Page 309 - Drilling Technology in Nontechnical Language

300 Drilling Technology in Nontechnical Language Second Edition

Each chemical is accompanied by a form when it is transported. This
form is known as the material safety data sheet (MSDS). The MSDS

identifies the chemical and its dangerous properties, lists any special

handling or storage procedures, and states what first-aid procedures to use
if somebody is exposed to it.
One of the early considerations in a drilling campaign has to be whether
the infrastructure exists to supply the rig. This may mean building roads,
heliports, harbor facilities, and storage areas. As these things take time,
any deficiencies in the infrastructure must be known about early enough

to remedy them.

Handling Major Incidents

Before operations commence, there must be an incident response team

in place. The role of this team is to assemble in a predefined location in

the event that a major emergency takes place, such as a fire or explosion,

blowout, or structural failure of the rig. The team members and the specific

role of each is defined.
All responsible operators and drilling contractors have a room set
aside that can be rapidly set up with all of the necessary facilities for the
team to function. These facilities will include communications (such as
Internet, phones, fax, radios, etc.), a log board that is used to keep a visible
log of events, and diagrams of the rig and other facilities. Also included
are the contact details for all the emergency services and other operators

who may be able to assist. There will be sufficient desks and chairs for
the whole team to work, plus representatives of the emergency services
who be present to coordinate their services directly with the team, such as

police, coast guard, or fire brigade.
Training of team members is important. If the team is to function well
together, they must train together for the event. There are companies that
specialize in putting together realistic simulations of major events, and it
is surprising how much pressure can be placed on the team members in
these simulations. It is good if a couple of days a year can be put aside for
such training.

_Devereux_Book.indb 300 1/16/12 2:12 PM