disconnection
b)
Emergency disconnection
c)
Move the rig away from the wellhead and orient it to a heading
which minimises weather affects on stability. In some cases towing the rig
out of the path of the storm may be necessary
Note: As well as minimising the effects of the weather on the vessel, this is
intended to avoid the possibility of the Lower Marine Riser Package
(LMRP), or in shallow water the pontoons, hitting the top of the BOP
stack due to rig heave. If an emergency disconnect has taken place, the
direction in which the rig is moved away should take account of the water
depth to ensure that the LMRP does not hit the seabed.
Phase III
3.5.4
Management of change
The effective control of change, be it to personnel, hardware or procedures, is key to assuring the ongoing
integrity of the operation.
The change of personnel relates largely to issues of competence and will involve both an assessment of
competence and, where necessary, training followed by a handover period. The change of personnel should
be controlled to minimise the disruption caused by loss of continuity.
In making hardware changes the integrity of the original design shall be ensured with respect to equipment
and the fitness for purpose assured with respect to additions. This requires that appropriate expertise is
applied to the change. For instance, the modification of a piece of equipment shall require a review by a
suitably qualified 'in-house' engineer, and often need the approval of the equipment manufacturer. A
procedure shall be in place which assures that all hardware changes are approved at the appropriate level
before being implemented. This may involve external parties such as classification societies.
Changes to programmes and procedures shall be agreed at the level of original approval and involve the
input of those affected by the change.
All changes shall be assessed to ensure that they do not inadvertently introduce other hazards. Changes
and their consequences shall be documented and disseminated to ensure all involved are fully aware both
of the change and its implications. Such documentation will also provide an audit trail.
Major changes may require an amendment of the HSE Case.
29
3.5.5
In preparing for an operation a plan shall be put in place which will detail the methods of recovering from
any incident, on the drilling unit or attendant services, which causes injury or poses a threat to the health
and safety of personnel or the environment.
The recommended contents of the Company's Emergency Procedures document are given below as is a list
of the hazards which may need to be addressed.
It is the responsibility of the person in charge (generally the contractor Toolpusher on a land rig or
Offshore Installation Manager [OIM] on an offshore rig) to ensure that the emergency response facilities
and materials as specified in the contractor's Emergency Procedures are available and fit for purpose at all
times. Emergency response procedures shall address the action to be taken on the drilling unit and the
responsible persons in the event of an emergency. It is also essential to identify alternative individuals to
assume key duties should normal incumbents be incapacitated. Station Bills shall be posted detailing the
action to be taken by all personnel in emergency situations.
Co-ordination between the contractor's and the Company's Emergency Procedures is required to avoid
conflict of actions. This applies primarily in the base offices where support services (helicopter, medical
back-up, notification to official organisations, etc) will be arranged.
In principle, the contractor should take the lead on the rig in combating the emergency. For contract and
resource reasons, the Company will normally co-ordinate logistics, liaise with outside agencies and
otherwise provide intervention needs. The Base Manager of the main contractor and other relevant
contractors should always be included in emergency control teams. The co-ordinating link between rig and
base office will normally be the Company Drilling Supervisor on the rig.
These arrangements shall be documented and signed by both contractor and Company. An emergency
exercise shall be performed to test the procedures prior to commencement of the operation. Further drills
and exercises shall be performed, particularly during the early stages of a contract, to verify that the roles
and responsibilities of all staff (on all shifts) are understood and effectively discharged.
30
Well control
The latest version of the 'Pressure Control Manual for Drilling and Workover Operations' (Ref. 5) shall be
used.
31
H2S procedures
Each Company shall prepare its own procedures based on local conditions and incidence of the gas. Refer
to 6.5 for further discussion on the subject.
Shallow gas
The document 'Shallow Gas Procedures Guidance Manual' (Ref. 4) shall be used by the Company as the
basis for establishing a procedure for dealing with shallow gas.
32
3.6
3.6.1
3.6.2
Monitoring
This chapter discusses various arrangements that are employed to monitor the implementation of the
health, safety and environmental policy at the installation.
Performance monitoring and review will be a key element of the HSE Plan and the part which facilitates
enhancement of the plan's quality by highlighting areas for improvement. The HSE performance can be
assessed against the criteria considered below.
Occupational health
Performance in relation to occupational health is measured against Company standards which shall at
least meet legal requirements and in any event ensure the prevention of adverse health effects due to
working conditions.
Occupational health issues in drilling operations shall include the safe handling of chemicals, the use of
oil-based muds (OBM), the use of radioactive substances, exposure to H2S, ergonomic issues, protection
against the elements and noise control. All of the above should be dealt with through the Hazards and
Effects Management Process.
Performance indicators can be derived through the analysis of medical referrals. A typical analysis at a
drilling location would be the frequency of skin rashes which may reflect on work practices and
compliance with protective equipment requirements. Another longer term indicator would be the number
of persons showing evidence of hearing loss.
The analysis of some of these indicators will need the support of specialist services.
Safety monitoring
The measurement of performance in relation to safety is based on such things as injury statistics, the
incident potential matrix, TRIPOD DELTA sensing exercises, unsafe act auditing, feedback from drills
and exercises and feedback from audits and inspections.
Environmental protection
A waste management programme shall be part of the HSE Plan and be aimed at achieving short and long
term reductions in the volume and toxicity of waste generated. Within drilling operations, reductions can
be achieved by such things as slim hole drilling (SHD) and the substitution of chemical products, e.g.
using water based mud instead of OBM.
33
Review
The review process will address the meeting of targets documented in the annual HSE Plan. It will also
address the success of implementing the action items arising out of all activities which produce
recommendations, such as HSE meetings, inspections and incident investigations.
Individual HSE performance targets, normally developed during the annual staff reporting cycle, should
also be assessed and, where necessary, further action to achieve attainment agreed.
Reviews shall also be carried out on all contracts against the contractor's HSE Plan. The reviews should
be jointly held and any remedial action jointly agreed.
Performance indicators
The measure of HSE performance can be obtained by the use of suitable indices which will:
provide a consistent method for collecting and communicating data on incidents
show by comparison the effectiveness of the HSE management programme, both within the Company
and with other companies
enable an assessment to be made of a contractor's HSE performance relative to the industry
indicate whether an operation is being managed well or whether management is driven by events.
For performance monitoring to be useful it is essential that all incidents are reported. Appropriate
measures to assure this shall be put in place. Performance criteria with respect to Lost Time Injuries
(LTIs) and Total Recordable Case Frequency (TRCF) are set at the beginning of each year and detailed in
the HSE Plan. Some proactive indicators would be produced by:
monitoring compliance with the plan
monitoring compliance with corrective action requirements arising as a result of HSE meetings, audits,
etc
monitoring changes in the drilling sequence which may have a significant impact upon effective
planning.
Trends indicated by periodically auditing against predetermined criteria, such as those provided by the
International Loss Control Institute (ILCI), are being used by some drilling contractors.
The Company and contractor should assess and record the potential outcome of all incidents (including
near misses) as a means of reviewing them in terms of 'what might have been the consequences'. Results
are presented on an incident potential matrix. Incident report action items together with action parties and
completion dates are recorded on the rig HSE information data base and monitored on a regular basis.
Tripod-DELTA may be used as a proactive human factors diagnostic tool for assessing the resistance of a
rig to accidents and for identifying those problem areas which, if not attended to, are most likely to cause
accidents in the future.
Rig inspections are also used to measure performance. This is achieved using a programme of inspections,
against predetermined standards and improvement targets. These inspections are carried out both
34
Inspections made shortly after start-up will place the main emphasis on
verifying the effective close out of deficiencies, particularly those
associated with HSE management, identified in the pre-start-up audit. The
focus will change as the drilling project progresses.
The importance of hardware inspections should not be underestimated.
Appropriate and well maintained hardware is essential for the safe conduct
of operations and such inspections are also essential to allow a reasoned
judgement to be made on such things as:
the effectiveness of the preventive maintenance system
the competence of personnel to perform their duties
the ability of staff to handle their workload
An inspection made during non-routine operations may well focus on the
permit-to-work system and the effectiveness of communications, such as
briefings and tool box talks, to assure that staff remain aware of, and in
control of, the overall operation.
One made during routine operations may focus on hoisting equipment, to
verify the effectiveness of on-site audit and inspection. Electrical safety
may be addressed, to verify that hazardous zone requirements are fulfilled
and that staff are not
35
Feedback/close out
36
3.6.3
Records
3.6.4
3.6.5
Incident reporting
37
The drilling contractor Toolpusher leads the on-site investigation into the incident and prepares the
report which includes remedial action requirements. The Company Drilling Supervisor takes part in
the investigation and countersigns report as accurate and sufficient.
2.
The report is sent to drilling contractor Rig Manager who adds his comments and signs his
agreement to the recommendations. He can also recommend further investigations if necessary at this
point, perhaps with a higher level team.
3.
The report is sent to relevant Company Senior Drilling Engineer (Rig Superintendent) who adds his
comments and signs the report. He can also recommend further investigation
4.
The report is then sent to the contract holder (Head of Drilling Engineering) who follows the process
previously described.
5.
Parallel with this process the HSE Department will review the report as received from the rig and
provide any input they may have to the Company Senior Drilling Engineer.
6.
A copy of the finalised report is returned to the rig for implementation of the agreed remedial actions.
While the above describes auditable, procedural aspects of the incident reporting process, normally
communication channels keep relevant issues alive while this is ongoing.
3.6.6
Incident follow-up
38
3.7
Audit
Technical HSE audits assess the effectiveness of the controls in place to manage HSE aspects of activities.
As proper HSE management is a quality inherent in the way the Company conducts its operations, it is
essential that the audit team has members familiar with the process being audited. It is also important to
be able to make an objective assessment. This makes it desirable that the team includes members without
direct responsibility for the operation. In small Companies and ventures, this may not be possible.
The HSE Management System shall contain reference to:
the relevant audit policy and procedure
the way actions recommended by an audit are agreed, put into effect and followed-up
the means by which lessons learned from such audits are communicated laterally within and outside the
organisation in order that actions arising out of key learning points can be applied elsewhere.
Operations associated with the installation shall be subject to a programme of audits under the Company
and contractor audit plan. This subject is addressed below.
General
It is a requirement that drilling contractors and associated service contractors have an effective system in
place for managing HSE. The assessment and approval of this system shall be part of the tender
evaluation process. So long as major contractors apply corporate requirements to their world-wide
operations, the work load for performing this task should diminish quickly with time. The HSE
department should have the expertise to assist with this task.
The effectiveness of the system cannot be assessed, of course, until the unit has been manned up for
operations. This implies that ideally, a HSE management audit should be carried out while the rig is
working for another operator, such that deficiencies can be rectified prior to the start of contract. Where
this is possible, and the system is found to be effective, assurance should be gained from the contractor
that staffing, at least at the supervisory level, will not be significantly changed without prior agreement.
Where agreement from the previous operator cannot be gained, or where the rig is being mobilised from a
stacked condition, assurance should be gained from the drilling contractor that supervisory staff are
familiar with the requirements of the HSE Management System. This shall then be assessed upon start-up
of operations.
When properly structured, the Company's assessment of the contractor's HSE Management System also
provides a useful insight into how effectively the contractor manages other aspects of his business.
Schedule
The following offers advice on a suitable schedule of audits and inspections of drilling operations.
New venture
Characterised by small Shell team with limited manpower, and a high reliance on contractor resources.
Pre-Tender
Precontract
39
Start up
Weekly
Other
Small Opco
Characterised by limited manpower and by discontinuous drilling operations which may lead to loss of
expertise between drilling campaigns.
Pre-Tender
Precontract
Pre-Start-up
Start up
Weekly
Quarterly
Yearly
Other
Audits generally include service company, transport, supply and associated field engineering activity.
40
3.8
Review
This subject is divided into three parts and describes the corrective action process for audit
recommendations, HSE Case recommendations and HSE Management System remedial action
recommendations.
41
Monitoring system
For each recommendation, action parties and completion estimates are established and entered onto the
Remedial Action Plan. The status of all action items are reported at regular intervals to a review
committee of senior managers in order that progress is effectively monitored and expedited as necessary.
It is logical that a common system should be set up to monitor the implementation of action items arising
out of all four of the subjects discussed. The HSE department, when properly staffed, should be the
guardian of such a system, though responsibility remains with the line who should follow up and keep the
system guardian regularly appraised of status.
42
Improvement strategy
Company
Contractor
The contractor HSE improvement strategy, likewise, is set against the long
term targets of zero accidents, zero negative impact to health and zero
negative discharges to the environment. To this
43
end, reducing targets are set for the occurrence of recordable accidents by
the contractor Base Manager. These are reviewed annually.
The improvement strategy is based on the identification of key corporate
HSE issues periodically, and addressing them in the rig HSE Plan by a
series of actions. The issues will continue to be addressed in annual plans
until conditions have been improved as far as reasonably practicable.
The rig HSE Plan is developed with the above in mind and the lessons learned from each year's operations
are reflected in next year's plan and programmes.
Both the HSE Management System and health, safety and environmental performance are subject of a
number of formal reviews:
the Company Operations/Drilling Manager monitors HSE programme progress and reports status at
the Company's quarterly HSE management overview committee meeting
the contractor Base Manager reviews and summarises the overall health, safety and environmental
performance for the installation in his monthly report
HSE performance is discussed at the installation HSE meetings giving the opportunity for comment
and feedback.
Where such reviews identify concerns or trends which merit immediate attention, appropriate action is
initiated.
44
45
PREPARATION
4.1
4.1.1
Locations
Siting
Wells should be located at least the height of the mast away from public roads, railways, public works,
houses or other public places. Safe distances from any radio transmitters need to be established so that the
use of explosives and detonators may proceed without danger of external activation. Where this is not the
case, enforceable control procedures shall be established, or detonating systems not affected by stray
electrical currents should be used.
Sites close to overhead and underground power lines should also be avoided. Not only do they pose a
threat to the safe use of explosives, but also to the safe operation of cranes and other equipment that can
potentially come into contact with them.
All practicable means shall be taken to minimise or avoid detrimental effects on the surrounding
environment by virtue of the construction of the location or the operation of the drilling rig. For specific
sites, advice should be requested from the HSE Department.
Size
The site should be sized to contain all equipment and buildings, storage, workshops, etc using distances
between various rig components in line with existing rules and regulations for the area of operation and
the hazardous area drawing of the drilling rig. Within the above constraints, it shall be sized to minimise
environmental impact.
Sources of ignition
Naked lights, unprotected electrical equipment, smoking and all other sources of ignition shall be
prohibited on all drilling/well sites. When internal combustion engines are permanently used within a
hazardous area they shall be protected. Petrol driven engines are not to be permitted on the worksite. See
5.2.2 and Appendix V for further details.
46
4 Preparation
Telecommunications
Telecommunications equipment such as telephones, radios and talk-back systems located in hazardous
areas shall be suitable for Zone 1 application. Instances have occurred where radios operated in the SCR
cabin and the Driller's control cabin have interfered with SCR systems. Radios should not be operated in
these areas unless it is determined that the SCR system is not affected by to the electromagnetic radiation
generated by them.
Drainage
Drilling sites and camps should have an adequate drainage system so that potentially harmful effluents are
contained and can be carried clear of the site to a point where they are unlikely to cause harm. Means
shall be provided to trap any escape of oil before it can leave the site. Drains and bunds should be sized so
that they can contain two to three times the maximum storm rainfall expected over a two-hour period, plus
the liquid inventory they are designed to contain. Surface drains should be adequately graded and kept
debris free to ensure quick disposal of their contents.
Waste oil from pumps or other machinery should be trapped, collected and disposed of properly.
Excavation
Excavation work shall be carried out under the permit-to-work system and in such a manner that the
collapse of side walls is precluded. Measures shall be taken to prevent persons and livestock from
accidentally falling into an excavation. They should be properly illuminated at night.
Site access
Only authorised persons shall be admitted to a drilling site. This may need to be enforced by enclosing the
whole or parts of a site. Openings in enclosures should be permitted only under authority, and after
adequate steps have been taken to control entry and exit. Approved personal protective equipment shall be
worn when visiting or working on a drilling rig or on a well servicing hoist.
4.1.2
Only protected diesel engines conforming to 'Recommendations for the Protection of Diesel Engines
Operating in Hazardous Areas' (Ref. 13) shall be used within hazardous Zones 1 and 2 (see Appendix IV).
Any exceptions shall be strictly controlled through the application of the permit-to-work system.
Road vehicles shall not be permitted to enter or operate in a hazardous zone, except by special permits
which will take into account necessary precautions to ensure no flammable vapours will be present during
the duration of the work in the area.
Vehicles should not be parked within the location perimeter. Adequate parking facilities will need to be
provided outside the location. Before entering a location, vehicle drivers should report to the site
supervisor for instructions. On location vehicle speeds shall be limited to walking pace.
47
4.1.3
Camp sites
In remote operating areas where there is no acceptable local accommodation, it is necessary to provide
camp facilities to house operations staff, crews and other contractor personnel.
Provided below are topics directly associated with drilling camp construction, layout and operation, which
technical HSE audits highlight as requiring particular attention. Access control at the camp site should
provide immediate information for newcomers or visitors to inform them:
where to park their vehicles
where to report their arrival and nature of business
who will brief newcomers/visitors on site rules, hazards and emergency response in case of alarm.
The person often designated the above duties is the camp boss or the medic.
Fuel storage
Fuel storage shall be segregated away from the general accommodation area and adequately marked with
hazard signs and cautionary notices (e.g. 'no smoking'). Fuel tanks should be bunded and situated on the
low side of the location so that fluid run-off will be directed away.
Potable water
Potable water shall be regularly checked for possible contamination and, if stored in tanks, shall be
chemically treated to prevent growth of potentially harmful organisms. Where tests indicate that water
supply is unsuitable for human consumption, bottled water from a reliable source shall be provided.
Food storage
Food storage, handling, preparation and messing facilities shall be controlled by regular inspections. Such
inspections shall be made at least weekly by the medic and camp boss. The quality of these inspections
should be periodically verified by contractor management and specialists. The medic/medical officer shall
be responsible for verification of adequate health checks for catering staff, particularly those engaged in
food handling.
Fire extinguishers
Fire extinguishers shall be provided for all accommodation units including kitchens, mess room, recreation
rooms, clinic and radio room (if applicable). Further fire fighting facilities shall be provided around fuel
tanks, vehicle parking areas and the camp generator.
48
4 Preparation
Fire drills
Fire drills in the camp site shall be held at least during every crew work cycle and shall involve all
personnel at the camp site, including subcontractors, visitors and catering personnel. Required response to
the general and fire alarm(s) shall be known by all personnel on site. Drills held in the camp must be
reported, and deficiencies which are noted shall be corrected. They should be co-ordinated with muster
drills at the rig site so that the adequacy of the system which accounts for the whereabouts of personnel
can be checked.
Electrical systems
Electrical systems in the camp shall comply with a recognised standard. All lighting, heating and
accommodation power circuits shall be fully protected by all or a combination of the following:
miniature circuit breaker (MCB), with thermal magnetic over-current release
fuses
overload trip switches
30 mA earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB)
Full earthing shall be provided, verified and documented. An earthed system is considered acceptable for
temporary purposes, if the resistance between ground and any part of the earth system is maximum 160
ohms and the system is protected with a 300 mA residual current operated circuit breaker (RCCB).
Note: 160 ohms is derived from Re *I < U where:
- Re is the earth electrode resistance,
- I is the maximum leakage current (300 mA as specified in DEP 33.64.10.10 -
Appendix 5)
49
Medical facilities
The clinic is the usual base for the medic and is normally situated at the camp site. In case of emergency
call-out it is essential that adequate means of communication exist between camp site and rig.
Transportation for the medic shall also be available 24 hours per day, as shall a vehicle suitable for
carrying a patient on a stretcher from the rig site to the clinic. In remote areas the provision of a helipad
should be considered. Where this is not a viable proposition, the provision of a doctor and facilities to
stabilise and treat patients during the period needed to evacuate, should be considered.
Security
In areas where security risks are an identified hazard, advice, either from the local authorities or from
Group security advisers, should be sought.
4.2
Preparation Offshore
4.2.1
Information is required about meteorological and oceanographic data of the area in which drilling will
take place to establish the type of rig most suitable for the economic completion of the drilling
programme. Seismic surveys provide data concerning water depth, sea bed topography and soil conditions
and in the majority of cases will provide sufficient information to indicate the probable presence or
absence of shallow gas (see 3.5.1, 'Site selection'). Such information is considered adequate for operations
with vessels such as drillships and semi-submersibles. Bottom supported rigs (jack ups) require a more
detailed location investigation which may include seabed coring and sampling to establish data on leg
penetration and the adequacy of the surface strata to support the vessel and avoid punch through.
4.2.2
50
4 Preparation
51
4.2.3
The SIEP position on the subject is described in 'Marine Safety of Mobile Offshore Units' (Ref. 14) and
covers both semi-submersibles and drill ships. In accordance with this document, key features of the
vessel should be assessed prior to contract to ensure that it has an adequate level of structural reliability to
carry out the intended function at the selected location.
The following aspects are important to the structural reliability of semi-submersibles and drill ships:
Structural strength
Most modern vessels are designed for world service and so are designed with adequate strength. However,
some older semi-submersibles may only be suitable for mild environments. Degradation of design strength
through corrosion, damage or fatigue cracking is the main structural threat to all semi-submersibles and
drill ships and requires assessment.
Station keeping
The station keeping performance of a vessel, by dynamic positioning or more usually an anchoring
system, depends on the environmental conditions, the water depth and the soil conditions at the selected
location. This should be assessed on a site specific basis although this need not be on a per well basis if
the conditions over the whole area of a drilling campaign are considered together. Analysis of the
anchoring pattern and assessment of the condition of the anchoring equipment are both required. The
requirements for mooring of mobile units are given in the document 'Mooring Standards for Mobile Units'
(Ref. 19).
52
4 Preparation
these more stringent requirements. Ballast systems designed to the latest code requirements shall be
stipulated in all new contracts.
Most semi-submersibles and drill ships are classified with one of the major classification societies and, in
conjunction with the vessel owner, they monitor the condition of the vessel in respect of the aspects
mentioned above. These inspection/maintenance/repair records should be the primary source of
information in assessing a vessel and shall be made available for inspection by Shell.
Additional data can be obtained from a general visual inspection, which may be carried out in conjunction
with the drilling, marine, aviation and HSE inspections, by an appropriate specialist. In some
circumstances, for example if the vessel is old or the existing records are of a poor quality, there may be a
need for a further more detailed inspection.
The onus to provide a site specific anchoring analysis showing compliance with current codes, together
with evidence of satisfactory stability characteristics, should be placed on the drilling contractor in
consultation with the relevant classification society or certifying authority. Similarly, inspection,
monitoring and repair activities to maintain the vessel at a safe and satisfactory standard are the
responsibility of the contractor and so should be undertaken by the contractor in consultation with the
classification society. Shell's primary role should be one of verification but may include independent
inspections.
The classification societies have standards which differ in some aspects between themselves and also
change with time. Whilst there is a movement towards harmonisation of standards in the industry, this has
not yet been achieved. Consequently SIEP may be consulted, if required, to advise on appropriate
standards for the integrity assessment of semi-submersibles and drill ships.
A draft procedures guide for the Safety and Integrity Assessment of MODUs is available from SIEP.
4.2.4
Offshore tender drilling and workover operations are no longer limited to areas which are environmentally
benign, i.e. minor expectation of prolonged periods of severe weather conditions. Tender assisted
operations are also used in North Sea type environments albeit with semi submersible tenders. However,
in all cases water depths should be compatible with feasible anchor cable length and required anchor
patterns. Deck space and load capacity are limited. Vessel stability shall remain a controlled operating
parameter.
Emergency response plans in case of severe weather, platform fire and damage control in the event of a
collision shall be in place. All tenders should have emergency anchor release capability which can be
controlled from the Bargemaster's or Toolpusher's office.
Before commencing operations on a new platform the anchor release mechanisms should be verified as
functioning correctly. Similarly the remote platform/well shutdown function shall also be tested as well as
the bridge/umbilical release system if used.
The remote BOP control panel on the tender shall be tested as part of the normal BOP test routine. Other
emergency functions commonly activated from the Bargemaster's or Toolpusher's office are the generator
shutdown and the air fans to the generator and mud room areas of the barge. These should also be tested
as part of fire drills.
It is the responsibility of the OIM to ensure that at all times there are personnel available to launch and
operate the lifeboats should the need arise for a general evacuation.
53
4.3
Materials Procurement
4.3.1
Hazard data
Prior to the use of any material, particularly mud chemicals and cementing materials, Material
Specification Data Sheets shall be obtained from the supplier and the product assessed for toxicity and the
requirement for any special handling precautions. The medic shall be equipped to deal with injuries to
personnel arising out of the use of all materials on site.
4.3.2
Inspection
The requirements for inspection of materials and equipment to be procured for an operation should be
considered prior to ordering and the inspection programme clearly stated on the order.
Shell Quality and Inspection Requirement (SQAIR) exists for many items of drilling equipment and
materials and should be specified on purchase orders.
Only genuine spare parts, purchased from original equipment manufacturers or their authorised agents,
should be used for the maintenance or refurbishment of safety critical equipment.
4.3.3
Incorrect stacking of tubulars and sack materials is the cause of many accidents on site. Casing rack
loading, particularly on land sites, shall be carefully considered to avoid subsidence and hence instability.
Adequate strength dunnage and nailed-in chocks at the end of each row are important.
The stacking and de-stacking of pallets in the correct manner should be planned and only pallets in good
condition used. The operation of fork lift trucks shall be restricted to designated personnel who have
demonstrated competence.
4.4
4.4.1
Road transport
A significantly high proportion of all accidents in EP operations, including drilling operations, are directly
related to incidents involving vehicles. To address this problem, a strict journey management system
should be implemented. Guidelines for developing such a system are published in EP 95-0260 Logistics.
The following documents are useful references:
'Road Safety Management' (Ref. 20)
'Seat Belts' (Ref. 21).
Required driving skills will depend on the local environment and may include considerations such as
desert terrain, dust, ice, fog, water crossings, etc. It is recommended therefore that prior to commencing
operations, all Company and contractor drivers should attend defensive driving courses addressing local
hazards and on-road/off-road driving regulations and techniques. If subcontractors such as caterers, civil
engineering contractors, etc are utilised, they should also be included in the training scheme as a
contractual obligation.
54
4 Preparation
Compliance with Company driving rules shall be verified by the contract holder through spot checks and
audits. Compliance checks should include:
review of maintenance practices
observation of speed limits
day/night driving limitations
the use of seat belts for front and rear seats
minimum hardware requirements in place, e.g. first aid box, fire extinguisher, roll bar, etc
radio communication system in good working order
installation of tachographs to monitor speed, etc
verification of driver qualification requirements
journey monitoring/logging
alarm conditions and emergency response plans.
4.4.2
Sea transport
The transport of materials and equipment by sea shall be carried out only by vessels specifically designed
for the purpose. Safe unloading operations can only take place if the vessel has been correctly loaded.
This is the responsibility of the Master. Responsibility for material transfer operations rest with the Barge
Master on the rig and the Master on the vessel. With regard to the advisability to conduct such operations
during adverse weather conditions, the Master's decision shall be final with respect to the safety of his
vessel and crew.
4.4.3
Air transport
Aviation operations are audited and approved by Shell Aircraft Limited. Their advice should be sought on
questions or problems relating to air transport.
The carriage of goods by air is covered by air transport regulations and the final decision on whether any
particular item will be carried rests with the helicopter pilot.
4.4.4
A detailed rig move plan shall be prepared by the drilling contractor which addresses personnel
requirements, equipment requirements, responsibilities and contingency plans. In areas where contractors
do not move their own rigs, responsibilities/accountabilities of Company transport services shall be
defined prior to moving operations taking place. Adequate provisions shall be made for:
location/road surveys
rig-moving vehicles
craneage
fuel tankers
hazardous loads
fork lifts
personnel vehicles
55
4.4.5
Prior to a rig move all participating parties, i.e. Company, drilling contractor, surveyors, vessel masters (if
possible) and rig mover (towmaster) shall hold a meeting to discuss and agree on procedures, problems
likely to be encountered, operational matters and responsibilities.
A detailed rig move plan shall be prepared and should outline such aspects as:
move programme, contingency plan, responsibilities
weather forecast
sea bed survey
surveying method
rig position on new location
anchor pattern and test tension
pennant and chaser combinations
communications responsibilities
selection of anchor handling tugs.
When moving on to producing facilities, well close-in and production shutdown requirements shall be
discussed and agreed by production and drilling staff. Verification prior to move-on shall be via a
documented handover procedure.
During anchor handling operations, the crew on the deck of the rig and anchor handling vessels shall be
kept to a minimum and crew members shall be positioned to minimise the risk of injury should there be an
equipment failure. Failures of very heavy hooks and anchor pennant lines have resulted in fatalities.
Hydraulic release mechanisms (shark jaws) should be used wherever possible instead of pelican hooks.
Anchors shall be laid in such a way as to avoid any possibility of damaging pipelines or any subsea
equipment either during anchoring or subsequent operations.
56
4 Preparation
Following a rig move, a report should be made to provide an analysis of all aspects of the move, a log of
events including weather conditions and a list of recommendations on procedures and equipment
performance. The rig mover should note any matter that could lead to a safer and improved method of
work.
Refer also to report 'Offshore Rig Move and Anchor Handling Operations' (Ref. 22) and EP 95-0260
Logistics.
57
EQUIPMENT
5.1
Maintenance
It is in the interest of safety and the prevention of time loss to ensure that all the equipment is properly
maintained.
Spare parts for equipment essential for the safe operation of the rig shall be carried by the drilling
contractor. The contractor shall give an undertaking to use the original equipment manufacturer's spare
parts or those from a supplier approved by the manufacturer.
Following commencement of the contract, the effectiveness of the contractor's programme for preventive
maintenance of the rig equipment should be evaluated by selective verification. When precontract audits
are performed on rigs (generally by third party consultants), the effectiveness of the preventive
maintenance system (PMS) should be part of the scope of work. All items of equipment in the rig's asset
register shall be included in the PMS.
5.2
Hazardous Zones
5.2.1
Hazardous zone classification is aimed at reducing the risk of fire or explosion by keeping ignition sources
out of areas where combustible gas release or accumulation of gas is possible. Such areas include the
wellhead, wellhead cellar, bell nipple and mud treatment systems.
Various systems of hazardous area classification exist. The system adopted and recommended by SIEP is
'Area Classification Code for Petroleum Installations' (Ref. 23). This Institute of Petroleum (IP) code
should be taken as the basis for ignition control criteria used in rig selection, equipment specification and
hazardous zone dimensions. Some essential elements of the code are presented in Appendix IV.
Another system of hazardous zone classification is based on 'Classification of Areas for Electrical
Installations at Drilling Rigs and Production Facilities on Land and/or Marine Fixed and Mobile
Platforms' (Ref. 24) and is largely applied in areas closely associated with the USA. Its main drawback is
that the system allows potential sources of ignition closer to the wellhead, bell nipple and active mud
system. This system should only be adopted if it can be shown that conversion to comply with the IP code
would involve expenditure not justified by the risk reduction achieved.
5.2.2
The Shell standard reference used for operating diesel engines in hazardous zones is contained in the
'Recommendations for the Protection of Diesel Engines Operating in Hazardous Areas' (Ref. 13)
published on behalf of the Institute of Petroleum. The recommendations contained in this document were
formulated to provide for the protection of diesel engines when used in potentially hazardous zones within
the petroleum and petrochemical industries. Details are provided in Appendix V.
58
5 Equipment
5.2.3
There are many different systems of electrical equipment classification and certification. For the purpose
of uniformity and standardisation the European (CENELEC), UK (BSI) and international (IEC) are used
as the main references for electrical equipment specifications for use in hazardous zones.
Electrical equipment for use in hazardous zones shall be selected in accordance with the following criteria:
the type of protection shall be compatible with the hazardous zone classification
the surface temperatures of the apparatus shall be lower than the ignition temperature of the gas and
vapours that will be encountered
the apparatus construction shall be able to withstand the environmental conditions.
5.3
The selection of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) takes account of risks to health based on
knowledge of the hazard and assessment of the exposure which can be, for example:
direct, a projectile or sharp or abrasive object
chemical, an irritant, carcinogen or sensitiser
physical, noise, radiation, temperature extremes, vibration, electrical or light
biological, fungal.
The hazard may be in the form of gas, vapour, mist, dust, fumes, liquid, solid, high or low temperature,
radiation or under pressure.
Based on the hazard and risks, consideration is required concerning the degree of protection needed for
special situations.
The following general rules will apply to all rigs:
all persons shall wear safety headgear, footwear and eye protection outside the accommodation
(offshore) or on the rig site (land)
anyone working over the side of an offshore rig shall wear a life vest
anyone working more than 6 ft (2 m) above a floor level shall wear a safety belt firmly anchored above
them to check a fall.
In addition special equipment such as breathing apparatus shall be required for firefighting and in toxic
atmospheres (e.g. H2S).
Full details for the selection of PPE are contained in 'Personal Protective Equipment Guide' (Ref. 25).
The requirement for the provision of breathing apparatus for use in atmospheres containing H2S are given
in 6.5.
59
5.4
Drilling Equipment
5.4.1
Drawworks safety
Accidents still occur from guards not being replaced after repairs or maintenance of drawworks and rotary
table gears. All necessary guards shall be replaced after completion of maintenance work.
All drawworks shall be fitted with a secondary braking device (e.g. eddy current or hydromatic).
Drawworks fitted with an eddy current brake (e.g. Elmagco) should have an auxiliary powered back-up
supply in the event of a main power failure. An emergency stop device shall be provided for the
drawworks, within easy reach of the Driller. This device shall be tested regularly.
There shall always be a sufficient number of wraps of hoisting line remaining on the drum to eliminate
any strain being transmitted directly to the fastening device. The minimum wraps for a given drawworks is
given in the manufacturer's operating manual. The installation of a top drive will require additional wraps.
Past incidents involving brake handle and brake linkage failure indicate the need for a rigorous inspection
schedule, including NDT, of the main drawworks brake.
Main brake failures have also occurred due to the failure of the brake cooling system. Fitting a flow
sensor and temperature alarm to the cooling water return line is recommended. As a minimum, loss of
cooling water pressure should be indicated by an audio-visual alarm on the Driller's console. A low level
alarm on the cooling water tank is recommended.
5.4.2
Pulsation dampeners
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5 Equipment
follow pulsation dampener manufacturer's instructions for charging the dampener unit.
5.4.3
Relief valves
The high pressure mud pump discharge piping is protected by means of high pressure relief valves. The
discharge lines should be a minimum of 3" diameter, constructed from high pressure pipe and slope
downwards to facilitate drainage. Screwed valves should be phased out and replaced with a flanged type.
5.5
5.5.1
Erection equipment
Winches, gin poles and other erection equipment, together with wire ropes, shall be re-certified on a six
monthly basis and visually inspected prior to use. A record shall be kept of the inspections. Ensure that the
loads are within the safe working load of the slings and other equipment in use.
5.5.2
Derricks and masts shall be thoroughly inspected after erection and before lowering to verify that no
members are distorted and all bolts are tightly in place and equipped with suitable lock washers. This
inspection should ensure that no member has been installed in a manner that will impair the safety of the
derrick. Telescoping masts shall be inspected to verify that all the locking devices are in place before
transferring the load from the raising system. During inspection use should be made of the 'Report of
Visual Field Inspection of Derrick or Mast and Substructure' (Ref. 26).
5.5.3
Derrick loading
Eccentric loading of a derrick should be avoided. If, because of unequal settling of derrick corners, the
centre of the water table when drilling with rotary tools, does not line up with the centre of the well, the
condition should be corrected by inserting shims at the low corners of the derrick. A crown block shall
never be shifted off centre to correct for derrick misalignment unless such movement is small and due care
is taken to determine the effect it will have in reducing the safe working load of the derrick. Eccentric
application of loads reduces the rating of the derrick and may ultimately result in derrick failure.
To balance further derrick and mast loading, the dead line and fast line should be on opposing sides.
5.5.4
Foundations
The bearing capacity of all soils decreases as the moisture content increases. Proper drainage should be
provided and the foundation inspected after heavy rains to ensure that derrick corners have not settled
unequally, thereby causing the derrick to be out of plumb. Civil engineering advice should always be
sought and matting or concrete pads will generally be used.
5.5.5
Masts
Written procedures shall be provided and enforced by the contractor when raising or lowering a mast. The
type of weight indicator used shall indicate the correct number of lines strung to the block.
Lock pins, or other locking devices for holding the upper sections of a telescopic mast in place, shall be
inspected to ensure that they are seated before any additional work on the structure if performed. Any
61
5.5.6
Guy lines
Guy lines shall be used to support the mast as recommended by the manufacturer. The strength of the guy
lines and auxiliary equipment shall be in accordance with the manufacturer's specification. If guying
requirements are not mentioned in the operating procedures or are not known, the mast should be guyed
according to 'Specification for Drilling and Well Servicing Structures' (Ref. 27). Guy lines shall never be
used for aligning the mast.
Guy lines shall never be removed during operations and shall be subjected to the same inspection
procedures as other wire rope devices.
5.5.7
On each operating rig a derrickman's escape line shall be provided, with one end secured to the derrick or
mast near the derrickman's platform and the other end anchored at a point one mast length away from the
well bore, in a clear area, where a derrickman can make a safe landing by way of the line. (If possible the
line should be strung-out into the prevailing wind).
5.5.8
Crown protection
Every rig shall have a crown-o-matic or other similar emergency stop device to prevent hoisting the
travelling block against the crown block. If timber blocks are used as shock absorbing devices, ensure that
they are secured in such a way that impact does not dislodge them. There exists a real hazard to the
Driller from the rapid downward movement of the brake handle when the crown safety device is activated.
Jumper bars to prevent drilling line from jumping out of the crown sheaves shall be installed so that no
section more than 100 of arc is unprotected.
5.5.9
Deadline anchors for hoisting lines shall be constructed and installed (bolted/welded) such that their
strength equals or exceeds the working strength of the hoisting line. Avoid systems which rely on bolts in
tension, the system should be designed such that a bolt failure does not result in the anchor flying. Regular
checks for cracks and significant corrosion shall be made to ascertain proper functioning and structural
integrity of the equipment. Precontract and major inspections shall include detailed inspection of the
anchor assembly.
Failure of the welding of the drilling deadline anchor has occurred during jarring operations. Critical
welds or other securing devices shall be regularly inspected.
A weight indicator shall be installed on every drilling and workover rig and it shall be maintained such
that it registers an accurate indication of the hook load suspended (within 5 per cent at maximum hook
load). The weight indicator shall be checked regularly for calibration by comparing its reading with the
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5 Equipment
calculated drill pipe or tubing string weight. The load cell gap should be checked every shift. A closed load
cell will not indicate additional loading.
5.6
Lifting Equipment
5.6.1
General
Of all the hardware subjected to inspection during audits, this is the area where most deficiencies are
found. All deficiencies are the result of a lack of effective control systems. Below are listed groups of
deficiencies with recommended controls.
improperly made slings and lifting devices
corroded loose lifting equipment
loose lifting equipment damaged by improper use
unidentified equipment
equipment not subjected to inspection
damaged equipment accepted for downrated use
63
5.6.2
Inspection - general
Inspection of drilling lifting equipment is based in part on 'Specification for Drilling and Production
Hoisting Equipment' (Ref. 28).
weekly routine visual inspection in assembled condition
thorough cleaning and visual inspection in assembled condition after every rig move or every month,
whichever comes first
NDT inspection in disassembled condition of:
elevators, links, bails, lugs spider, slips, tongs every six months
Kelly, kelly-cock, kelly-spinner, and pin and box connections, every 12 months
crown block ,travelling block, hook and swivel, top drive, heave compensatory and deadline anchor
every two years, depending on service conditions
Whenever lifting equipment has been subjected to high dynamic loading, e.g. jarring or working stuck
pipe, immediate inspection is required. This also applies to the derrick or mast after such operations.
Particular emphasis should be given to the inspection of top drive equipment, in accordance with the
manufacturers recommendations.
5.6.3
Slings
Slings should be tested and tagged on a six monthly basis and marked with SWL and inspection date.
They shall be visually inspected by a competent member of staff before all lifting operations.
Slings shall be rejected when there is:
severe deformation - where strands are severely kinked or the core is protruding
severe wear - wear of high points of the sling caused by dragging the sling across decks contributes to
early broken wires. A sling which has wires worn to half normal diameter on high points should be
replaced
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5 Equipment
termination damage
severe corrosion (be aware of the possibility of internal corrosion)
no SWL indicated or last inspection date/colour code missing.
Winches
Check condition of wire - look for kinks, broken wires, flat spots, visible core, etc Ensure that wire
runs freely in the mast
Check condition of eye - a thimble should be used. Check condition, spacing and correct installation of
bulldog clips
Check condition and operation of brake - brake rims and bands shall be in good condition and the
linkage operating freely. Avoid bands becoming contaminated with oil or mud or water
Check hook and safety catch are in good condition and the swivel is operating freely
Perform MPI inspections on winch pedestals and securing mechanisms (bolts or welds) at six monthly
intervals
Winches with a free wheeling device should not be used
The safe working load of the wire and the winch securing mechanism shall be greater than the
maximum winch pull (stall at overload).
5.6.4
Elevators
Use on the correct size and type for the pipe being run. Physically check by using a joint of pipe for the
correct lift profile of the elevators. Inspect latch, hinge pin and body for any defects. For single joint
elevators ensure latch has a retaining split pin in good condition and of the correct size, securely attached
to the elevator body.
Check that shackles are not worn and that nuts have retaining pins - see notes on shackles. Check pick-up
strops for damage and make sure swivel is in good condition - see notes on wire rope slings.
65
5.6.5
5.6.6
Wire ropes
Safety factor
Safety factor is the ratio between the nominal strength of wire rope and the calculated load.
Field operations indicate that the following safety factors should be used.
Minimum safety factor
Sand line
3.0
3.5
2.5
3.0
2.5
2.5
When a wire rope is operated close to its minimum safety factor, operating personnel should exercise care
to minimise shock, impact and acceleration or deceleration of loads.
Drilling line
When slipping or cutting the drilling line, the following points relating to this operation should be
considered:
the operation should preferably be carried out when the bit is inside the casing, near shoe depth on the
trip in. This is to ensure that the maximum amount of pipe is in the hole, should the well start to flow.
At this stage the well has been observed stable during most of the trip
slipping the block line shall never be carried out during any of the following conditions:
drill pipe out of hole on a non-cased well
drill pipe is in open hole
a kelly cock in the open position shall be installed
before starting, the drill floor shall be cleared of all personnel not associated with the operation
safety harnesses shall be worn by persons working on the travelling block
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5 Equipment
during slipping use the dead line anchor brake. While cutting the line, the travelling block shall be hung
off or otherwise secured
slipping and cutting operations shall always be supervised by the Driller on shift. Close inspection by
the Driller of end clamps on the fast line and dead line anchor clamp equipment is mandatory. There
shall be no delegation of this task to staff of lesser experience and responsibility.
The drilling line should be subjected to a systematic slip and cut programme. After this operation, the
crown-o-matic shall be reset and tested.
The recommended slip/cut procedures are given in the Driller's Handbook issued by SIEP Training
Division (HRTH/5) to all drilling staff.
5.6.7
Catheads shall not be used as winches as the SWL of the lifting rope cannot be accurately assessed or
easily controlled. Derrick-floor mounted air winches should be used.
5.6.8
Winches used for the transportation of personnel shall be equipped with an automatic fail safe brake and
have non-rotating wire rope in good condition installed. Certification of the winch for man riding is
required and the winch shall be so marked.
Man riding winches are used to move personnel to otherwise inaccessible places both above and below the
rotary table. Any other operation which may interfere with the movement of the winch, i.e. hoisting or
rotating, shall be discontinued until the operation involving the use of the winch is completed.
The winch shall be under the control of a fully competent member of the crew instructed on the correct
procedures to be followed and the safety precautions to be observed.
When using a bosun's chair, a safety belt shall be worn and attached to the winch wire at a level
independent of the chair. Good communication is required at all time. This may require the use of radios
and the placement of an observer in a position where the safety of the operation can be effectively
monitored. (e.g. at the monkey board level where the height of the operation effects the judgement of the
winch operator). Non-routine operations shall be carried out under the permit-to-work system.
Routine operations can be classified as follows:
work in general up to 2 m (6 ft) above rig floor
work on kelly and swivel, when set back in its scabbard
installation of circulation head for casing, liners, etc
upper kelly cock operation below 12 m (40 ft)
operations associated with wireline lubricators
All other operations are non-routine and will require a work permit.
5.7
Blowout prevention equipment shall be installed, tested and operated in line with the latest version of the
'Pressure Control Manual for Drilling and Workover Operations' (Ref. 5).
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5.7.1
All drilling units with a subsea stack should have a Subsea Engineer who is responsible for maintenance,
etc. He should also be in possession of a current well control certificate.
When failure of the BOP equipment or its control system is detected, operations shall cease for repairs.
When using ROVs to assist with BOP operation, confirm that the ROV is fully functional before the job
starts and that all personnel involved are fully briefed on job requirements.
5.7.2
Shear rams
Shear rams on surface BOP stacks shall be able to shear the tubular section of all drill pipe in use with an
operating pressure of 21,000 kPa (3000 psi) at expected well close-in pressure. It should be verified that
installed piston sizes and operating pressures are adequate for the forces required.
5.7.3
In the past this equipment has caused some serious accidents. The manufacturer's instruction regarding
safe operation should be strictly followed. No alteration should be made to this equipment without the
consent of the manufacturer.
5.7.4
Store keepers should organise receipt and use of spare parts on the basis of 'first in - first out'. This is
particularly important for rubber seals and packers, where ageing is likely to cause material deterioration.
Seals and packers should be stored under conditions recommended by the manufacturer. The use of air
conditioned store rooms for rubber goods is recommended.
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5 Equipment
5.7.5
BOP control systems shall be installed, tested and operated according with the 'Pressure Control Manual
for Drilling and Workover Operations' (Ref. 5). In addition to the instrumentation to indicate the
availability of air pressure and fluid pressure, the following safety features should be considered for the
control systems:
a relief valve installed
accumulator low-pressure alarm
reservoir low-level alarm
air-driven hydraulic fluid charge pumps
electric-driven hydraulic pump to be connected to the emergency generator
fail safe regulators
manifold pressure is consistent with ram closing force requirements at anticipated maximum surface
pressure (high pressure wells)
accumulator capacity at elevated manifold pressures still meets requirements
fire resistant hydraulic control hoses and control fluid
appropriate location of remote operating panels
redundant functions plugged off
hydraulic control hose are tested to the rated pressure of the unit (i.e. by-pass is opened).
5.8
5.8.1
Standardisation of HP unions
Steel long-sweep hoses (Chiksans) or flexible armoured hoses (Coflexip) are often used for cementing,
fracturing, acidising, testing and for kill lines. The 'Weco' type hammer unions for connecting these hoses
can be mismatched particularly the 2" and 3" 602, 1002 and 1502 series. To avoid this it has been
repeatedly recommended to standardise on series 1502 (15,000 psi) couplings.
Chiksans and lines used for potential high pressure applications shall be snubbed and anchored. Chiksan
hoses shall not be used for operations where reciprocation under pressure is required as they are not
designed for this purpose.
All such equipment of 2'' diameter and above, which is used for service above 13,800 kPa (2000 psi),
shall have unions of welded or integral construction (see 6.4). The use of equipment with metal to metal
seals is recommended.
5.8.2
Restrictions on use
Never use a Chiksan in combination with any rotating operation. Chiksans shall remain static when under
pressure. The connection of the union to the pipe shall be of welded or integral construction. For service
where reciprocation or rotation is planned, appropriately rated hoses should be used with a swivel type
circulating head.
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70
6 Operations
OPERATIONS
6.1
Tubulars Handling
This paragraph considers the safety of the process of moving tubulars on the rig and the operations of
making up, breaking down and tripping a drill string. The running of casing is also discussed.
Prior to every usage, tubulars handling equipment should be cleaned and inspected, generally by the
Assistant Driller, to ensure serviceability. Refer to 5.6 for details.
6.1.1
All lifting equipment shall be certified. This applies to air winch lines, chains, hooks, swivels, shackles,
elevators, slings, links, single joint elevators, slings or swivels attached to single joint elevators, pulleys,
sheaves, blocks, lifting eyes, chain hoists, overhead cranes, etc.
Threaded lifting subs/plugs/buttons/caps used for handling drill collars shall be manufactured from
suitable material. In general, will have the same properties as drill collars and conform with 'Rotary
Drilling Equipment' (Ref. 29) They are considered to be items of lifting gear and shall therefore be
subjected to the same inspection schedule as other items of loose lifting equipment.
6.1.2
71
Pipe bundles
All bundles shall be lifted and transported horizontally, supported at each end. Lifting bundles (and/or
suspending them) from one end only is prohibited. The most widely used method is with a crane and wire
rope slings on each end of the bundle, secured with bulldog clips.
An alternative method, when an 'outline' is in use between a drilling tender and a jacket, is to suspend the
bundle with two wire rope slings and raise or lower with an air winch.
When using a forklift truck, be aware of maximum load rating to avoid overturning forces being applied.
When transporting pipe with a forklift, a securing device shall be used to prevent the pipe rolling off the
forks.
Drill collars
Drill collars size 6.25" and smaller should be bundled in groups of not more than three. All other sizes of
drill collar should be handled by crane one at a time.
Two slings should be used, one at each end and the drill collar(s) will be lifted horizontally. Tag lines
should be used to steer and steady the load.
Extreme care needs to be taken in removing the bundling slings to avoid trapping feet or hands
6.1.3
Drill pipe
For manual handling of singles of drill pipe, use a lifting cap with a shackle installed in the eye or bail, or
use an appropriate single joint elevator under the tool joint box.
Drill collars
All sizes (9.5"/ 8.25"/ 7.25"/ 6.25"/ 4.75") can be picked up by crane using a two-point lifting sling
keeping joints horizontal and presenting them to the derrick floor where they can be taken over with a full
strength elevator, either a centre latch DP elevator when a lifting sub is used, or a side door elevator when
a lifting plug is used.
Remember that the lifting sub/plug should first be torqued-up before the drill collar is added to the drilling
assembly and subsequently the full assembly is lifted out of the slips and run in the hole. This requires that
the single should first be set in the mouse hole for torquing up.
Small sizes (6.25" to 4.75") can also be picked up using a suitably rated air winch, either attached to a
lifting cap with a shackle, or using an appropriate single joint elevator under the shoulder of a lifting
sub/plug/button.
Do not use two winches to pick up heavy drill collars. If one winch is inadvertently slacked off, the rating
of the other may well be exceeded.
In many cases, drill collars are provided with elevator recesses at the box-end (normally squareshouldered). In this case, either a full strength or a single joint elevator should be used on these recesses,
but ensure that the recess shoulders are indeed square and do not impose loads on the elevator latch. They
should also be dimensionally checked periodically to ensure that they have not become worn below the
diameter at which they can be adequately supported by an elevator.
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6 Operations
Casing
For picking up singles of casing, use a single joint elevator. For certain types of casing (e.g. flush washover pipe) it is necessary to use lifting nipples. Alternatively casing joints can be presented to the derrick
floor suspended horizontally from a crane with a two-point lifting sling, and then be taken over using
either a single joint elevator or a full strength side door casing elevator.
If quick release pin protectors are not being used, verify that steel pin and box protectors are properly
installed. Improperly installed protectors may drop off during transit to the rig floor and frequently
become cross threaded and difficult to remove.
Tubing
Same as casing, though small size tubing joints or externally flush pipe (such as blast joints) can also be
picked up by an appropriate single joint or full strength elevator under the shoulder of a lifting button.
Conductor
Conductor joints are normally presented to the derrick floor whilst horizontally suspended from a crane
with a two-point lifting sling, and then picked up by a purpose built full-strength elevator (e.g. a MACK
elevator) either under the shoulder of a coupling, or under pre-installed pad eyes.
Short conductor strings (depending on their weight) can be picked up by lifting slings suspended from the
travelling block or hook, attached to a pair of pre-installed lifting pad eyes (welds to be checked for
cracks).
Marine riser
Marine riser joints are normally presented to the derrick floor while horizontally suspended from a crane
with a two-point lifting sling, and then picked up by a full-strength elevator latched around a lifting sub
(or nipple) which is part of the marine riser running tool. When handling the telescoping joint, ensure it is
locked in the closed position.
6.1.4
Running casing safely is very much a team effort. High levels of awareness and communication are
essential if the operation is to be carried out smoothly.
Hold a pre-shift safety meeting to ensure that all personnel are aware of the operation to be carried out
and of their duties. Do not compromise on safety. During the early stages of running, allow the team to get
into the swing of the operation before increasing the pace.
Points to be highlighted at the safety meeting are:
awareness - be aware of what is happening around you. Look out for yourself and other crew members
communication - know your own job and that of others. If unsure, ask. Do not let dangerous situations
develop, tell the Driller immediately
do not block the Driller's view - the Driller must be able to see everything that is happening on the drill
floor and in particular the joint in the V-door
be careful where you stand - do not allow yourself to be trapped and crushed if the joint swings free.
Select a position that allows an escape route
73
Preparation
Ensure there is an adequate weather window to complete the job.
Ensure that slings and shackles are compatible and of a similar rating.
Secure shackle pins with wire.
Never use a transit strop for any purpose other than securing the load in transit.
When rigged up, take the time to double check lifting equipment. If in doubt, ask.
6.1.5
The crew should be briefed on all aspects of the job, i.e. the intended method, the lifting equipment to be
used and the duties of the individual crew members.
Below are listed some basic safety points to bear in mind when carrying out this operation.
Check the SWL of each sling. The SWL shall never be exceeded. The approximate weight of various sizes
of drill collars (DCs) are given below for guidance.
Size
6.25"
1.25 tons
8.25"
2.5 tons
9.5"
3.5 tons
Allow for the angle of the wire when estimating the load. Note that when lifting or laying down DCs to or
from the end of the catwalk using the deck winch and the V-door winch, the load on the V-door winch
increases by approximately half as much again due to the angle of the wire. An 8.25" collar weighing
approximately 2.5 tons, pulled to the end of the catwalk and suspended just above the catwalk will be
exerting a load of approximately 3.75 tons on the V-door winch wire.
Lifting caps shall be in good condition and hammered up tight. Lifting lugs on handling subs are for lifting
the subs themselves and not for lifting tubulars.
If the use of two winches or a crane with a winch cannot be avoided, clear communications between all
parties involved is essential.
Do not stand on the catwalk or the V-door stairs when tubulars are moving up or going down from the
drill floor. Do not allow yourself to be trapped if the pipe breaks free; always have an escape route.
When using the winch ensure the winch wire is spooled onto the drum properly. This will prevent the wire
from being crushed and avoid shock loads when improperly spooled wire jumps free.
6.1.6
The elevator is a major cause of injuries on drilling rigs. They can be generally classified as follows:
caught between elevator and pipe
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6 Operations
caught in the closing mechanism
caught between elevator and other object
overstrain.
Elevators should be maintained in accordance with 'Specification for Drilling and Production Hoisting
Equipment (Ref. 28) and 'Hoisting Tool Inspection and Maintenance Procedures' (Ref. 30). Latches, latch
springs, hinge pins and elevator shoulder should be inspected before use.
Jarring with the elevator is potentially dangerous. Jarring should be carried out using the kelly. If possible,
after removing the kelly spinner.
Following any prolonged jarring operation, an inspection of the hoisting equipment shall be carried out.
Manufacturers of top drive systems have documented procedures governing such inspections.
Use the correct size and type of elevator for the items being handled.
For drill pipe use only drill pipe elevators
For picking up casing and tubing use single joint casing/tubing elevators. Never lower the first or
subsequent joints in the hole with a single joint elevator.
6.1.7
Tongs
A high proportion of accidents on the drill floor involve the use of tongs. Injuries result from being caught
between tongs and being struck by swinging tongs. All tongs should be securely attached and anchored.
Tong safety lines should be of sufficient length, preferably allowing a 90 breakout angle between the
lines, but short enough to prevent over rotation of the tongs.
The tong jaws including the dies should be inspected regularly for size and condition. Tongs shall be
maintained and replaced well before they become worn to the point of being unsafe. Hinge pins should be
secured by a nut which should itself be locked in place by a device such as a split pin.
All tong counter balances and parts thereof shall be so restrained, guarded, or located as to prevent them
falling or striking crew members if the suspension line breaks. Remember that suspension lines are
classified as lifting devices and should be inspected, certified and colour coded in the same manner as
slings. Their history should be recorded in the sling register.
While changing tong/slip dies ensure that:
goggles are worn as hammer blows can cause splinters to develop
gloves are used
working area is clear and unaffected by other operations in progress.
Back-up post failure has potentially serious consequences. A systematic approach to back-up post
inspection and planned preventive maintenance is required which includes MPI inspections on a six
monthly basis. They should also be included in the weekly/monthly drilling equipment inspection check
list.
75
Tripping
Ensure that the crew is up to strength and individuals are aware of tasks to be carried out. A
communication system should be operational between rig floor and monkey board. Note the following:
before starting a trip, ensure that the equipment required is in a serviceable condition
avoid using the rotary table to spin out pipes. Use a pipe spinner
never make up a connection with rotary table while using a tong as back-up, the shock loading could
result in breaking of the back-up wire
never attempt to stab a single into the mouse hole when the Driller is lowering the travelling block
ensure the crown safety device is correctly installed and adjusted at the start of each tour and following
drilling line slipping or cutting operations
monitoring of mud levels, flow checks and use of the trip tank should be part of the routine tripping
procedures in and out of the hole
do not install wipers until, the Driller is satisfied with the hole condition. they act as obstructions to the
visual checking of mud levels
while pipes are being moved from or to the rig floor the catwalk should be kept free of personnel
when hole conditions allow, pump a heavy pill to avoid pulling 'wet' pipe.
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6 Operations
6.2
6.2.1
Personnel required to handle or use hazardous chemicals shall be instructed regarding their safe handling,
use and disposal. Personnel shall be made aware of the potential hazards and the required protective
equipment. Hazardous chemicals shall be segregated from benign chemicals, and from each other as
appropriate (e.g. fire hazards). The hazards should be indicated by signs posted on or near them. Attention
shall be paid to the provision of adequate data on chemicals used in mud logging and mud engineering
applications.
All hazardous substances shall be stored in proper containers and properly labelled in languages
understood by all on the rig site.
The rig medic shall hold copies of all Material Specification Data Sheets (MSDS) and the clinic shall be
equipped to neutralise the effects of skin contamination, swallowing or inhalation of harmful chemicals.
Rubber gloves, goggles, protective apron or other protective equipment shall be worn as appropriate when
handling chemicals that may irritate, be injurious to the skin, or harmful if ingested.
In view of the similarity of atapulgite salt water gel to asbestos, the use of this mud additive is not
permitted.
Solid free or low solid completion brines such as zinc bromide, calcium bromide, calcium chloride, etc
shall be handled with extreme care and only under supervision, as these chemicals may burn skin and
damage eyes.
Skin/barrier creams shall be used by personnel who actually come into contact with muds and brines.
Prolonged use of coveralls contaminated with oil based muds should be avoided. Slicker suits shall be
used for zinc and calcium bromide brines, in addition to goggles and gloves.
77
6.2.2
Gas
Bottle colour
Valve thread
Oxygen
Black
R-hand
Acetylene
Maroon
L-hand
Hydrogen
Red
L-hand
Nitrogen
R-hand
Air
Grey
R-hand
Valve outlets
Combustible gas cylinders are screwed left-hand (anti-clockwise to close) and non-combustible gas
cylinders are screwed right-hand (clockwise to close)
Never open a valve more than three revolutions. One full turn is usually enough.
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6 Operations
6.3
Crane Operations
6.3.1
Cranes shall only be operated by fully trained personnel who are authorised to use the equipment
Cranes shall only be operated when safety systems and instrumentation are in good working order and
not inhibited
Crane drivers shall only be assisted by personnel who have received instruction as banksmen
The banksman shall check the security of loads and the slinging before signalling to the crane driver to
commence the lift
Only the banksman is allowed to give hand or radio signals to the crane driver
The banksman shall always remain in sight of the crane driver and the load
Tag lines shall be attached to any load being moved on a semi-submersible, drillship and onto or off of
a supply vessel. Tag lines shall also be attached to any load over 1 tonne weight and to any long loads
such as bundles of drill pipe or casing. It is important to ensure that tag lines do not become caught
Due account shall be taken of weather conditions before making any lift especially heavy lifts or loads
with a large sail area such as steel sheets
Crane operations shall cease and the boom shall be laid down when necessary to prevent obstruction to
helicopters.
6.3.2
Heavy lifts
No specific weight is given as the threshold for what is considered a heavy lift. It is more a matter of
considering what hazards exist and the potential consequences.
Movement of the BOP stack on a production platform, for example, presents the hazard of damage to, and
loss of containment of, wellhead, flowlines, pipework and vessels under pressure. Similar hazards exist
when raising and lowering masts on land.
The risk can be reduced by closing in the relevant wells and depressuring the lines and vessels.
The operation of carrying out a heavy lift requires a work permit which will stipulate the appropriate
precautions to be taken.
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6.4
Pressure Testing
6.4.1
General
Ascertain the maximum working pressure rating of the weakest section to be tested, this determines the
maximum test pressure which can be applied. Where possible avoid changes of specification (spec.
breaks) in a connected system. Where spec. breaks occur in a closed system, appropriately set pressure
relief devices shall be incorporated.
Pressure relief or limiting devices on the pump shall be verified as operational, at the appropriate
pressure before the test begins.
Visually inspect all equipment to be tested prior to testing.
Cordon off work area, post 'DANGER' notices (if applicable).
Announce testing is to take place over the public address system (if applicable).
Never attempt to tighten, slacken or hammer any item under pressure.
All hose connections shall have a back-up jump chain or sling secured across them to restrain the hose
in event of connection failure.
Chiksan runs shall be avoided where possible and otherwise properly secured.
All non-essential personnel shall be evacuated from the vicinity of equipment to be tested.
The potential energy level of compressed fluids shall be minimised by purging air/gases from the
system. Also the volume to be tested should be kept to a practical minimum.
Cup-type testers should be suspended from drilled-out plug-type testers. If for any reason the test tool is
suspended on drill pipe, the tensile load applied shall be within its load rating.
Prior to applying test pressures, ensure that no dummy components (e.g. thread protectors, corrosion
caps) are still installed on the equipment.
All wellhead connections, valves and fittings subject to pressures above 13,800 kPa (2000 psi) shall be
flanged, clamped or welded. Though screwed line pipe is covered by an API code up to 34,500 kPa (5000
psi), past experienced of failures due to corrosion, fatigue and other factors, has resulted in the Group
recommendation that they should not be used in applications above 13,800 kPa (2000 psi).
6.5
6.5.1
General
During drilling and workover operations the consequences of leaks or kicks with sour gas or crude can be
very serious. Personnel can be incapacitated by relatively low concentrations of H2S in a very short time
and equipment can suffer catastrophic failure due to H2S embrittlement.
Available literature should be studied before drawing up H2S procedures.
Recommended references are:
'Guidelines for Detection and Control of Hydrogen Sulphide During Drilling Operations' (Ref. 31)
'Hydrogen Sulphide' (Ref. 32)
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6 Operations
'Safe Drilling of Wells Containing Hydrogen Sulphide' (Ref. 33)
'Contingency Plan for Drilling Sour Oil and/or Gas Wells' (Ref. 34)
The video 'The Silent Sniper', available through SIEP, provides a powerful H2S awareness aid when
training personnel.
6.5.2
A contingency plan shall be drawn up when H2S may be expected during well operations. The
contingency plan should include:
procedures for the following conditions, including responsibilities and duties of personnel
pre-alarm condition
moderate danger to life
extreme danger to life.
designation of briefing areas
evacuation plan
authorities to be notified in case of emergency, by whom and at what stage
a list of emergency medical facilities including locations and/or addresses and telephone numbers.
A study should be made of the geological and geographical features of the area, in order to predict the
expected areas where H2S may be encountered or may accumulate. Information about the area and known
field conditions, including temperatures, pressures, proposed well depth and H2S concentrations, should
be obtained and taken into consideration. The drilling programme shall highlight this hazard and give
details of controls and recovery measures in place.
A mud programme should be drawn up which will cater for the pressures expected to be encountered, but
should also include the use of an H2S scavenger and/or inhibitor to reduce the reaction of H2S on the drill
string and related equipment.
In the pre-spud meeting, the Company Drilling Supervisor should review the drilling programme with the
drilling contractor and service contractors, outlining each party's responsibilities.
All personnel shall be fully trained in the use of H2S-related equipment. Procedures should be in place
350 m above and/or one week prior to the anticipated encountering of a hydrogen sulphide zone.
Be aware that H2S can arise from stagnant mud (sulphate reducing bacteria) and may be found in little
used tanks and in casing annuli.
6.5.3
Equipment
81
Flare lines
Flare lines should be installed from the degasser, choke manifold, and mud-gas separator according to
'Safe Drilling of Wells Containing Hydrogen Sulphide' (Ref. 33). All flare lines should be equipped with
the means for constant or automatic ignition.
Drill pipe
Lower grades of drill pipe, or pipe made from steel with anti-corrosive properties, should be used in order
to minimise hydrogen embrittlement of sulphide stress cracking. Means to minimise hydrogen
embrittlement and sulphide stress cracking or drill pipe can also be found in 'Safe Drilling of Wells
Containing Hydrogen Sulphide' (Ref. 33)
6.5.4
Monitoring
Each drilling facility shall have a fixed H2S monitoring and detection system that activates audible and
visual warning alarms at a level of 10 ppm H2S in the air. It is recommended that this system should have
emergency battery power back-up, capable of keeping the system operational for 12 hours without recharging.
H2S detection heads require regular calibration to retain their accuracy. The equipment manufacturers
instructions should be known and followed. Calibration checks shall be logged.
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6 Operations
Driller's console
mud tanks
shale shaker
ventilation system of living quarters
wellhead cellar
Suggested additional locations offshore:
lower hull pump or ballast room entered by hatchways located on main deck
mud pump room
barge engine room
poorly ventilated areas where personnel work.
6.5.5
In order for rig personnel to act once H2S is encountered, warning devices shall be present at various
stations on the drilling rig. The meaning of each warning signal shall be made known to all personnel on
or around the work location.
The audible warning should be a yelping-type electronic siren, in order to establish a universal H2S
warning system, and be connected to the fixed H2S sensing system.
Amber warning lights should be of a rotating or flashing type. All warning devices located in hazardous
zones shall be appropriately rated.
Because of potential language barriers and the possibility of misunderstanding by drilling crew personnel,
everyone shall be trained and conditioned to react to the audible and visual alarm system. Personnel
designated as 'essential' should move to assigned stations or job functions after having put on their
breathing apparatus. Non-essential personnel shall, at the first warning, move to the pre-designated
briefing areas after having put on their breathing apparatus.
Warning lights on offshore rigs/platforms should be shielded from the outboard view so as not to be
confused with navigational aids and lights.
83
6.5.6
All personnel on a drilling location where H2S is anticipated shall have available to them a certified
breathing apparatus. Individuals on site who are designated as essential personnel, if gas is detected, shall
be provided with an apparatus that supplies air at positive pressure into a full face mask. Practicality will
normally dictate the installation of a cascade system in these circumstances, as this will ensure the
availability of a continuous source of breathable air. Personnel shall always have access to a portable
supply of air, however, to cater for the eventuality that escape is necessary.
The use of chemical cartridge respirators is prohibited for service in H2S environments in drilling
operations.
Refer to 'Hydrogen Sulphide' (Ref. 32) for further information.
The storage locations of all protective breathing apparatus shall be such that the equipment can be quickly
donned and is readily available to all personnel on and around the rig. Locations for breathing apparatus
should include:
rig floor
derrick monkey boards
mud logging unit
shale shaker unit
pump rooms (mud and cement)
crew quarters
Toolpusher's and Company Drilling Supervisor's office
each designated briefing area
heliport
standby vessels.
6.5.7
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6 Operations
wind indicators
bug blowers
hazard warning signs
first-aid kit
stretcher
blankets
eyewash station.
6.5.8
Well control
Tripping
Every effort should be made to pull a dry drill string. If it is necessary to pull the string wet after
penetration of H2S - bearing zones, increased monitoring of the working area should be provided and
protective breathing apparatus should be on standby and if necessary worn.
Breathing apparatus should be worn by personnel in the working area prior to circulating bottoms-up in
case H2S is indicated in sufficient quantities to require the use of breathing apparatus.
6.5.9
Personnel training
It is usual for a specialised contractor to be employed to install both a fixed (cascade) system and provide
portable breathing apparatus. The same contractor, particularly on a land rig where the drilling contractor
may not have a rig system installed, will also provide detection equipment. Maintenance, training and
certification of personnel should be included in the package. Where mud logging services are contracted,
H2S detection equipment should be specified in the contract.
When drilling in an area where hydrogen sulphide gas might be encountered, training specific to the H2S
hazard in the area shall be carried out. The following guidelines are recommended for the training of
personnel.
The H2S training programme shall be developed prior to the commencement of drilling operations and
should include:
a new employee/visitor H2S induction training programme to be presented to all personnel arriving on
site for the first time
85
6.5.11 Personnel
Physical examinations
All employees who are to work on a well site, which may expose them to H2S, should receive a physical
examination. This examination should address conditions associated with respiratory problems and
hypertension.
Any individual with facial hair (beard) that could interfere with a complete mask seal is not permitted to
work in an H2S environment as equipment leakage could prove fatal.
Dentures
Personnel wearing dentures, while working in an H2S atmosphere, should be advised that they are to be
worn at all times while they are exposed to the hazard, including rest periods. Dentures should only be
removed for cleaning purposes. If dentures are removed from the mouth, the face takes on a different
configuration, and it is possible that breathing apparatus will no longer fit. This could prove fatal.
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6 Operations
6.6
6.6.1
Housekeeping
A high standard of housekeeping is a necessary prerequisite for any drilling operation. The accumulation
of rubbish should be prevented as it presents, fire, health and access hazards. The work area shall be kept
free of obstructions to allow free movement of personnel and machinery.
In particular the rig floor should be kept clean of any equipment which is not in use unless it is required
for safety reasons (e.g. the inside BOP assembly).
Stairways, ladders, ramps, walkways and platforms shall be kept free of objects or substances which may
create a tripping or slipping hazard or hinder or prevent emergency egress of personnel, or access to
emergency equipment.
6.6.2
Noise control
The Group have issued the publications 'Noise Guide' (Ref. 37) and 'Management Guidelines for Hearing
Conservation' (Ref. 38). These contain recommendations for the implementation of a hearing conservation
programme designed to suit the wide variety of Company activities world-wide. They provide guidelines
and recommendations concerning protection and preventative measures to avoid permanent hearing loss
from exposure to noise.
The acceptable noise dose limit of 85 dB(A) is applicable for shift lengths of eight hours/day or more, 40
hours/week, or in case of occasional overtime work, provided the exposure time over one year does not
exceed a total of 2000 hours. Local legislation may demand a lower limit in some areas.
Levels in accommodation used for off-duty activities shall not exceed 70 dB(A). However, this level of
noise can interfere with mental concentration and certainly with sleep. It is therefore recommended that
noise levels in sleeping areas are below 45 dB(A).
In practice, control of noise and the requirement for hearing protection can only be effective if a noise map
of the worksite is prepared with all machinery running under normal operational load. From such a map,
areas of noise over 85 dB(A) can be identified. Areas less frequently used, such as the cementing unit also
need to be mapped.
Once identified, high noise levels can be addressed in three ways listed in order of preference:
the use of better engineered equipment
the use of noise reduction techniques (sound insulation, mufflers, etc)
the use of hearing protection.
Signs indicating noise hazards shall be posted and appropriate hearing protection equipment shall be
freely available for all personnel working in the high noise area.
6.6.3
The following is guidance from Group Health Advisers for specifying to contractors the requirements of
an occupational health programme. Details on specifics are available through HSE/2 in The Hague, often
in the form of Shell Safety and Health Committee (SHC) documents. A complete list of HSE documents
available is printed on the inside back cover of all such documents.
Contractors should have an occupational health programme in place in accordance with legal requirements
and Shell Company guidelines. Companies should ensure that the contractors' occupational health
87
6.7
Permit-to-work
The permit-to-work is a written document authorising persons to carry out a specific task, warning them
of the possible dangers and spelling out precautions needed for the job to be done safely. It ensures that
proper consideration is given to the risks and that they are dealt with prior to work commencing. The
objectives are:
to ensure the proper authorisation of non-routine or hazardous work
to make clear to the person(s) carrying out the job the risks involved and precautions to be taken
to ensure that the person responsible for an area of the installation is aware of all work being done
there
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6 Operations
to provide a record showing that the method of work and the precautions needed have been checked by
the appropriate competent person.
EP 95-0315 Guidelines on Permit to Work Systems provides recommendations on implementing a permitto-work system.
All personnel shall have a good understanding of the permit system which should define:
the types of work requiring permits
documented procedure covering the permit system
clear definition of authority levels for permit issue and authorisation
checking of workplace conditions by the competent party
centralised holding and control of live permits
permit close-out system
permit handover mechanism
mechanism for checking effects of changed conditions on permit validity
The permit-to-work is authorised by the senior person on site after he has assured himself that all
necessary precautions have been taken and that all those working in the area on other duties are aware of
the activity. Where simultaneous production and drilling operations are taking place the Company Drilling
Supervisor shall be a signatory to the permit.
Permits shall be revalidated at the beginning of each shift.
6.8
Environmental Hazards
Group policy is to reduce, and ultimately to eliminate, emissions of substances which are harmful to the
environment. The greatest impact drilling operations have on the environment relates to the discharge of
mud and drilled cuttings. As part of the effort to minimise this impact extensive research is ongoing to find
viable alternatives to oil based mud systems.
Documents addressing environmental subjects include:
'Environmental Management Guidelines' (Ref. 39)
'EP Environmental Assessment Guide' (Ref. 40)
'E&P Waste Management Guidelines' (Ref. 41)
'Making the Most of Drilling Waste Management' (Ref. 6)
'Environmental Auditing Guide' (Ref. 42)
6.8.1
Noise
When working in the vicinity of housing or other areas sensitive to noise levels below the threshold where
hearing damage occurs, extra precautions will be necessary to reduce it to levels at which it ceases to be a
significant nuisance. These levels will vary depending on location.
The rig contracting strategy should include an assessment of the planned programme of work with respect
to the environmental issues and define such things as noise limitations in the tender documents. Noise
maps of rigs being bid should be requested.
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6.8.2
Environmental auditing
The 'Environmental Auditing Guide' (Ref. 42) sets out the necessary steps for carrying out an
environmental audit, namely:
the preliminary collection of basic data about the site of operations and the operation itself
inspections and interviews at the site to extend, evaluate and verify information obtained
formulation of conclusions and recommendations.
6.8.3
Waste management
General aspects of waste management are described in 'E&P Waste Management Guidelines' (Ref. 41).
'Making the Most of Drilling Waste Management' (Ref. 6) has been prepared specifically to address
drilling wastes, focusing on business issues associated with waste and the implementation of new
techniques and technologies in waste management.
A structured waste management strategy is important from a cost standpoint and for environmental
protection. The elements of such a strategy are:
Reduction of waste through good operating practices, changes in technology and changes in products
Reuse by returning the material to the process in its original form
Recycling material for resource recovery or as a by-product
Recover by incineration and making use of the energy developed
Residue is the final resulting waste material which cannot be managed by any of the previous four
methods and is either used as landfill, incinerated, diluted or concentrated, or stabilised physically,
chemically or biologically.
The strategy can be applied to drilling operations to deal more effectively with waste.
The above referenced document (Ref. 6), which contains many recommended practices on drilling waste
management should be used by the Company as a planning tool to develop an effective programme suited
to the operation.
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7 Associated Activities
ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
7.1
7.1.1
Responsibilities
The senior person on site, generally the drilling contractor Toolpusher on land rigs or OIM on offshore
rigs, retains overall responsibility for all site activities. He shall be provided with an inventory of all
explosives and radioactive sources on site, which shall be updated whenever changes take place.
With respect to radioactive sources, he shall also be provided with storage details, which includes a
diagram indicating the rate of radioactive emissions at the edge of the container and the distances, in all
directions, at which the rate of emissions are measured at 1 micro-sievert/hr and 2.5 micro-sieverts/hr. See
7.1.10 for further details.
Throughout wireline logging activity the Driller on shift remains responsible for overall safety on the rig
floor and for maintaining primary pressure control over the well. Continuous monitoring of well fluid
gains or losses during logging operations is his prime responsibility.
Non-essential equipment such as bits, bottom hole assembly components, lifting plugs, etc shall be cleared
from the drill floor area. Rotary tongs are to be secured away from the rotary area and cover plates are to
be installed over the single hole, rotary bushings and any other open spaces. The rig floor is to be cleaned
of mud, grease or other extraneous material.
The Logging Engineer is responsible for ensuring that all wireline operations are performed to the
technical and safety standards laid down by legislation, his employer and the Operator. He shall inform
the senior person on site and the contract holder of any precautions that need to be taken to assure safe
operations and of any eventuality which impacts upon safe operations.
7.1.2
Rigging up
When the Driller is entirely satisfied that the well is stable, and that the rig floor is cleared of non-essential
material and equipment, the logging contractor can commence rigging up.
It is essential that there is sufficient lighting available for the logging winch man to clearly see the drill
floor area. In addition a two-way intercom shall be installed to enable good communication between the
logging winch operator and the operators on the rig floor. The intercom shall be certified suitable for zone
1 hazardous area use.
The upper and lower sheaves, together with other equipment suspended in the derrick, shall be considered
as lifting equipment and shall therefore have the safe working load clearly marked on each item. Only
certified slings, chains and shackles are to be used to secure the upper or lower pulleys. If the upper pulley
is to be secured on the elevators, ensure that the elevator latch closes properly and that the swivel on the
travelling block is locked. A secondary safety sling should be used at all times.
The lower sheave is attached to a main substructure member by chain. The chain shall be in visibly good
condition, less than three years old and a minimum of 5/8" diameter with a SWL of 22,000 lb.
Such chains shall be tagged to clearly show the age and rating of the chain. The chain eye should be
secured to the lower sheave shackle by a single chain which is attached to a main member of the rig
substructure. If the fixing point is a pad-eye, then it shall have been welded by a coded welder and
certified free from any defect. The pad-eye shall also be load certified and inspected (NDT) annually.
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7.1.3
Logging operations
During logging operations, the number of drilling crew permitted on the rig floor should be kept to a
minimum. Neither Logging Engineers nor crew are allowed to operate any of the drill floor machinery, nor
should any logging crew be on the rig floor without the presence of a drilling contractor representative. It
is the Driller's responsibility to operate the drawworks, fill-up pumps and BOP controls.
The Driller shall monitor the status of the well and maintain adequate fill-up on the hole at all times.
Crane operations shall not be conducted over or close to the logging cable.
7.1.4
Pressure control
The pressure rating of the wireline lubricator shall always be at least equal to the maximum anticipated
surface pressure, plus an excess to cover such contingencies as squeeze killing or bullheading. It shall be
tested to this pressure. It shall be of sufficient length to contain the tool length and preferably have a
margin of one lubricator section to cover birds nesting of the cable. A guiding principle is that the
possibility of a tool string straddling both the lubricator BOP and the master valves on the Christmas tree
shall be precluded. A tool catcher shall be fitted immediately above the BOP and verified as functioning
correctly. It shall not be used as a lifting device.
7.1.5
General
All operations involving the use of explosives are to be performed under the permit-to-work system. Prior
to starting work, a safety meeting shall be held to include as a minimum:
Driller and assistant on shift
Senior Toolpusher/Offshore Installation Manager
Logging Engineer
Well Site Drilling Engineer
Company Drilling Supervisor
Work requiring the use of explosives shall be carried out only by authorised specialist personnel (usually
the Logging Engineer). During the job, personnel working in proximity of the device shall be kept to a
minimum. All other persons are to be excluded from the working area throughout the operation.
A register of explosives shall be kept on site by both the Logging Engineer and the Person in Charge
(usually the OIM offshore and contractor Toolpusher on shore).
Explosive storage
The local laws and regulations governing the storage and handling of explosives shall be observed,
however in all cases, explosives and detonators shall be transported and stored in separate containers.
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7 Associated Activities
On land, buildings constructed to contain explosives shall be completely separated from living and work
areas and well separated from other stores containing flammable material. For more complete coverage of
this subject refer to EP 95-0200 Survey Operations.
7.1.6
Guards and warning signs shall be placed around the working area to prevent unauthorised access to
the work area by personnel and vehicles.
2.
Unless using a detonating system which is impervious to stray electrical currents, guns shall not be
armed while an electrical storm is in the vicinity, or forecast, during perforating operations.
3.
The logging unit is to be grounded to the rig, the rig grounded to the wellhead by grounding straps,
and the source of any AC or DC voltage, which results in stray voltages in excess of 0.25V, shall be
eliminated. Such sources of voltage include:
cathodic protection
electrical welding
non-destructive testing
top drive systems
static electricity
radio transmitters including microwave transmitters.
4.
Restrictions applied when running explosives shall also be applied during retrieval operations, even
when positive indications of firing have been seen.
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7.1.7
Radio transmissions
During periods of radio silence, radio transmitters shall be switched off and, where possible, isolated.
Radio beacons are to be turned off. Portable two way radios shall be collected, checked against the
inventory kept by the radio operator, and locked away. All other potential sources of stray electrical
currents such as cathodic protection systems and electric welding operations shall be shut down. The
monitoring of radio receivers should continue as normal.
On land, road signs are to be placed at a minimum distance of 150 m from the location, to prevent the
access of vehicles possibly using mobile transmitting equipment (e.g. taxis).
If the presence of large commercial transmitters pose a hazard, the Logging Engineer shall request
computation of a safe field zone prior to undertaking any work with electrically detonated explosives.
Emissions from high tension lines either carried by pylons or buried can constitute a radio frequency (RF)
hazard.
Offshore, the control of radio silence shall be maintained to a distance of not less than 500 m. Offshore
vessels shall therefore be notified in adequate time to stand off from the location. The standby boat is
required to maintain station at stand-off distance and warn any approaching shipping of radio silence
requirements on the installation.
Two hours before each gun run the Company Drilling Supervisor or Wellsite Drilling Engineer shall
communicate to the base office the estimated time of commencing 'radio silence'. Actual times are to be
advised by the installation radio operator. In some areas third parties such as the coast guard and the
military authorities may have to be informed. The notification procedure should cover this.
Helicopter flight control will also require sufficient notice to reschedule/divert flights so that aircraft do
not arrive at the installation during radio silence. Offshore, the co-ordinator for the 'radio silence'
procedure shall be the OIM.
The Institute of the Makers of Explosives (IME) gives recommended minimum distances between 'shot
point' and 'transmitter' as indicated in Table 7.1. The table is modified to give transmitting power in watts.
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7 Associated Activities
Table 7.1
Transmitter power
Minimum distance
(W)
(m)
(ft)
0-250
150
500
250-1,000
300
1,000
1,000-10,000
750
2,500
10,000-50,000
1,500
5,000
50,000-100,000
2,300
7,500
After isolation of all sources of stray current, the casing-to-rig voltage shall be observed by the Logging
Engineer in the presence of the Drilling Supervisor or the Wellsite Drilling Engineer and verified less than
0.25 V (DC or AC). In the event that the observed voltage exceeds 0.25 V, all sources of electrical supply
may have to be switched off. This may preclude such operations as perforating during the hours of
darkness.
To allow helicopter operations to continue, VHF air band communication between platform and
aircraft may be established using either the fixed VHF air band transmitter or a portable air band set
from the helideck.
In addition, a UHF communications system may be used for internal rig operations provided no more
than the base station and one hand portable are operational at any one time.
ii)
The use of a single, 1-watt hand portable VHF or UHF set (not less than 10 m from the logging
cable) for communication outside the platform.
iii) In an emergency, if a 1-watt hand portable radio cannot raise the assistance required, use of one fixed
VHF or UHF transmitter.
It is emphasised that these relaxations (i, ii and iii) are only permitted when the explosive device is more
than 75 m below ground or sea bed, and only one may be applied at any one time.
Explosive backing-off operations are not subject to any restrictions once the gun is 75m below ground or
sea bed since detonation is unlikely and would not result in any damage to personnel or property.
7.1.8
In order to avoid the necessity for complete radio silence or electrical shutdown, new methods of
detonation have been developed. The systems use the energy released when a capacitor, charged to a high
voltage, is discharged through a thin conductor or foil to directly initiate high order detonation of
secondary explosives.
The design of these detonators is very similar to conventional detonators except that no primary explosive
is used. These systems require a minimum voltage of 150 to 200V DC at the cable head to operate the tool
and to produce the 2500 to 3000V DC to which the capacitor will be charged. This compares with 10V
AC or DC required for standard detonators and 1V for high temperature detonators, which do not contain
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7.1.9
There are several suppliers of TCP systems using a variety of detonating devices. Because explosives are
involved, safety precautions shall remain as detailed under 7.1.6 and 7.1.7 above.
The precautions specified by the manufacturer shall be fully understood and stipulated on the permit-towork. In addition, due to the need for close operational co-operation between the TCP contractor, drilling
crew and rig supervisory staff, a full safety meeting prior to the operation is essential.
Various methods for firing the detonator of a TCP gun have been developed to enable reliable firing of
guns in wells with differing geometry, mechanical configuration, and borehole conditions. These can be
grouped into four main types, which are:
drop bar actuated systems, in which a metal bar is dropped from surface and free falls under gravity to
mechanically initiate the firing head
hydraulically fired systems, in which fluid pressure is applied from surface to tubing or annulus to fire
the gun
electrically actuated systems, in which the current is sent from the surface via an electrical cable to fire
the gun
electrically actuated systems, in which a detonator and shaped charge are lowered from surface on
wireline to fire the gun.
When planning a completion which includes a TCP gun the following safety aspects should be considered:
1.
The firing head should only be armed when the gun is in place below the rotary table. This often
means a considerable extension above the explosive charge and may not be practicable.
2.
During assembly and arming of the gun all personnel shall be cleared from the area beneath the
rotary table, around the riser and BOP stack. Warning signs shall be posted at all accessible deck
levels to ensure that no personnel approach the wellhead area. No one is allowed to work above drill
floor level. The above restrictions can be relaxed when the entire gun is below ground (or sea bed)
level.
3.
There should be no possibility of the drop bar hanging up in any of the tubulars prior to detonation.
Provision shall always be made for retrieval of the drop bar in case of doubt.
4.
TCP guns shall never be pulled to surface without first retrieving the detonating device (drop bar or
battery pack).
5.
If it is not possible to verify that the TCP gun has fired and the firing head cannot be disarmed by
retrieval as in 3), then there shall be provision for dropping the gun. Only disarmed guns are allowed
to be pulled to surface.
6.
If the provisions for either dropping the gun or safe disarming of the gun cannot be met, then proper
consideration should be given to perforating by conventional guns.
96
7 Associated Activities
7.
Never trust or rely on self-deactivating TCP systems. They are intended to provide extra safety. Full
precautions should be taken if a TCP gun has to be pulled.
7.1.10
The storage, transport and use of radioactive source materials used for logging operations is governed by
local regulations enforced by appropriate legislation. The basic rules to be applied when using ionising
radiation are given in Publications Nos. 26 and 60 of the International Commission on Radiological
Protection (ICRP). The Group publication 'Ionising Radiation Safety Guide' (Ref. 43) uses the
recommendations of the ICRP as the main source of guidance.
In essence personnel, other than those classified as radiological workers and subjected to special
monitoring precautions, shall not be exposed to radioactive emissions in excess of 2.5 micro-sieverts/hr.
Barriers shall be erected to prevent access to areas where this rate of emissions is exceeded, and the areas
where the rate of emissions falls between 1 and 2.5 micro-sieverts/hr shall be designated as no stay and
marked accordingly.
All radioactive logging sources are housed in dedicated carrying shields. Carrying shields are to be clearly
marked with the Transport Index (TI) number. Where dedicated transport containers are in use, the
transport container shall be labelled with a TI equal to the sum of the source TIs contained therein.
Upon arrival of radioactive source materials at the rig site, the source materials in their carrying shields
shall be immediately transferred from the transport container to the logging contractor's source store. This
task is only to be done by specifically authorised personnel, e.g. the Logging Engineer on site.
In the absence of such authorised personnel, the transport container shall be placed in a segregated area
away from personnel and chain barriers erected at a distance around the container determined by the
Transport Index (TI) marked on the external surface of the transport container.
Allowance shall be made for a possible requirement for barriers above and below the container where
there are working or living areas in proximity to the storage area.
Table 7.2
Transport Index
2.5mv/hr
2.0
3.5
4.5
10
6.3
15
7.7
20
8.9
25
10.0
The radiation dose rate at the periphery of the segregated area shall be less than 2.5 micro-sieverts per
hour and where practically possible below 1.0 micro-sieverts per hour.
97
7.1.11 Fishing
A logging tool fishing operation is never routine. It is essential, therefore, that a pre-job safety meeting is
held prior to embarking on a fishing job so that all involved are fully aware of the potential hazards of the
operation.
The prime objective of a fishing operation is the safe and complete recovery of the downhole tool. Good
communication between the Company Drilling Supervisor, Well Site Drilling Engineer, Toolpusher,
Logging Engineer, Driller and wireline winch operator is of utmost importance.
Once a logging tool is stuck or lost in the hole decisions concerning fishing operations shall be agreed by
the Company, not just the logging company and the drilling contractor. The logging company provides
advice on how the tool might best be recovered and should be able to furnish the fishing tools required for
98
7 Associated Activities
the job. For stuck tools, the preferred fishing technique is the reverse cut and thread method. Breaking the
weak point, prior to the logging tool being latched into the fishing overshot, shall never be the method used
for fishing operations involving radioactive sources.
To break the weak point, the cable clamp and travelling block shall be used. Never use the logging
contractor's winch (the upper sheave becomes a high stress point and the cable is likely to break around
the sheave).
When attempting to fish a tool containing a radioactive source be it either wireline run or LWD, it is
important to monitor mud returns to detect any possible increase in radioactivity.
Detailed information on radiation safety can be found in 'Radiation Safety Manual for Well Logging
Operations' (Ref. 44) as well as the previously referenced 'Ionising Radiation Safety Guide' (Ref. 43).
7.2
Well Testing
7.2.1
General
All equipment used in well testing shall be fully certified for the purpose intended. The document 'Area
Classification Code for Petroleum Installations' (Ref. 23) shall be used to define hazardous zone
requirements.
The appropriate authorities shall be notified prior to any production testing, especially where it is
performed near populated areas. The requirement for such notification is often defined by government
legislation.
After perforation, the opening of the well to unload the tubing contents and the initial flow through the
separator shall be carried out in daylight. Thereafter the production test may continue during hours of
darkness.
Burners of the type that minimise oil drop out should be utilised.
Noise should be monitored and hearing defenders issued as necessary (see 6.6.2 for further information).
The production test (onshore/offshore) shall only be commenced under the following conditions:
all test facilities are fully pressure tested and checked
fire, H2S and abandon location drills are held
adequate weather window forecast
shipping and aircraft warned to stand clear during flaring
standby boat advised that this operation is to take place, and the action and precautions necessary until
the operation is completed
verify that the wellhead and production valve ESD systems function correctly and that emergency
shutdown activating buttons are manned in a safe area throughout the test whilst flowing formation
fluids to surface
check that all Weco type hammer unions are properly matched and according to agreed standardised
type.
a pre-job safety meeting has been held to discuss the test and ensure all personnel are aware of their
responsibilities and any restrictions imposed.
99
7.2.2
Fracturing
The equipment up to the last wellhead valve should be hydraulically tested to a pressure above the
expected fracturing pressure. This pressure shall not exceed the safe working pressure of the weakest
component in the system. A check valve or other device shall be installed in the system to prevent
backflow should a leak in the system occur.
All piping, including vent lines, shall be adequately anchored. They should not transmit hydraulic
vibrations to the wellhead.
Firefighting equipment shall be placed at strategic locations and be easily accessible. Receiving vessels for
relief or bleed-off lines from the wellhead or pumping equipment shall have adequate venting.
100
7 Associated Activities
If crude is to be used as fracturing liquid it should be weathered for at least 24 hours to eliminate the more
volatile components.
A pre-job safety meeting shall be held to appraise personnel of their responsibilities and any restrictions
that may be imposed.
7.2.3
Acidising
Hydrochloric and other acids used for stimulating production from a well are corrosive and rapidly affect
skin, causing severe burns. Breathing of the fumes shall be avoided as even small quantities can damage
mucous membranes.
Personnel handling acid shall be equipped with protective clothing including respirator, goggles, gloves
and boots. An adequate supply of water and lime should be available to neutralise any acid spillage or
contact with skin.
Acid inhibitors are toxic. It is essential to obtain full HSE information before execution of any acid job.
Lines from the pumping unit to the wellhead shall have a non-return valve installed in them as near to the
wellhead as practicable. A pressure test of not less than the maximum expected treating pressure shall be
made on the discharge lines to the wellhead.
Personnel not directly involved in the operation shall stay well clear of the discharge lines during the
pressure test and acid pumping operations. Pump operators should remain alert for communications from
the Toolpusher or Company Drilling Supervisor throughout the acidisation.
All equipment through which acid is handled shall be thoroughly washed inside and outside with water
upon completion of the operation.
A 'hose down' team should be on standby properly kitted out to deal with any spillage.
A pre-job HSE meeting shall be held and the job performed under permit-to-work system controls.
7.2.4
Cryogenic operations
Liquid nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen is hazardous because of its low temperature (- 195C) and because it can displace air in
gas form and cause suffocation.
Contact of human tissue with severe cold will destroy tissue in a manner similar to high temperature
burns. Freeze burns will result from contact with the cold surfaces of piping and equipment containing
liquid nitrogen. Eye damage caused by liquid nitrogen is usually permanent. Wearing full eye protection is
essential. An increasing dimension of hazard is added when liquid nitrogen is under pressure. These facts
emphasise the need for protective clothing and a high standard of safety by the nitrogen operatives.
The following protective clothing should be used:
face shield
insulated gloves
long sleeve shirts
101
Non-cryogenic materials
These will become critically brittle if subjected to exposure to very low temperatures. They include:
carbon steel
low alloy steels
most rubbers
most plastics.
Liquid nitrogen containers shall be fitted with a safety relief valve set at the safe working pressure (SWP)
of the container, and a bursting disk which fails at 1.33 times the SWP. In addition a manually operated
valve shall be available to vent the unit if necessary.
102
7 Associated Activities
Oxygen deficiency
Whilst using nitrogen, there is always the possibility that gaseous nitrogen dilutes the oxygen around the
area of operation. Operators shall brief all personnel of the potential hazards of oxygen starvation.
Table 7.3
Symptoms of O2 deficiency
12-14
10-12
8-10
6-8
8 min, 100% die; 6 min, 50% die and 50% recover with treatment
4-5 minutes, all recover with treatment
A slight oxygen deficiency results in deeper respiration, faster pulse and poor co-ordination. As oxygen
deficiency increases, judgement deteriorates quickly, so that the importance of moving to a well ventilated
area may not be understood.
Also note that one full breath of pure nitrogen will strip blood of necessary oxygen resulting in a loss of
consciousness.
7.3
The use of coiled tubing (CT) for a wide range of applications in drilling, completion, workover and well
treatment operations is established as an economic means of operating to save rig time or to operate
without a rig in situ.
It is a rapidly developing area of the business and it is important for users to stay abreast of changing
methods, techniques and controls as technological improvements widen the scope of applications.
The company providing coiled tubing services shall be fully involved in the planning of operations and
verify that the CT unit to be used is suitable for the application planned and that the operational
procedures provide a level of control that assures the safe conduct of the operation.
A number of hazards associated with CT operations have been identified. Any operations with CT in a
potentially live well shall be treated in the same way as any conventional well control requirement along
with its associated BOP equipment.
Any CT operation with other adjacent wells producing shall be treated as a concurrent operation and
subject to concurrent operational restraints and safety precautions. CT fishing operations shall be detailed
in a clear CT programme specific to the application and site conditions.
Every CT unit shall maintain and have available for inspection a full 'Reel Utilisation Data Sheet', which
includes the following historic data:
type of work done
depths run
number of cycles (tubing passed through gooseneck)
103
7.4
Concurrent Operations
7.4.1
General
Concurrent operations are defined as the simultaneous execution of two or more risk activities which, due
to their interaction, result in an increased operational complexity and enhanced level of risk.
Any combination of the risk activities is considered to increase the probability of incurring risk
consequences when carried out concurrently. Such activities would include the following:
production
construction
maintenance
drilling
workover
well testing
well services
diving
heavy lifts
transport operations.
This subject is summarised below but prior to any concurrent operations being undertaken, reference shall
be made to the local concurrent operations manual. Where no manual exists, SIEP can assist in one's
development, generally by supplying examples from other Opcos.
While this process is ongoing, specific controls shall be agreed by relevant supervisors at co-ordination
meetings and approved by department heads.
104
7 Associated Activities
The advice given in this sub-paragraph is particularly aimed at operations involving an independent rig
working alongside a production platform.
Some general observations are:
all supervisors involved in concurrent operations should meet daily to identify and resolve any potential
overlap of operations and responsibilities
a fundamental rule for concurrent operations is to classify all operations as either hazardous or nonhazardous and only allow one hazardous operation to occur at any one time
single point responsibility is essential. All supervisors controlling operations shall report and liaise
through the single point
the person in charge of concurrent operations shall be trained/competent to be able to make sound
decisions
management inspections should be carried out jointly by platform and rig based supervisors
plan directional drilling logically.(high angle wells from outer slots) to minimise collision risks and
make well paths uncomplicated
have a well-defined cone of uncertainty and a resulting well shut-in policy.
7.4.2
Procedures
Clear written instructions and plans are required in order to limit the extra risk associated with concurrent
activities.
An operations plan shall be prepared for each location where concurrent operations are to take place
stating the conditions to be met and procedures to be followed. This plan shall cover at least the following
areas:
a narrative description of all operations
individual duties and responsibilities
arrangement and location of equipment
integration of alarm and emergency systems between rig and platform
integration of mustering system between rig and platform
routing of all pipelines and their service
integration of hazardous zone delineations
periodic special testing and drills of safety systems and devices
conditions for securing and restarting of activities
communication procedures and reporting lines
escape routes
contingency plan
dissemination of information to all involved parties
on-site containment, rescue and evacuation training
an activities matrix determining permitted, conditional and prohibited concurrent activities.
105
7.4.3
Supervision
Principle
Concurrent operations necessitate optimum co-ordination of activities and defined lines of responsibility to
ensure operational efficiency and the safeguarding of personnel and equipment. To this end, the OIM, or
person in charge, shall chair a daily, minuted co-ordination meeting attended by all on-site department
heads and others necessary for the effective conduct of the meeting.
The meeting should cover the planned operations for the day, any hazards which may arise out of the
individual operations or their concurrency with other operations, and permits or other requirements
necessary for their safe management.
Overall supervision
Single point responsibility for management of the location where concurrent operations are being carried
out shall be maintained at all times. The responsible person will be the Offshore Installation Manager
(OIM) or his equivalent in an onshore facility.
Each individual activity shall be supervised by a competent supervisor, who has the responsibility to
verify that the activity is adequately protected by a minimum of two barriers with proven integrity. He is
also responsible for reporting status, and change of status, to the single point co-ordinator.
Communication
Regular meetings should take place between the supervisors to discuss HSE issues and the planned work
programme. Changes from a previously agreed programme shall be highlighted and adequately discussed
with all involved parties.
Permits-to-work
All concurrent activities other than routine production, drilling, maintenance or construction operations
shall be rigorously controlled by the use of work permits signed by supervisors of the individual activities
and the supervisor/manager responsible for the overall operation.
7.4.4
Specific requirements
Specific requirements shall be detailed in the local concurrent operation manual and should be used in
conjunction with any local statutory requirements to produce the written plan for each case.
106
7 Associated Activities
Barriers
Each individual activity is protected by barriers (protection mechanisms) which would have to fail before
control is lost. Operations may proceed if each individual activity is protected by a minimum of two
independent and tested barriers, with the provision that neither of these barriers becomes nullified by
virtue of the concurrent activity. Where a barrier fails, immediate action shall be taken, within the
constraints of concurrent operations, to restore two barrier integrity.
The following may be considered as barriers:
drilling fluid in the hole of sufficient density to overbalance formation pressures. The drilling fluid
shall be subject to continuous monitoring to qualify
a tested BOP stack
cased hole where the casing is unperforated or has not been drilled out, or where a tested cement or
bridge plug is in place.
For completion and workover operations the following barriers once tested may also be considered:
deepset wireline plug (below production packer)
drilling or completion fluid in the well of sufficient density to overbalance formation pressures. The
fluid shall be subject to continuous monitoring to qualify
Xmas tree
a two way check valve is installed in the tubing hanger
and on the annulus side:
a tested packer/completion (production) packer
tested seals on the tubing hanger
The safety of the drilling or workover operation may be threatened by events occurring in other concurrent
activities.
Well interference
Attention should be paid to sub-surface cones of uncertainty of adjacent wells, with travelling cylinder
collision plots being produced for critical situations. The criteria for terminating as mentioned in the
'Borehole Surveying Manual' (Ref. 47) should be expanded to include consideration for:
the situation where well bore paths are converging
actual survey depths which are frequently 10-15m off bottom
107
7.4.5
The surface integrity for completion and production wireline operation is assured by the following
barriers:
the lubricator/stuffing box/BOP assembly
the Xmas tree with a remote-controlled upper master valve with wireline cutting capability (or an
actuated valve installed on top of the tree).
Normally the wireline retrievable SCSSV will be pulled (or when using a tubing retrievable sub-surface
safety valve ( TRSSV) it will be hydraulically maintained open) during wireline operations, so that a
downhole barrier will not be available. For this reason wireline work in live wells requires special
attention. Wireline work may have to be interrupted and well made safe to allow other critical work to
progress.
The appropriate operating procedures and equipment shall be used as mentioned in 'Well Services
Guidance Manual'(Ref. 48). Selected safety precautions from the referenced manual (chapter 8) are given
here to emphasise their importance:
A wireline blowout preventer shall be used for work on all wells capable of flow
Control of the SCSSV and surface safety valve shall be transferred to a remote panel operated by the
wireline crew during wireline operations
Where possible, when depressuring lubricators, gas should be vented through existing facilities
Depressurisation of a lubricator shall be confirmed by opening the second 1/2 inch connection in the
lower section of the lubricator to check that hydrate blockage of the primary depressurisation needle
has not occurred
After installation on the wellhead, the lubricator shall be pressurised and tested according to
procedures.
108
7 Associated Activities
During concurrent operations the work shall be discussed at the daily co-ordination meeting and
appropriate controls put in place to assure its safe conduct.
The same guidelines as listed above are valid for non-rig assisted logging work.
7.5
Wireline (slickline) operations may be conducted through the rotary table for a number of purposes.
During any wireline operations the Driller on shift is responsible for the overall safety on the rig floor and
for maintaining primary pressure control over the well.
When a Christmas tree is installed, the wireline operator shall use wireline blowout preventers and a
lubricator. Pressure integrity shall be confirmed prior to running tools in the hole. Operational safety
procedures are similar to electric logging operations, see 7.1.
7.6
Diving/ROV Operations
Diving work is undertaken less frequently than in the past as many of the tasks which required human
intervention are carried out by remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Where diving is undertaken the
requirements of the document 'Underwater Handbook - Diving' (Ref. 49) shall be followed. The Diving
Supervisor shall be kept fully informed of all on-going work. His advice on matters involving the health
and safety of divers shall be followed.
The following guidelines are taken from the document 'Diving Operations Management Guidelines' (Ref.
50):
seek to minimise the need for exposure of personnel to hyperbaric (i.e. raised pressure/underwater)
environments
contract all diving work as a service
invite bids only from those diving contractors with a good record of capability, health and safety in all
aspects of diving
apply as a minimum contractual standard the UK legislation for diving operations (and require
contractors to adopt the guidance, recommendations and instructions contained in the UK Health and
Safety Executive Diving Safety Memoranda) as the underwater service industry consensus of the 'state
of the art' for diving operations
require contractors to utilise underwater service industry accepted techniques to monitor and protect
the health of divers. In this context 'monitor' means to record both the time/depth exposure of divers
and any chemical and physical factors which may be hazardous to health
inspect/audit the personnel, equipment, procedures and controls against contract conditions
require contractors to demonstrate proper functioning of critical systems
require all diving operations to be carried out under appropriate Work Permit procedures.
7.6.1
Special precautions
The diving system should be set up on the rig clear of any drilling equipment but still close enough for
the bell to be within ready access to the subsea equipment for diver convenience and safety.
Notices shall be posted on the rig when diving is in progress and everyone made aware that nothing
will be put or dropped into the water when divers are in the water.
109
7.6.2
Restrictions
7.7
Standby Vessels
Offshore rigs should have a standby vessel in attendance at all times. In some areas of operations this is
mandatory. If, for any reason, it is decided not to provide the service, this shall only be done after a
documented risk assessment has been carried out to consider the implications, and any necessary changes
to standards and procedures have been made.
In some areas, rules and regulations govern the construction, survey and operation of standby vessels.
Typical are the documents 'Assessment of the Suitability of Standby Vessels Attending Offshore
Installations' (Ref. 51). and 'Offshore Installation (Emergency Procedures) Regulations 1976' (Ref. 52).
7.7.1
General requirements
Standby vessels shall at all times be not more than 20 minutes steaming distance from the installation it is
supporting.
The vessel shall be classified as capable of carrying the total number of personnel on the installation and
shall be equipped to provide first-aid treatment.
Fast rescue craft shall be kept on board the standby vessel, which shall be immediately available for
launching to rescue personnel.
110
7 Associated Activities
7.7.2
Duties
7.7.3
Responsibilities
The standby vessel shall be under the authority of the senior person on the installation (the contractor's
Senior Toolpusher or Offshore Installation Manager).
111
7.8
Helicopter Operations
Helicopters will generally be used as the principle means of transporting personnel between rig and shore
in an offshore operation. Regulations governing the use of helicopters are contained in Shell Aircraft Ltd
Manual (Ref. 53).
7.8.1
Training
All personnel travelling by helicopter to and from an offshore installation are required to be briefed on
safety procedures prior to boarding the aircraft.
The drilling contractor is required to train and properly equip helideck firefighting crews, one of whom
shall be present at every landing and take off. Additionally a Helicopter Landing Officer (HLO) shall be
appointed and appropriately trained.
In addition certain rig crew shall be trained in helicopter marshalling for the handling of slung loads, and
where appropriate, in refuelling procedures.
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7 Associated Activities
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113
APPENDIX I
POLICIES
Figure I.1
It is the policy of Shell companies to conduct their activities in such a way as to take foremost account of the
health and safety of their employees and of other persons, and to give proper regard to the conservation of
the environment. They aim to be among the leaders in their respective industries in these matters.
Health
Shell companies seek to conduct their activities in such a way as to avoid harm to the health of their
employees and others, and to promote, as appropriate, the health of their employees.
Safety
Shell companies work on the principle that all injuries should be prevented and actively promote amongst all
those associated with their activities the high standards of safety consciousness and discipline that this
principle demands.
Environment
Shell companies:
pursue in their operations progressive reductions of emissions, effluents and discharges of waste
materials that are known to have a negative impact on the environment, with the ultimate aim of
eliminating them
aim to provide products and services supported with practical advice which, when used in accordance
with this advice, will not cause injury or undue effect on the environment
promote protection of environments which may be affected by the development of their activities and
seek continuous improvement in efficiency of use of natural resources and energy.
assess health, safety and environmental aspects before entering into new activities and reassess them in
case of significant change in circumstances
require contractors working on their behalf to apply health, safety and environmental standards fully
compatible with their own
recognise the concerns of shareholders, employees and society on health, safety and environmental
matters, provide them with relevant information and discuss with them related Company policies and
practices
develop and maintain contingency procedures, in co-operation with authorities and emergency services,
in order to minimise harm from any accidents
work with government and others in the development of improved regulations and industry standards
which relate to health, safety and environmental matters
conduct or support research towards the improvement of health, safety and environmental aspects of
their products, processes and operations
facilitate the transfer to others, freely or on a commercial basis, of know-how developed by Shell
companies in these fields.
114
Appendix I Policies
Figure I.2
Definition
Substance is defined as any substance which chemically modifies the body's function resulting in
psychological or behavioural change. In this context substance includes but is not limited to alcohol,
intoxicating products and medication. Substance abuse is the use of these substances in a harmful or
improper way.
Background
The Company conducts its business against high standards of safety and concern for the environment. In all
areas of activity it pursues the reduction of risk to both. Also, the Company is committed to maintaining a
healthy and productive workplace. All employees are expected to share in these objectives.
The abuse of substances in any quantity however small can impair performance at work, and can be a
serious threat to safety and environment, health and productivity. The Company wishes to ensure that all
employees recognise this threat and aims at minimising the risks involved. In order to achieve this, the
following policy will apply and will be part of the employee's conditions of employment.
Policy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The Company recognises alcohol or drugs dependence as a treatable condition. Employees who have
an alcohol or drugs dependence are encouraged to seek medical advice, and to follow appropriate
treatment promptly. The Company will assist an employee to obtain treatment and employees who seek
such help will not place employment in jeopardy by doing so, although alternative work might be
considered. The normal Company benefits which apply in the case of any illness will be available.
Being at work while impaired by drugs or alcohol is strictly prohibited.
The illicit use of legal substances or the use, possession, distribution or sale of illegal substances on
Company business or locations is strictly prohibited.
Preceding employment, the Company will test for substance abuse.
The Company may conduct unannounced searches for drugs and alcohol or any other substance on
Company locations. It may also require employees to submit to alcohol and drugs testing where a good
faith reason exists to suspect alcohol or drug abuse. Unannounced, periodic or random testing will be
conducted when an employee meets any one of the following conditions:
holds a safety and environmentally sensitive position
holds a dedicated management position
holds a position where testing is required by law
holds a position where the individual acts alone or unsupervised.
If a test result is positive, in most cases, on a first time basis only, the employee will be allowed to
continue in employment provided there is compliance with the appropriate rehabilitation procedures
(e.g. education, counselling, treatment and unannounced testing).
Dismissal will normally occur in the following circumstances:
failure to co-operate with the implementation of this policy
failure to comply with the appropriate rehabilitation procedures
the use, possession, distribution or sale of illegal drugs or substances on Company business or
locations
the use or possession of alcohol on Company business or locations unless previously authorised,
and the use or possession of alcohol in safety or environmentally sensitive positions
a second positive test result following a prior positive result from a Company initiated test where
employment has been continued, or after an earlier identification of an abuse problem.
All contractors are required to ensure that their employees do not create a presence of substance abuse
on Company business or locations. In addition, contractors who perform safety or environmentally
sensitive work are required to provide evidence of a comprehensive substance abuse policy and
practices at least equivalent to those in force within the Company.
115
APPENDIX II
RESPONSIBILITIES OF KEY STAFF
II.1
II.1.1
The Head of Drilling Engineering shall be responsible for ensuring that appropriate technical and
operating standards are in place and to provide cohesion, direction and consistency throughout his area of
responsibility for HSE such that staff discharge their duties in a professional manner and to a consistent
standard. Core activities will include:
the specification, maintenance and monitoring of policies, procedures and standards
the harmonisation of Company and contractor policies, procedures and standards to a consistent and
unambiguous approach
the dissemination of technical information
the maintaining of appropriate contacts in the Shell Group and with external resources.
the provision of guidelines to his subordinate supervisors
maintaining an awareness of the professional competence of all staff and co-ordinating their
development through appropriate operational exposure and training.
II.1.2
The Company Drilling Supervisor is the Company 's senior representative on site. His role with regard to
HSE is to verify that the drilling contractor and service and subcontractors perform work, under their
respective contracts, in a manner which assures the health and safety of staff and avoids harmful
emissions to the environment. As such he should be familiar with the provisions of the various contracts
and be competent to verify correct implementation. His specific responsibilities relating to HSE include:
verifying the implementation of hazards and effects management controls
making quality assurance checks on contractors inspections
taking part in accident investigations as dictated by the application of the 'Incident Potential Matrix'
participating in HSE meetings
making structured inspections of the facility in conjunction with the senior contractor representative
and following up on corrective actions
verifying that well integrity is being properly maintained
verifying that effective lines of communication between the various contractors are being maintained
alerting base supervisors to any changes which have a significant negative impact on well or
operational HSE
keeping themselves fully appraised of ongoing operations.
116
II.1.3
The Wellsite Drilling Engineer's HSE responsibilities include observing that the following activities are
performed safely and without endangering the health of personnel or damaging the environment by
verifying that:
electric logging operations are conducted such that:
radioactive sources are handled in a manner that avoids non-logging contractor staff being exposed
to levels of radioactive emissions above 2.5 micro-Sieverts/hr
logging contractor staff wear their film badges;
radio silence procedures are observed during pertinent operations;
hazardous areas are prohibited to non-essential staff.
radioactive sources are stored such that:
the area in which radioactive emissions exceed 2.5 micro-sieverts/hr is barriered
the area where radioactive emissions fall between 2.5 - 1.0 micro-sieverts/hr is designated as 'no
stay'
the radioactive source register is kept up to date
primary and secondary explosives are stored separately either in an area protected by a deluge system
or on a jettisonable platform
the explosives register is kept up to date
mud chemicals and mud testing chemicals are stored and handled in a manner that assures the safety of
staff
chemical safety data sheets are posted and a copy kept by the medic
II.2
II.2.1
The contractor Rig Manager is accountable for the following HSE matters:
liaising with the Company's Head of Drilling Engineering to assure compatibility between Company
and contractor safety systems, plans and objectives
developing HSE objectives and plans to meet those objectives which derive from the contract, his
company's corporate policy and the drilling programme
maintaining the rig HSE Case(s) for the rig(s)under his control
establishing the organisation and controls which ensure that all activity, including those performed by
service and subcontractors, is conducted in accordance with the HSE Case
demonstrating his commitment to high HSE standards by making regular structured visits to the rig
with specific HSE objectives and through providing the resources to effect recommended
improvements
ensuring that staff are trained such that they develop the necessary competence to enable them to work
safely and avoid damage to the environment
liaising with the Company, to select service and subcontractors who can meet the same standards as
themselves and monitor their work to confirm these standards are being maintained
117
II.2.2
On an offshore rig the contractor Rig Superintendent or Senior Toolpusher will often also be the OIM
with responsibilities defined by legislation and/or Company policy.
The contractor Rig Superintendent is responsible for the execution of all well and associated work
programmes. This includes, rig moving, the drilling, completion, perforation and testing of new wells, the
repair of existing wells by workover and the maintenance of the drilling facility, safety of the installation
and all personnel on board.
Key safety responsibilities include assurance that:
hazards are identified, assessed and controlled and plans for recovery are effectively in place
injury to personnel, assets or the environment, is prevented
the emergency/contingency plan is operable and tested and all site staff are competent to perform their
assigned duties
safe working codes and practices are implemented for all operations in accordance with recognised
policies, standards and procedures as agreed by the Company
prompt action is taken to rectify any deficiencies in working practices or conditions
all employees receive appropriate induction and training in all aspects of their work and observe such
safety requirements as the work situation warrants
safety rules and procedures are followed and should transgressions be observed, corrective action is
taken to ensure future compliance
HSE meetings are held as follows:
weekly for all personnel with records being kept of attendees, topics discussed, action items
arising, action parties responsible for close out and target date for completion
daily with work teams (crews) to discuss the shift work plan and any expected hazards. This
should be logged, in the daily report
prior to non-routine operations, with all involved personnel, to ensure the job and its inherent
hazards are understood, controls are in place, the tools and work practices are appropriate,
relevant expertise is available and permit requirements are understood and verified as being in
place.
118
II.2.3
Night Toolpusher
The contractor's Night Toolpusher is responsible, during his shift, for the safe execution of all well work
programmes issued through the contractor's Rig Superintendent. This requires that he:
enforces the provisions of the drilling contractor's HSE policy, procedures and plan
verifies that staff under his authority are knowledgeable of their role and competent to perform it
ensures drilling equipment is maintained in a safe and operable condition
where necessary applies for work permits and verifies that their provisions are followed
ensures that all accidents and significant near misses are reported and takes part in their investigation.
Disseminates findings amongst all staff in order to avoid recurrence
verifies the quality of safety inspections performed by subordinates
regularly monitors well conditions by liaising with relevant staff and ensures that proactive steps are
taken to maintain primary well control
provides emergency response support, both personally and together with drilling crews, and conducts a
regular programme of exercises
acts as the link between senior and junior rig supervision by attendance at both groups meetings and
disseminating information as appropriate.
II.2.4
Driller
As the first line in the supervision of personnel, the Driller's prime objective is to ensure that instructions
are carried out competently and therefore safely.
He is to verify that crew personnel are competent to carry out their work and use safe working practices.
He disseminates to his crew information on HSE and new safety procedures. Additionally he is to inform
senior staff of safe working procedures suggested by his crew and other personnel. The introduction of
any consequent change in procedure should be implemented under the direction of the Driller with
guidance and approval from the Rig Superintendent if appropriate.
The Driller is instrumental for the following:
seeing that all instructions of the contractor's Toolpusher concerning work methods and equipment are
carried out
ensuring that crew members fully understand their duties when carrying out a job
taking necessary steps to correct hazardous conditions and incorrect practices and checking that
protective devices are in good condition and used when needed
119
120
121
APPENDIX III
LAND RIG MOVE PLAN
This appendix details the actions to be taken at each stage in a typical land rig move.
III.1
Scouting Trip
III.2
122
III.3
III.4
Pre-departure Checks
Loads secure
Fuel tank full
Water available (truck and driver)
Lights and horn work
Wheel nuts tight
Tyre conditions including spare
Radios
Escorts notified
Route hazards removed
Toolbox safety talk held.
123
APPENDIX IV
CLASSIFICATION OF HAZARDOUS AREAS
The classification of hazardous areas with respect to electrical equipment shall be in accordance with
the Institute of Petroleum (IP) Area classification Code for Petroleum Installations (Ref. 23). The
following is only a summary of the requirements of the Code and is provided to give a ready
appreciation but should not be used as a substitute for the Code.
Hazardous zones defined under the IP or any similar code should not be confused with any other type of
hazardous area established, e.g. sour gas, high tension (HT) overhead no-go areas, radioactive store
hazardous area.
IV.1
Continuous sources are where flammable fluids (gases) are normally present or present for more than
1000 hours per year. Such atmospheres are normally present only in fixed roof tanks and at process vents.
Continuous grade sources are not part of the drilling fluid circulation, wellhead or BOP system.
Primary sources are those which can release flammable vapours or gases in normal operation. Primary
sources include vents and active mud tanks, ditches and mud treating equipment. Particular caution in the
mud-gas separator piping is necessary due to the potential of high volumes of primary gas released both
through the vent pipe outlet and via the mud drain.
Secondary sources are those which do not release flammable gases or vapours normally but can do so
under abnormal (i.e. failure) circumstances. This includes minor and temporary containment failures such
as occur from day to day, not catastrophic failure such as vessel rupture, burst pipes or blowouts.
IV.2
The hazardous zone resulting from a continuous source will be a greater hazard than the zone resulting
from a primary source, because the probability is higher than it will contain a flammable mixture. To
show this, hazardous zones are classified according to the type of source of flammable vapour or gas:
the hazardous zone resulting from a continuous source is normally classified as Zone 0
the hazardous zone resulting from a primary source is normally classified as Zone 1
the hazardous zone resulting from a secondary source is normally classified as Zone 2.
The parts of the facility which are not classified as hazardous zones can be designated non-hazardous but
may still contain a flammable mixture under calamity conditions.
Hazardous zone classification depends on the grade of release and the ventilation available as shown in
Table IV.1:
Table IV.1
Grades of
release
No ventilation, e.g.
inside tank
Continuous
Zone 0
Zone 0
Zone 0
124
Primary
Zone 1
Zone 1
Zone 0
Secondary
Zone 2
Zone 1
Zone 0
For land rigs, the open air situation is the norm, with restricted ventilation only present where the drill
floor is shrouded, or inside the free space of active mud tanks, ditches and well cellar areas. There should
be no Zone 0 areas on any drilling rig installation. Outside Zone 0, 1 or 2 the worksite is 'non-hazardous'.
IV.3
According to the IP Code (1990) for Drilling and Workover Installations (where diagrams are provided),
the Zone 2 hazardous zones around the rig equipment extend to:
1.
A cylinder 7.5 m around the bell nipple extending 9 m below the wellhead deck (offshore) or to
ground level. The upper extent of the Zone 2 is 7.5 m above the rig floor, extending to the top of any
existing wind break around the derrick area. Only the wellhead cellar and sunken ditches within the
Zone 2 are classified as Zone 1.
2.
A space around active mud tanks 3 m from the top and sides of each tank to ground level extending
to 7.5 m from the sides of each tank at a height of 3 m. Inside the tank walls is Zone 1. Enclosures
around the tank, unless adequately ventilated are classified as hazardous Zone 1 with Zone 2
extending 3 m from openings to the enclosure.
3.
Around the shale shaker Zone 2 extends 7.5 m above and around the exterior surface of the shaker,
and Zone 1 extends 1.5 m from the outer surface . If enclosed the enclosed space shall all be
classified as Zone 1, with Zone 2 areas extending 7.5 m from any openings.
4.
For any gas vent outlets, the extent of the hazardous zone is based on guidelines provided in Chapter
5 of the IP Code. If flow rates and type of effluent figures are not known the hazardous (Zone 2)
should extend at least 15 m from the vent outlet in all directions.
5.
For wireline operations, the point of reference is not the bell nipple but the stuffing box with other
dimensions and zone classifications the same as with drilling rigs on land and to the main deck
offshore.
For the purpose of ignition protection against small releases of flammable fluids around the rig floor area,
the interior of the derrick or mast structure is classified as Zone 2. All purge air, cooling air and internal
combustion engine air intake shall be taken from well outside Zone 1 and 2, i.e. from a designated nonhazardous zone. Equally, all electrical equipment in the derrick shall be suitably protected. Requirements
are defined in the IP Code.
Cellars or pits below ground level in a Zone 2 space should be classified as Zone 1. Any enclosed
premises, containing source of hazard which may give rise to a dangerous atmosphere under abnormal
conditions should be classified as follows:
The interior of the enclosure Zone 1; the surrounding space in open air within a 7.5 m radius from any
point of egress from the premises as Zone 2. Any enclosed premises not containing a source of hazard but
located in a Zone 2 space should be classified as Zone 1, unless entry of a dangerous atmosphere is
prevented by, e.g. fire walls, ventilation, etc where the enclosure may be classified as a Zone 2 or even as
a safe zone if the space is ventilated and over-pressurised.
In naturally well-ventilated conditions (e.g. offshore) outside the limits of the derrick or mast, the vertical
extent of the 'hazardous zone' above the highest source of hazard may be reduced to 3 m and extends over
the whole classified area and below the source of hazard to ground level, except as described in the cases
above. For full details refer to IP15 Chapter 6.
125
126
127
APPENDIX V
OPERATION OF DIESEL ENGINES IN HAZARDOUS AREAS
The following data is taken from the document' Recommendations for the Protection of Diesel Engines
Operating in Hazardous Areas' (Ref. 13)
V.1
Introduction
There are considerable problems in providing assured protection to diesel engines for use in hazardous
Zones 0, 1 and to a certain extent in zone 2 as defined by the document 'Electrical Safety' (Ref. 54) and by
'Code of Practice for Selection, Installation and Maintenance of Electrical Apparatus for Use in
Potentially Explosive Atmospheres' (Ref. 55).
The use of permanently installed diesel engines in Zone 0 is unacceptable, and the use of permanently
installed diesel engines in Zones 1 and 2 should be avoided wherever possible.
Note: The effectiveness of protective devices is dependent upon a high standard of maintenance and
inspection of the equipment; certain items need to be checked regularly.
Table V.1
Nature of Hazard
Zones 1 and 2
Table V.1
Nature of Hazard
Zones 1 and 2
128
The surface temperature of the engine and exhaust system shall not
exceed 250C when tested under full load conditions. In some
situations cooling of the exhaust manifold and piping may be
necessary, using water jacketing or finned coolers and/or high
temperature cut-outs or alarms should be provided.
In this connection it should be noted that air cooled or supercharged
diesel engines generally have significantly higher exhaust
temperatures than water cooled engines.
Conversely, engines operated below their maximum power rating will
have correspondingly lower exhaust gas and surface temperatures.
Given conditions of normal operation, for the majority of refinery and
petrochemical flammables in the regions of natural convection
surrounding the hot surfaces of diesel engines, surface temperatures of
250C are acceptable.
Exceptions are:
For a complete specification, discussion and explanation of the above requirements, reference to the
original document is recommended.
The document 'Area Classification of Flammable Gas Atmospheres' (Ref. 56) is also used as a source to
define the principles of diesel engine operation in hazardous zones.
129
130
131
ABBREVIATIONS
BOP
CT
DC
DP
DP
EPBM
ESM
HEMP
HP/HT
H2 S
HSE
HSE MS
LMRP
LWD
MODU
MPI
NDT
OBM
OIM
PMS
POB
PPE
ROV
SCSSV
SCR
SMS
SO2
SWL
TCP
TRSSV
132
Blowout Preventer
Coiled Tubing
Drill Collar
Drill Pipe
Dynamically Positioned
Exploration and Production Business Model
Enhanced Safety Management
Hazards and Effects Management Process
High Pressure/ High Temperature
Hydrogen Sulphide
Health, Safety and Environment
Health, Safety and Environmental Management System
Lower Marine Riser Package
Logging While Drilling
Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit
Magnetic Particle Inspection
Non-Destructive Testing
Oil based Mud
Offshore Installation Manager
Preventive Maintenance System
Personnel On Board
Personal Protective Equipment
Remotely Operated Vehicle
Surface Controlled Sub-surface Safety Valve
Silicon Controlled Rectifier
Safety Management System
Sulphur Dioxide
Safe Working Load
Tubing Conveyed Perforating
Tubing Retrievable Sub-surface Safety Valve
Abbreviations
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133
GLOSSARY
A glossary of commonly used terms in HSE is given in both EP 95-0100 HSE Management Systems and
EP 95-0300 Overview Hazards and Effects Management Process.
134
Glossary
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135
REFERENCES
1
Report No. 6.23/173 Substance Abuse Management Strategies, E&P Forum, July 1991.
EP 91-0725, Guidelines for Single String Venture Drilling Operations, EPO/51, April
1991.
Shell Safety and Health Committee, Guide for Safety Performance Reporting, August
1993.
10
Incident Investigation and Analysis Guide, Shell Safety and Health Committee, August
1993.
11
Incident Potential Matrix, Shell Safety and Health Committee, October 1991.
12
13
14
EP 88-0550, Marine Safety of Mobile Offshore Units, EPO/5/6 and EPD/11, March
1988.
15
EP 89-0550, Practice for the Site Specific Assessment of Jack-up Units, EPD/5, May
1989.
16
17
SPE Paper No. 21979, SIEP Practice for Site Specific Structural Fitness for Purpose
Assessment of Jack-up Rigs, SPE/IADC, 1991.
18
Technical and Research Bulletin 5-5, Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
(SNAME), 1993.
19
20
21
22
23
Model Code of Safe Practice, Part 15, Area Classification Code for Petroleum
Installations, Institute of Petroleum, March 1990.
24
25
Personal Protective Equipment Guide, Shell Safety and Health Committee, June 1989.
136
References
26
Drilling Manual, Section L3, Derricks and Masts Report of Visual Field Inspection of
Derrick or Mast and Substructure, IADC.
27
Specification 4E, Third Edition 1988 and Specification 4F, Third Edition 1985
Specification for Drilling and Well Servicing Structures, API.
28
Specification 8A, 12th Edition, Specification for Drilling and Production Hoisting
Equipment, API, June 1992.
29
30
Recommended Practice 8B, Fifth Edition, Hoisting Tool Inspection and Maintenance
Procedures, API, October 1992.
31
EP 53738, Guidelines for Detection and Control of Hydrogen Sulphide During Drilling
Operations, EPO/51, 1981.
32
33
Recommended Practice 49, Second Edition, Safe Drilling of Wells Containing Hydrogen
Sulphide, API, April 1987.
34
EP 53777, Contingency Plan for Drilling Sour Oil and/or Gas Wells, Shell Oil Company
(USA), 1981.
35
Recommended Practice 53, Second Edition, Blowout Prevention Equipment Systems for
Drilling Wells, API, May 1984.
36
Specification 6A, 16th Edition, Valves and Wellhead Equipment, API, 1989.
37
38
Management Guidelines for Hearing Conservation, Shell Safety and Health Committee,
December 1991.
39
40
41
42
Environmental Auditing Guide, Shell Product Safety and Environmental Committee, June
1989.
43
Ionising Radiation Safety Guide, Shell Safety and Health Committee, November 1993.
44
EP 91-1645, Radiation Safety Manual for Well Logging Operations, September 1991.
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
137
53
Management Guide Aircraft Operations, SAL (draft document under revision), 1994.
54
Model Code of Safe Practice, Part 1, Fifth edition, Electrical Safety, Institute of
Petroleum, 1965.
55
56
138
References
139
INDEX
Acidising................................................................. ......101
Air.......................................................................... .......101
Drains......................................................... ....................47
Atapulgite.................................................... ...................77
Auditing.............................................................. ............33
C
Camp sites.................................................. ....................48
Catheads.................................................... .....................67
Catlines................................................................... ........67
Certification......................................................... ...........71
Chiksan................................................................ ...........69
Coiled tubing operations......................................... ......103
Competence............................................... .....................13
Concurrent operations................................. ....27, 103, 104
Conductor........................................ .......................73, 108
Contract...7, 12, 13, 19, 22, 27, 30, 39, 50, 52, 56, 58, 85,
116
Coring operations......................................................... ...85
Corrective action....................................................... ......41
Crane operations.................................................. ...........79
Cranes................................................................... ..........79
Crown block................................................................ ....66
Cryogenic operations............................... .....................101
D
Deadline anchor.................................................... ..........62
Degassers.............................................................. ..........82
Derricks and masts, crown protection.......................... ...62
E
Electrical safety........................................ ......................59
Elevators................................... ........64, 65, 71, 72, 74, 91
Emergency procedures............................ ............10, 19, 30
Environmental auditing............................ ......................90
Environmental hazards............................... ....................89
Environmental protection............................................... .33
Experience.................................................. ..............16, 18
Explosives..............15, 26, 46, 48, 91, 92, 93, 95, 96, 110
Explosives storage........................................ ..................92
Explosives, radio transmissions................................. .....95
F
Fire drills......................................................... ...............49
Fire extinguishers........................................... ................48
Flare lines......................................................... ..............82
Food storage................................................................ ....48
Fracturing..................................................................... .100
Fuel storage............................................. .......................48
G
Gas cylinders............................................. .....................78
140
Index
Handling, marine riser........................................... .........73
Liquid..................................................... ......................101
Hazard........................................................................ ...101
Hygiene.............................................................. .......48, 88
Noise....................................................................... ........89
Noise control.............................................................. .....87
Organisation................................................................... ...9
J
Job description............................................. ...........12, 116
L
Lifting gear............................................. ..................63, 64
141
Standards....................................................... .................21
Qualifications................................................................ ..14
Tongs............................................................................ ...75
Rig.............................................................. ....................39
142
Index
Wireline (slickline) operations.............................108, 109
143