Offshore Process Safety Conference 2013

Enhance process safety and risk management for drilling & production to avoid major hazards and ensure SEMS compliance

With increasing pressure to meet the BSEE "SEMS" regulations, coupled with the industry's step-change in safety, now is a crucial time for oil & gas stakeholders to collaborate at the 2nd Annual OPS Conference 2013 to enhance process safety, HS&E, operational integrity and regulatory compliance for both drilling and production.

Key features include:

• Operator SEMS Audit Case Studies: Gain exclusive insight into how operators carry out successful & compliant SEMS audits so you can apply best practice to your SEMS strategy
• SEMS Regulatory Update from BSEE, USCG and COS including audit results, and the application of SEMS to drilling so you can ensure compliance & maximize safety
• Develop a Safety Culture Strategy through effective Leadership, Organizational Change, Competence Assurance and Training in line with BSEE's Safety Culture Policy
• Enhance Process Safety for Drilling Operations to prevent Major Workplace Hazards and ensure safe, reliable and compliant operations
• Analyze the Contractor-Operator interface to clarify regulatory expectations and ensure drilling contractors and support services are in compliance with SEMS regulations

Download the brochure here for more details on the key drilling and production topics covered!

The assembly of operators, contractors, service providers, consultants, and industry and regulatory representatives was outstanding - without inhibiting open exchange”

Jim Kepper, Regional Representative – Process Safety, Shell E&P

2013 Conference Design – A Journey to Enhanced Process Safety

Months of detailed research and collaboration with over 80 senior executives and safety experts have contributed to the development and design of the market leading OPS Conference.

25 renowned discipline experts will present you with new and highly engaging content that will help to enhance your offshore Process Safety Management (PSM) strategy.

• Network with over 200 key decision makers from Regulators, Operators, Contractors & Service Companies
• Dynamic learning – workshops, presentations, panel discussions and debates
• 25 Renowned topic experts
• Exhibition showcasing new cost-saving PSM technologies and services

A good overview of current SEMS issues was presented along with several practical solutions. The sessions were well organized and the two chairman did an excellent job

Robin Pitblado, Director, SHE Risk Management Services, DNV

Exclusive new features for 2013!

The OPS Conference brings the offshore industry together once again to address the new regulations, HS&E, and Process Safety challenges faced in offshore drilling and production for 2013 and beyond.

This year’s conference will share captivating case studies, critical analyses and lessons learned for successful strategies from key operators, drilling contractors and leading service providers.

Key meeting features include:

• SUCCESSFUL SEMS AUDIT CASE STUDIES from Petrobras and Pisces Energy
• NETWORK AT THE LARGEST OFFSHORE SAFETY CONFERENCE with over 200 senior safety experts
• ATTEND FREE WORKSHOPS to develop better process safety and business strategies
• REGULATIONS UPDATE on SEMS II and more information about the USCG and BSEE Memorandum of Understanding
• INDUSTRY PANEL DEBATE discussing operator-contractor expectations

Download the brochure for more details on brand new features for 2013!

Enjoyed the speakers; Great networking - attendees were engaging, professional, and experienced in issues similar to the ones I work with on a regular basis

Farley Burge, HSSE Legal Counsel, BP

Conference Format and Design

The conference has been structured to provide a variety of topics that are applicable to both Drilling and Production operations, ensuring each day provides valuable information for drilling and production personnel. 

These are some of the key topics that will be discussed at this year’s meeting:

View the brochure online here to learn more about the key topics covered this year.

What people said about 2012 OPS Conference:

The conference was very informative and the cross section of the attendees allowed for effective networking opportunities

Tracy Burger, Shell E&P

Great networking opportunity. Very reputable and experienced presenters

Terry Guillory, Marathon Oil Corp

The conference exceeded my expectations and gave a good solid understanding of how SEMS will be implemented'

Neil Campbell, Pacific Drilling

Industry Analysis – Where are we now?

“Failures of the Safety Management System, coupled with poor Safety Culture are almost always the underlying cause of major accidents.”

The general consensus across the oil and gas industry is that Process Safety Management (PSM) and its application to offshore operations requires significant improvement. Landmark past accidents such as Piper Alpha, Montara and Macondo have further demonstrated that failures of the Safety Management System, coupled with poor Safety Culture are almost always the underlying cause of major accidents. Both are inextricably linked and this is where the industry is struggling most.

Safety Management Systems can be enhanced but cannot be successful without a robust safety culture in place. Equally, a safety culture can only be achieved through successful leadership, training, competence management, and workforce engagement.

The OPS Conference aims to join up the dots and provide new approaches to Human and Organizational Factors Management as well as reducing Major Accident Hazard Risks and developing stronger barriers needed to prevent them.

GoM Regulatory Challenges

After the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, the Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) recently completed the Safety & Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) II final rule, which enhances the original SEMS Rule or Workplace Safety Rule, issued in October 2010. The introduction of the new rule, along with its regulatory requirements presents companies operating in the GoM with some difficult regulatory & compliance challenges:

• Operators must complete a comprehensive audit of their SEMS across 15% of total facilities
• Smaller, independent operators have less resources to meet all SEMS requirements
• Contractors are struggling to meet varying SEMS expectations of different operators and there is no standardized approach. This process is inefficient, confusing and costly for contractors.

New solutions for overcoming the US offshore regulatory challenges will be presented at the OPS conference, including a BSEE and USCG regulatory update, operator SEMS audit case studies, and new discussions about the contractor-operator interface. Download the conference brochure here.

Developing process safety in the coming years

“Implementing the core values and principles required for a positive safety culture is going to be the biggest struggle for companies operating on the US OCS over the next 5 years.”

The importance of safety culture and its link to preventing major accident hazards has been highlighted by BSEE’s Director Jim Watson in a Draft Safety Culture Policy Statement to ‘announce its expectation that individuals and organizations performing or overseeing activities regulated by BSEE establish and maintain a positive safety culture commensurate with the significance of their activities and the nature and complexity of their organizations and functions’. This Policy Statement is an indication of the forward focus of BSEE, marking Safety Culture as a top priority for offshore companies over the coming years.

Implementing the core values and principles required for a positive safety culture is going to be the biggest struggle for companies operating on the US OCS over the next 5 years.

In order to help industry  meet this new challenge the OPS conference has brought together regulators, drilling contractors, operators and leading safety experts to develop new strategies for better safety culture and more robust safety management systems for drilling and production operations.

Download the brochure here for the complete agenda, expert speaker line up, registration instructions and booking information.