Abstract
Introduction
Oil and gas exploration and production are high-risk activities and often take place at remote locations. Operators are required to manage the related risks and an important element is ensuring provision of appropriate medical emergency care. This paper covers: the extent and nature of offshore oil and gas exploration and production operations in a Multinational Oil and Gas Company in Malaysia; challenges faced in ensuring provision of emergency medical services during these activities; and how this is managed using the Company Medical Emergency Response (MER) standards.
Offshore Oil and Gas Production in Malaysia
Today there is a full range of oil and gas businesses in Malaysia from exploration to production, refining, distribution and retail. The oil and gas resources have become less accessible resulting in recent exploration and production sites being further away from shore and in more remote locations.
This Multinational Oil and Gas Company in Malaysia operates a number of offshore platforms off the coast of Sarawak. Some of the platforms have living quarters and always has an offshore medic on board. Due to their distance from shore, patient transfer becomes a challenge for these platforms and other such work locations. The main mode of transport to offshore work location is helicopter and boat with traveling time between shore and offshore locations between one to two hours.
