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The long and winding road to SEMS compliance

OTC Review

Safety is a necessary practice for all operations, and new regulations for oversight seem to be missing some key components.

By Audrey Leon Lloyd’s Register, Acu Tech Consulting these audits occur? SEMS I required he US Group, PEC, and DNV to discuss how companies to get their systems in place

Bureau operators as well as their contractors by last year and submit results by

T of Safety and could better implement the new safety November, and then repeat every three

Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) requirements. years. SEMS II dictates that third-party released its Safety and Environmental The biggest problem with SEMS II, audits should be conducted prior to

Management Systems (SEMS) II rule as presenter Michael Hazzan, of Acu June 2015.

in April and the topic remained on Tech Consulting Group, noted is the BSEE Director James Watson, who the minds of delegates on the fnal lack of outside auditors approved by attended the panel, says that compa- day of the Offshore Technology BSEE, which are required to examine nies do not need to wait three years

Conference (OTC). an operator’s safety program. between the second round of audits.

The SEMS II rule aims to pro- “There are no accredited bodies,” The frst round of audits are due at the vide greater employee participation, Hazzan says. “The Center for Offshore two-year point, and urged companies allowing those in the feld to identify Safety is the likely and preferred can- not to wait until the end of the cycle hazards and stop work if it is unsafe. didates, but today they are not one.” to conduct the audits as BSEE has fnal

The rule also sets oversight guidelines, (At press time, the Center for Offshore approval and can require additional requiring audits to be conducted by Safety selected Bureau Veritas as its follow-ups. accredited third-parties. offcial SEMS audit service provider.) While there are kinks that need to be

The morning session on SEMS With the lack of approved auditors, worked out with regards to the rules,

II regulations drew panelists from comes another problem: when should Hazzan praised management systems

Norwegian innovation makes

By Elaine Maslin has developed a strong base for oilfeld delegation to OTC in 1973, when then- hen Norway frst attended the technology. It’s now leading the way Crown Prince of Norway, now King

Offshore Technology Conference into new territories, backed by state-oil Harald, opened the frst Norwegian

W in Houston, 40 years ago, it was at the frm Statoil’s aim to have a full subsea pavilion.

beginning of a long journey. Building factory by 2020. There were about 40 people in total on its seafaring heritage, the country Kåre Storvik led the frst Norwegian in the delegation, he tells OE. “When

Norway frst attended OTC in 1973, the

Norwegian industry learned a lot and made good contacts.”

For Kvaerner, Stovik’s employer at that time, 1973 was a big success because the frm won its frst offshore job with a Houston-based company:

ConocoPhillips. “That was important. We also saw things that we didn’t think would be good enough for the future,” Storvik says. “We saw the enormous manual bur- den on the drilling deck and over time

Norway’s Crown Prince and Crown

Princeess take a tour of Norwegian oil service frms at OTC.

OE | June 2013 oedigital.com 62 otc.indd 62 5/27/13 9:30 AM