Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) concerns are becoming increasingly relevant in several industrial operations, particularly in oil and gas facilities, like the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and petroleum refinery industry, where handling emergencies requires technical expertise and situational awareness.
The oil and gas industry has made strides in implementing HSE practices but still needs to fill gaps that present opportunities for improvement and innovation.
There is a need for the oil and gas industry to continuously evaluate and align its practices with evolving standards to ensure environmental sustainability, worker safety, and plant safety.
Liquefied Natural Gas Plant Operations and Competency Assurance Specialist Olawe Tula, believes that the oil and gas Industry’s long-term energy efficiency underscores the importance of leveraging HSE Practices to improve operational excellence and maintenance execution efficiency and contribute to a safer and more sustainable future.
He stated that human behaviour, stress factors, and decision-making processes can help identify potential risks and implement effective safety measures to avoid unforeseen situations.
He said:
Olawe added that while integrating technology in the training of operations and maintenance staff can enhance the understanding and management of human factors, it was important to get employees onboard with HSE practices to safely and efficiently realise value from the asset, as they remain the key to radically improving safety indexes in the industry.
He revealed that several opportunities for full implementation of HSE procedures in oil and gas operations currently abound. He further encouraged stakeholders to rise above any difficulties and view the long-term benefits of HSE practices, which include environmental sustainability, worker safety, and plant safety, as worth fighting for:
“Many companies face challenges in implementing effective HSE practices due to factors like lack of resources and management commitment,” Tula said.
Tula added that the oil and Gas industry could benefit from more rigorous benchmarking practices to identify best practices and drive continuous improvement in HSE performance. The industry should continuously evaluate and align its practices with evolving standards to ensure environmental sustainability, workers’ safety, and plant safety.
He urged vital industry practitioners to prioritize investment in continuous learning and development programmes that focus not only on technical skills but also on soft skills like safety, decision-making, communication, and environmental awareness, leading to a reduction in emissions to achieve a reduced carbon footprint Net Zero Emission (NZE).
TimesNow.com.ng reported that the Nigerian government has declared that dirty fuel was not imported into the country, as the Dangote Refinery alleged.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), during a meeting with refinery owners in Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday, discussed issues about refined petroleum products’ pricing, competition, and product imports.
Oil marketers disclosed at the meeting that despite local refineries producing some refined products, it does not stop them from buying from other sources.
Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at TimesNow.com.ng
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
