HSE & Sustainability

State of the HSE Discipline: 2018 Starts Off Strong

This year started at full tilt in the HSE and sustainability discipline with the Human Factors Technical Section contributing significantly to a well-attended National Academies of Science workshop in Houston.

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This year started at full tilt in the HSE and sustainability discipline with the Human Factors Technical Section contributing significantly to a well-attended National Academies of Science workshop in Houston. Also in Houston, members representing the health sector held a successful workshop on the ExxonMobil campus. The HSE Program Committee for SPE’s Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition was busy reading abstracts to prepare a super HSE and sustainability program for the conference. And, the HSE Advisory Committee was busy reviewing abstracts of technical papers to include in the August edition of the Journal of Petroleum Technology. No doubt, many other efforts were going on around the world, and we want to be better at knowing about them and supporting them.

New members joined the 40-plus-strong HSE Advisory Committee—Mike Seymour, Pierre Bordage, and Graeme Lawrie—and all previous members agreed to continue serving, with roles either confirmed or reassigned. The HSE Advisory Committee welcomes new members to support work in the following areas:  health, safety, environment, social responsibility, communications and knowledge sharing, integration and training, and membership and nominations. New members also support work in the following Technical Sections:  Human Factors; Sustainable Development; and Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage.

Following individual interviews with each HSE Advisory Committee member, eight crosscutting themes were named priorities:  recognition, integration, collaboration, communications, sustainability, career management, internal and external engagement, and the next generation. Work started on the implementation of the SPE Climate Change Strategy; a working group was convened, a chair was appointed, and a draft action plan was crafted for further discussion.

Together with Hisham Saadawi, Production and Facilities Technical Director, a team was convened to review the charter of the Water Handling and Management Technical Section in part to include sustainability factors. Chairperson Rosa Swartwout, with Baker Hughes, a GE company, and a team of expert volunteers will make recommendations to recharter this important technical section.

April sees the 2018 SPE International Conference and Exhibition on Health, Safety, Security, Environment, and Social Responsibility, sponsored by ADNOC, taking place in Abu Dhabi. Don’t miss this great biennial opportunity to learn, showcase best practices, engage with external stakeholders, network, and catch up with professional friends.

SPE is the professional home for HSE and sustainability professionals in the oil and gas industry. Dozens of volunteers and a dedicated staff have been working hard for the last year preparing an exciting and relevant range of panel and technical sessions. Did I mention it is a great value for the money as we continue to be cost conscious in our industry? Weigh that against the price of not attending. The HSE leadership is looking forward to seeing you all there.

Let us hear from you. What’s on your mind? What’s important? What are you working on for SPE members that needs support? Where are the gaps? What can we achieve as a 5,000-plus-strong community of professional experts in HSE and sustainability in the oil and gas industry? We are looking forward to engaging with you."

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