INTRODUCTION
The offshore oil and gas (O&G) industry has a reputation for delivering mega projects where risks are high and safety is critical. Coupled with an ever-increasing demand for bandwidth and soaring satellite communications costs, O&G operators are increasingly turning to submarine fiber optic cables for robust and reliable communications solutions between offshore installations and onshore control centers. In such a unique and demanding sector, bolstered approaches to HSEQ practices, offshore operations and project management are required compared to those common in the submarine telecommunications industry. The importance of experienced, safety-conscious and O&G culture-savvy personnel is paramount. With completion of O&G projects worldwide spanning a period of over twenty years, International Telecom Inc. (IT) have been involved in the delivery of submarine fiber telecommunications to the O&G sector since the need arose, and have tailored their organization
and project management processes to accommodate the risk diverse mantra of the sector. Fiber optic cable systems offer reliable, cost-effective and uninterrupted voice and data communications that improve not only operational safety and efficiency of an offshore installation, but also the welfare and morale of her crew.
HSEQ AND O&G OPERATIONS – THE TWO GO HAND-IN-HAND
There is a clear difference between client expectations in the telecommunications versus the O&G arenas; the latter having a primary focus on reducing risk, increasing safety and ensuring execution certainty without incident. A mindfulness of these core principles must be embedded in all personnel, practiced throughout all business lines and should form the cultural foundation of a company.
The most valuable insights gained over two decades of executing O&G projects include: 1. Attraction and retention of personnel who have direct experience with, subscribe to, and understand the safety-centric O&G ethos; 2. Fostering a culture of safety amongst employees with backgrounds in other industries; 3. O&G benchmarks for HSEQ practices remaining consistent regardless of client industry. Consistency in internal practices and communication are essential to forming a deeply rooted safety culture.
At IT, a majority of employees have direct O&G training and experience having come from a variety of different O&G
CROSSING THE CULTURAL OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS S BY GREG STONER, STEVE ARSENAULT AND PAUL KRAVIS 38