Overview

In March, professionals from many countries gathered in Galveston, Texas, for the biennial SPE E&P Environmental and Safety Conference. Although this conference has included some safety papers in the past, this time safety was one of the featured themes. The industry’s safety experts presented many excellent papers, several of which are featured here. Likewise, the conference included many fine papers on environmental topics.

Each day, the media bring us stories about climate change. Most scientists now agree that the climate is getting warmer and that human activities, including combustion of fossil fuels, are contributing to the warming. Although the international community has not reached consensus on the causes of and the solutions to the warming trend, even some previously reluctant executives and politicians are joining the call for some type of action. The oil and gas community has contributed and will continue to contribute information and research on ways to mitigate the warming trend. Many good papers on carbon dioxide capture and storage were presented during the past year.

The health and safety of oil industry workers remains a priority for industry managers. Even routine operations, such as driving trucks or unloading workboats, pose risks that must be evaluated and addressed. One of the featured papers describes the important work of an industry task force in identifying and compiling recommended land-transportation practices to protect workers.

During late 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita moved through the Gulf of Mexico, creating major disruptions of offshore and onshore activities in the area. Numerous platforms were damaged. The occurrence of two large and violent storms in a high-petroleum-activity area points out the risks of working in the offshore environment. Much of the damage has been repaired or removed. Several papers this year describe the devastation caused by the storms as well as the measures taken by the industry for coping with future storms.

Independent Remote Monitoring System for Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Floating Production Systems

Innovative Chemical and Mechanical Processing for Treatment of Difficult Production-Waste Sludge

Evaluation of the Potential for Gas and CO2 Leakage Along Wellbores

John Veil, SPE, is Manager of the Water Policy Program for Argonne National Laboratory in Washington, DC. He analyzes a variety of energy-industry water and waste issues for the US Department of Energy and other clients. Previously, he worked for the State of Maryland environmental agency, where he had statewide responsibility for industrial water-pollution-control permitting through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, Underground Injection Control, and oil-control programs. Veil earned a BA degree in Earth and planetary science from Johns Hopkins University and MS degrees in zoology and civil engineering from the University of Maryland. He has published many articles and reports and has made numerous presentations on environmental and energy issues. Veil serves on the program committee for the SPE/E&P Environmental and Safety Conference and on the JPT Editorial Committee.

Overview

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