Standards in Offshore Drilling

Oil in our world today

When processed into petroleum, it is a key energy source around the world, powering vehicles and planes, and creating heating and electricity. Alongside being a dominant energy source, petroleum is also used to make plastics, paints, chemicals and much more. Without oil, the world we live in today would likely be unrecognisable.

In 2019 market research by IBISWorld estimated that the total revenues for the oil and gas drilling sector came to approximately $3.3 trillion USD. This sector is sometimes referred to as the oil and gas exploration and production industry, or E&P, and comprises companies that explore for, develop and operate oil and gas fields.

The risks of oil

Extracting oil from it's natural reservoirs in the earth is a complex and difficult task. Oil is extracted by using an oil rig to drill deep into the earth. As many reservoirs are found underneath the sea bed, there are many oil rigs built off mainland in the ocean. These offshore drilling rigs are large and impressive structures that make the extraction of oil buried deep beneath the ocean possible. The scale and complexity of the task however means that the system is vulnerable to accidents. The most well-known of these is the potential for an oil spill. While oil spills can happen on land as well, when drilling at sea these mistakes can have particularly disastrous effects. 

Oil spills at sea

Oil spills are devastating for society for a number of reasons. Environmentally, they cause an immense amount of damage to the local flora and fauna. Their effects can damage ecosystems and the biodiversity they contain.

To effectively manage the risk of an oil spill, there are a growing number of regulations by international organisations. Alongside these regulations are industrial Standards that assist in ensuring a safe oil and gas industry. The primary international Standard that all those in the sector should be familiar with is ISO 19900:2019. 

ISO 19900

This international Standard specifies the general requirements and recommendations for the design and assessment of both fixed and floating offshore structures. It's comprehensive and applicable to all types of offshore structures and the materials they use, including steel, concrete and aluminium. This Standard provides the design principles that allow for safe and successful stages of construction of the structure, for safe use during its intended life, as well as safe decommissioning of the site.

ISO 19900 is used when assessing the structure, as well as when adding to or modifying the original structure. It also addresses quality control aspects of the structure, seeking to mitigate all possible risks. Underneath this General Requirements Standard exist a family of other Standards that can help keep offshore drilling safe for both employees and their surrounding environment.