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7. Taking a safety-conscious approach to tapping the riches of the Sahara
In Algeria, we are in the process of completing the Ohanet oil and gas development, together with our joint venture partners and SONATRACH, the state-owned production company. The sheer size and scope of the project poses a wide variety of safety challenges. From the outset, there was senior management commitment from all parties to applying effective safety processes and training and to involving the whole workforce. As the project moves into the start-up phase, safety remains at the top of the agenda.
Standing on a barren, flat and rocky desert surrounded by mesas in the southern Sahara, the Ohanet central processing facility (CPF) is an impressive sight. Capable of processing 20 million standard cubic metres of gas per day through its two processing trains, the CPF is fed by a gas gathering system comprising 150 kilometres of flowlines that will connect the 47 wells required to develop the reserves.
The Ohanet subsurface and drilling campaign involved two seismic acquisition crews and three rigs operating in the field. Simultaneously, the EPC (Engineer/Procure/Construct) contractor supervised some 25 subcontractor companies erecting 4500 tonnes of steel, pouring 13 000 cubic metres of concrete and installing 288 items of equipment. Furthermore, all the materials for the development, and everything to support the people working at site, were brought in by road, a distance of some 1300 kilometres from the coast.
The safety challenges presented by this huge and complex project included:
- managing safety on multiple workfronts to a tight budget and schedule
- instilling a common safety culture across a large number of contractors and subcontractors working in excess of 1 million workhours per month at peak
- working with multiple languages, cultures and work methods
- working in an environment where the entire labour force is replaced every six months
- the remoteness of the site, the climate and the lack of infrastructure and medical facilities in case of emergency.
At the same time, a new operating organisation for the development was being developed, which meant combining the safety cultures and values of SONATRACH and BHP Billiton.
To ensure continuous improvement, a safety improvement plan was introduced that focused on:
- raising safety awareness by ensuring safety is at the top of all agendas
- improving communication through regular safety meetings and multi-language communications, such as posters
- planning for risk mitigation by identifying and assessing risks and devising control measures and safe systems (These were discussed by teams at ‘tool box’ meetings at the start of every day.)
- targeting training and refresher training, from a comprehensive induction program (including for all visitors) through to specific activities, such as scaffolding, slinging/lifting, working with pressure and defensive driving
- audit and inspection programs that enable management to ensure that policy is being translated into practice
- disciplinary procedures for non-compliance balanced with safety incentives to encourage safer behaviour and improve performance.
Project management adopted a simple mantra, ‘Safety first, then quality - and progress will follow automatically’. At the end of June 2003, with the majority of work completed, an excellent safety record has been achieved. But we are aware that there is no room for complacency - only continuous improvement as the project moves into its critical start-up phase.
While we are proud of our achievement on the Ohanet project, the safety imperative is brought into sharp perspective by a fatality that occurred in June 2003 at our Rhourde Oulad Djemma (ROD) project, also in Algeria. An employee of a drilling contractor died as a result of injuries sustained while mobilising equipment at a new well site. The tragedy reminds us all of the critical need to remain focused and vigilant about safety.
