Offshore Safety Performance - A Global Perspective

Since 1984 the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP) has, on an annual basis, been collecting, analysing and reporting data on the safety performance of the global E&P industry. The 2001 dataset on which the most recent analyses are based, amounts to 1,977 million workhours of data, 21% of which are associated with company and contractor activities in the offshore arena. These workhours are associated with over 50% of the world's oil production and over a third of the world's gas production.Over this period there has been a significant improvement in the safety performance of the global E&P industry, both in the onshore and offshore sectors. The most consistent improvement has been in terms of reduction in the lost time injury frequency. However, throughout the period, the LTIF associated with offshore activity has exceeded that associated with onshore activities. The paper focuses on the 11-year period from 1991 to 2001. During this period particularly high quality data is readily available. Information is presented in terms of industry recognised safety measures (fatalities, fatal accident rate and lost time injury frequency). Safety data pertaining to offshore activities are reviewed and compared to their onshore counterparts. Data associated with the safety performance of both company and contractor personnel are presented.