Assuring offshore operations safety in Nigeria

By John Aondoaseer Jia

02 August 2024   |   12:36 am

The Nigerian offshore oil sector has witnessed a spate of catastrophic incidents over the past years including the fire incident of 20^th July 2024 involving Britannia-U1 FPSO operated by Nigerian independent producer, Britannia-U Nigeria Limited, offshore Forcados in Delta State. Ensuring safety in offshore operations is paramount to protecting lives, the environment, and valuable assets in the oil and gas industry. Offshore platforms and rigs operate in some of the most challenging environments, making them susceptible to various hazards such as extreme weather conditions, equipment failures, and human error. The complexity of these operations necessitates rigorous safety measures, continuous risk assessments, and adherence to stringent regulatory standards. A quick review of some buttresses the urgent need for this call.

• S. Endeavor Explosion (2012). The K.S. Endeavor rig exploded due to a blowout, causing a fire and resulting in the deaths of two workers.
• Britannia-U FPSO Incident (2018), a fire broke out on the Britannia-U Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit. The fire was caused by a leak in the oil storage system, exacerbated by inadequate fire suppression systems.
• Depthwise Rig Capsized Incident (2019), The Depthwise drilling rig capsized due to severe weather conditions. The incident was reported due to Poor weather forecasting and inadequate structural integrity assessments of the rig.
• Britania-U Drilling Platform Fire (2020). A fire erupted on the Britania-U drilling platform due to a gas leak. This happened because of Inadequate detection of gas leaks and delayed activation of emergency protocols.
• Ororo-1 Fire Incident (2020). A blowout at the Ororo-1 well led to a fire on the Grace-1 Hydraulic Workover Unit (HWU). The incident occurred because of Uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons and failure of blowout preventer systems.
• Chevron’s Funiwa Platform Gas Blowout (2021) A gas blowout occurred on Chevron’s Funiwa platform, leading to a massive fire. Here again it occurred due to Failure of the blowout preventer and delayed response in shutting down the well.
• Ocean Installer’s Norve Jack-Up Rig Incident (2021). The Norve Jack-Up rig experienced a structural failure, leading to partial collapse. The reason for the failure was Structural fatigue and inadequate regular inspections.
• Transocean’s Sedco 702 Rig Fire (2022). The Sedco 702 rig operated by Transocean caught fire during drilling operations. Electrical faults and failure in fire suppression systems.

These incidents have been reported to have due to preventable failures as described against each incident above. What preventive measure were the facilities supposed to have in place? Incidents investigation experience has shown that an upgraded fire suppression systems and conducting regular maintenance checks including ensuring rigorous safety audits to identify and rectify potential hazards would have prevented fire incidents due to gas leaks. To prevent rig capsizing due to severe weather, implementation of advanced weather forecasting systems, conducting frequent structural integrity assessments, and established stringent operational protocols during adverse weather conditions are critical preventive strategies. In the case of blow outs, it is common knowledge that all drilling operators must ensure regular testing and maintenance of blowout preventers for proper functioning, conduct rigorous well control training and establish rapid response teams for immediate action in case of blowouts and establish robust oil spill contingency plans. To prevent fires due to gas leaks, the platforms should have installed advanced gas detection systems and enhance fire suppression systems with the latest technology, train personnel on immediate emergency response actions and conduct regular and effective emergency drills. Risk assessment show that fire incidents are likely to occur due to electrical faults in which electrical systems upgrade to prevent faults has to be done. What could have prevented a rig structural failure leading to collapse? One sure failure was Structural fatigue and inadequate regular inspections. Conducting a comprehensive structural integrity inspections, enforcing regular maintenance schedules, and use of fatigue-resistant materials in rig construction would help to prevent structural fatigue. Strict adherence to risk assessment protocols, immediate action on safety warnings, and enhanced training for early detection and response to gas pressure anomalies are critical.

Urgent Preventive Measures

To prevent the recurrence of such incidents, the following measures are urgently recommended:

1. Comprehensive Risk Assessments: My research expertise working on risk assessment for underwater and offshore operations tells me that detailed risk assessments before commencing any offshore operations and strict implementation of prescribed control measures are critical to preventing any kind of accident offshore or onshore. A competent Team and correct blend of risk assessors will be able to identify potential hazards and establish protocols to mitigate identified risks.
2. Enhanced Regulatory Compliance: Operators must adhere strictly to regulatory standards and engage with regulatory bodies like the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for safety compliance. NUPRC is out there to help.
3. Stop-Work Authority: Implement stop-work authority policies to empower workers to halt operations if safety concerns are identified without fear of retaliation. Experience has shown that most incidents would have been prevented if the people were not afraid of the consequences of voicing out. The cost of an accident is unimaginable compared to a few hours or days of stop work for Safety.
4. Regular Maintenance and Testing: may I call on all operators offshore to review their maintenance protocols now. Every rig or FPSO must have a CMMS which must be followed. Are there spares? Offshore systems are not bicycles that need to be managed using inadequate equipment. Maintain and test critical safety equipment, including blowout preventers, to ensure they are operational at all times.
5. Advanced Training Programs: Continuous training for all personnel involved in offshore operations on safety protocols and emergency response procedures.
6. Utilization of Advanced Technologies: Incorporate advanced technologies such as drones and AI for real-time monitoring, early detection of anomalies, and swift response to potential threats.
7. Competent Personnel: Take a review of all personnel on board. How competent are they. It is true that jobs are scarce and the tendency to sacrifice competence for relationship is there. But offshore work is sitting on a ‘time bump’ which must not be allowed to go off. Competent personnel form a critical barrier to preventing incidents.

Every incident, thoroughly investigated and lessons learnt is a gift to preventing future disasters. Learning From Incidents (LFI) should be in the psyche of every operator whether offshore or onshore. It is expected that the current incident will be the last incident offshore for a long time to come.  The safety of offshore operations must be a top priority to protect lives, the environment, and the integrity of Nigeria’s oil resources. Immediate action and strict adherence to safety protocols are essential to prevent further disasters.

Dr. John Aondoaseer Jia is an Health Safety & Environment expert with over 25 years Oil and Gas experience.