Natural Disasters Strike, but the Oil and Gas Community is Ready to Repair and Pull Through

Myron Bowling

Natural disasters have always been something everyone must think about from time to time. While it might not ever happen to you or your company, it still happens, and it is happening more and more as the Earth’s weather patterns change. In the oil and gas industry, managers must think about the possibility of natural disasters striking more often. This is imperative due to the location of oil and gas wells in extreme locations such as in the sea, on the coast, in the desert, etc. All of these locations have unique weather patterns. Additionally, there are also earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and massive tidal waves that need to be considered, too. All of these threats will lead to significant damage if the right precautions are not in place. Finally, do not forget about getting the proper insurance.

To get a better idea of what some companies are doing to mitigate the damage that could occur from a natural disaster, we reached out to a company to learn more about their processes.

Logistics industry faces changing weather

InventU

Dominic Dupre of Dupre Logistics provided some insight into how some companies are gearing up for more and more natural disasters that are occurring in the U.S.

Unfortunately, our emergency response surrounding natural disasters is put to work once every 2-3 years as we operate along the Gulf Coast, from Florida to South Texas, so we have been able to adjust and learn from each experience. In the crude hauling division, we operate a central dispatch model with remote login capabilities that ensure continuity of the business even when the office is closed down. Additionally, our field execution is segmented by area with multiple maintenance facilities that ensure the business continues to run in the event that operations are shut down in certain geographical areas.

Besides natural disasters, there are also disasters that come from within oil and gas equipment and can trigger a massive disaster that can give way to other environmentally damaging effects. For example, the most recent The Deepwater Horizon oil spill began on April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. At approximately 9:45 pm, methane gas from the well expanded into the drilling riser and rose into the drilling rig, where it ignited and exploded, engulfing the platform. There were 126 crew members who were on board at the time: seven BP employees, 79 from Transocean and employees from other companies. The Deepwater Horizon sank on the morning of April 22, 2010. It was considered to be the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. The U.S. Government estimated the total discharge at 4.9 million barrels of oil into the ocean.

Government and regulatory bodies are here to help

The National Petroleum Council prepared a paper entitled, “Enhancing Emergency Preparedness for Natural Disasters: Government and Oil and Natural Gas Industry Actions to Prepare, Respond, and Recover.” The paper, published in 2014, found the following challenges in addressing emergency situations:

  • It is critically important for government emergency response organizations to have a baseline understanding of the dynamic nature of the oil and gas supply chains.
  • Improved situational awareness about the status of oil and gas infrastructure and service disruptions from industry would enable DOE and other government agencies to more effectively respond.
  • A major challenge during emergency response is effective communication between and within federal and state agencies and with industry.
  • The maintenance of a trained, knowledgeable response organization within government agencies should be a priority along with processes to sustain it.
  • Within industry and across all levels of government, leadership commitment and funding are required to continuously improve and ensure a state of readiness to respond to supply chain disruptions.

Be prepared, not scared

At a recent API (American Petroleum Institute) meeting this past May 2018, a subject of debate was that of being prepared in the oil and gas industry. This is imperative as the southern United States is well into Hurricane season, which runs from May 15 (previously June 1 and now has grown by 15 days. However, this is still up for debate.) to November 30. Hurricanes are one of the biggest natural disasters for the U.S. and the refining industry, due to refining units’ proximity to water.

Jeff Gunnulfsen, Director of Security and Risk Management at the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, said the following on his commitment to safety in the field at the API Meeting: “The refining and petrochemical industries practice emergency response, every day, 365 days a year. No two storms or emergencies are alike, and our industries prepare vigorously and consistently for all types of disruptions. Preparation is the first step in managing major events, and by working diligently with industry partners, we’re able to minimize the impacts of unpredictable events.”

More information on the steps oil and gas industry professionals are taking in the midst of Hurricane season can be found here: https://www.api.org/ news-policy-and-issues/hurricane-information.

Eye of the storm

While the weather is changing, the oil and gas industry is adapting and developing new technologies and procedures to weather the storm. New protocols are being established and more time is being dedicated to safety training for handling natural disasters. While natural disasters cannot be prevented, tactics can be employed to help mitigate the damage caused by a storm or worse. While mother nature has the upper hand in this battle, humans are resourceful and full of ingenuity in coming up with innovative ways to prevent damage or to make repairs on the fly.

Author Profile
Eric Eissler revised
Feature Writer

Eissler, former editor-in- chief of Oil & Gas Engineering magazine, previously worked as an editor for Dubai-based The Oil & Gas Year Magazine.

CCUS
TAMU


Texas Oil & Gas Industry Overview


Texas Energy Consumption by End-User Sector


American Natural Gas and NATO


Innovating the Industry with an Energy Start-up


Meridian Energy Group Meeting Timeline Objectives for Davis Refinery While Expanding Engineering Operations in Houston


The Neverending Story: “Fixed” vs. “Floating” Royalties in Texas


The Evolution of Efficiency in Oil and Gas Software


With Blockchain, The Energy Industry Will Soon Become Unrecognizable


Natural Disasters Strike, but the Oil and Gas Community is Ready to Repair and Pull Through


Early Winter


Product Showcase: Fox Thermal


Small Energy Businesses Need Smart Technology to Compete


RPA Creating the Oil and Gas Workforce of the Future


Revamping the Oil Industry with Technology and the Millennials


Feature Podcast: The Evolution of Efficiency in Oil and Gas Software


Texas Energy Consumption Estimates


Interview: Shoshi Kaganovsky, CEO and Richard Haun, Vice President Engineering, SensoLeak


Interview with Phillip Bird, Collector, Oklahoma Oil and Gas Memorabilia


Interview: Tom Williams, President of Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA)


Permian Basin Outgrows Pipeline Infrastructure, Construction Boom Underway But has Growing Pains


Are Fleet Accident Costs Hiding in Your Blind Spot?


Texas Energy Production Estimates


Oil and Gas Industry Energizes Multimedia Kidtrepreneur’s View on Capitalism


Why Oil and Gas Companies Should Consider eDiscovery as a Standard Business Process


Elections: What’s at Stake


Earthquakes, Wind, Fire & Storms: Onshore Oil & Gas Production Operations Disaster Preparedness


Four Reasons Oil and Gas Pipelines Fail


Letter from the Publisher (September-October 2018)

E-Fuels
TAMU