More than 60 health, safety, and environment (HSE) professionals from around the world gathered in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, for the SPE HSE and Sustainability Workshop on 14–15 September. Attendees traveled from the US, the UK, Australia, France, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador to join local regulators and discuss HSE and sustainability as “The Cornerstone for Efficient Exploration and Production Operations.”
The opening keynote speaker was 2017 SPE Distinguished Lecturer 2017 Fernando L. Benalcazar, who spoke on “Oil and Gas Operations—Integrating the Realities of the Social License.”
The audience was presented with the key sustainability principles of minimizing surface footprint, eliminating or reducing flaring, maintaining wellbore integrity, eliminating spills, minimizing methane emissions, raising energy efficiency and conservation, and optimizing field development and management. Stakeholder engagement and life cycle management were also presented as key tools of sustainability.
In addition to the presentations made on the first day, the Bolivian SPE Section, through its student chapter liaison, held a second presentation for student members. The student presentation was held on the second day at the Escuela Militar de Ingeniería.
A comprehensive round of questions and answers resulted from both presentations, confirming a deep interest in issues surrounding sustainability in operations.