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Message
from the Chief Executive
The year
to date has been exceptionally busy, productive and exciting
in terms of both our unfolding strategic development and unprecedented
involvement in responses.
With a steady
stream of engagement in incidents our Duty Manager calls are
at record levels, and work in North Africa has resulted in the
largest logistical deployment in the company’s history.
Our people have risen admirably to these challenges and at the
same time a structured and robust secondment programme continues
to provide further developmental opportunity that strengthens
the capability of our workforce. Our presence on the world stage
was also much in evidence at the International Oil Spill Conference
in May where OSRL/EARL representation featured very strongly.
The number of
people moving on into the oil industry is a testament to their
quality and although we have benefited from their contribution
and are sorry to see them go, it is most pleasing that others
too recognise the value they bring to the table.
One of my priorities
is to increase direct communications with shareholders and customers
to ensure that we are delivering what you want to the highest
standard and also to find out what you expect of us in the future.
I am very grateful to everyone who has, to date, given their
valuable time and provided good feedback which will help us
to improve our service offering and shape the way ahead. Our
Members’ Day and AGM in June also provided opportunities
for engagement with many of our shareholders to consider the
direction we are taking. That customer contact programme continues.
We have made considerable
progress this year in establishing strategic regional presence
to be closer to our customers. We have people stationed in West
Africa and Libya and have opened an office in Jakarta to facilitate
doing business with Indonesia- based
oil companies.
Finally, after
considerable consultation and debate, the organisation will
move forward with a new name in 2009 – Oil Spill
Response. I think we have a legacy and heritage to be
proud of and this simple effective trading name builds on that
equity and says exactly what we do and shall continue to do
in the best interests of all our stakeholders. 
Archie Smith
Chief Executive
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Get
us to call you
OSRL/EARL’s
‘Call Me’ feature lets customers find out about
our services more easily just by submitting a phone request
through our website. An OSRL/EARL staff will then call
the customer to personally attend to the query.
When
it debuted online in May 2008, this feature was initially
made available only for Membership enquiries. As part
of OSRL/EARL’s efforts to better reach customers,
‘Call Me’ is now extended to address enquiries
on all of our services*, be it Membership, Equipment Hire,
Consultancy or Training. The straightforward and user-friendly
interface will also simplify the online process for customers.
*Not
applicable for Response Activation
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CONTENTS
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Membership
continues its significant increase in 2008. We warmly welcome
our latest Shareholder member Sonangol and 14 more new Associate
members (since April) - Atash Company, Bridge Resources, Century
Exploration, Chysaor, Great Lakes Dredging & Dock Company,
Japex Libya, Nido Petroleum Philippines, Nippon Oil, PA Resourcesz,
Santos, Sasol Petroleum, Silverstone Energy, Stratic Energy
and Valiant Petroleum.
As industry recognises the importance
of preparedness, more companies value our ability to provide
the broad range of services they need whilst having the assurance
of access to experienced personnel in the event of an incident.
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Preparedness
Planning Update:
Supporting a Host of Preparedness Needs
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Continued
high levels of E&P activity led to the growth of preparedness
activities involving OSRL/EARL. We find that in this busy
time, our customers are seeing the benefits of our “one-stop-shop”
capabilities, from audit and planning through to equipment
supply, supported by relevant training. Our consultancy
team has been very active in oil spill contingency planning,
oil spill modelling, environmental sensitivity mapping,
planning review and audits.
For example,
in West Africa, we have been commissioned to complete a
multi-site audit and subsequently produce five Oil Spill
Contingency Plans (OSCPs) supported by a handbook. The handbook
will include both offshore and onshore oil spill risk assessments
and technical information to assist with oil spill response.
Other equipment and response readiness audits have been
undertaken in West Africa and also in countries around the
Caspian Sea.
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We have
also successfully completed an interesting project in Shipping
Risk Assessment that delivered a positioning statement report
together with recommendations for future work. We worked
very closely with the customer in understanding their needs,
engaging in consultation with relevant stakeholders e.g.
P&I clubs and ITOPF.
Several exercises
ranging from table top to incident management and large
scale international events have been completed. Arranged
and directed by OSRL/EARL, the latter exercise involved
personnel from several countries and organisations over
two days.
We continue
with long term staff secondments to oil companies in Kazakhstan,
Sakhalin and the UK. These have allowed the oil industry
to focus on their core business whilst maintaining high
quality spill response advice and helps OSRL/EARL better
understand our members’ business needs.
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Consultancy
Projects off Bali
OSRL/EARL Consultancy were requested
by the client to review preparedness levels for their
drilling operations 120 miles northeast of Bali. The project
entailed site visits to the drill ship to view its Tier
1 preparedness levels and their regional oil spill response
base to determine supplementary Tier 2 arrangements. After
a review of their oil spill documentation and software,
a summary of key findings was made to senior HSE management
who used this information to confirm what was going well
but also what changes were needed to improve preparedness
levels.
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Providing
Guidance and Expertise for
Members:
TOTAL E&P BORNEO's OSCP Revamp
Onshore
Processing Plant of TOTAL E&P Brunei in Lumut, Brunei
As
part of Corporate Headquarters’ efforts to standardize
the oil spill contingency plans of their affiliates worldwide,
OSRL/EARL was contracted to provide expertise and guidance
in revamping TOTAL SA’s global template. TOTAL E&P
Borneo B.V. was chosen as one of the model affiliates on
which the new format will be first implemented.
The
project entailed a 10-day site visit to review all its operations
including a comprehensive risk assessment and equipment
audit which will form the foundation for the new plan.
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Business
Projects Update:
More Response Packages Requested
As
the global search for oil expands, so too has the number
of requests for OSRL/EARL to provide short term leasing
of Tier 1 equipment to satisfy specific regional, regulatory
and operational requirements. Drilling support packages
for immediate local use offshore, onshore and for coastal
protection have been very popular.
OSRL/EARL
is providing oil spill response packages in more countries
than ever before in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Support
packages most popularly requested comprise
equipment such as booms, skimmers, floating storage tanks,
dispersant and spray systems. All equipment leasing packages
are supported by regular operator training, normally undertaken
with the support vessels crews and include basic induction
on the maintenance of the equipment which remain offshore
for lengthy periods of time and sometimes in challenging
environments and climates.
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Response packages ready
for deployment
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We are
currently providing two Participant Members and six Associate
Members with such Preparedness activities to support their
oil exploration activities. The Projects Department have
also continued to support long term equipment lease projects
with two Participant Members and one Associate Member with
operations in Europe and Africa.
All equipment
hire packages maximise the immediate response to an oil
spill should such an incident occur and are backed up with
resources from our regional response centres in Southampton,
Singapore and Bahrain. Longer term exploration projects
offer numerous learning opportunities between members and
our own staff. These serve to validate preparedness arrangements
and ensure an effective and rapid Tier 1 response that is
linked to any Tier 2 regional arrangements and the Tier
3 resources and arrangements with OSRL/EARL. Such projects
also bring together the people likely to be involved in
a real incident, develop working relationships, foster in
depth understanding of our members’ operations and
engender team spirit so that all parties are clear on each
other’s expectations and capabilities during emergencies.
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Establishing
Regional Presence
 IPEC,
Libya In May, OSRL/EARL
attended the 1st International Petroleum Environmental Conference
and Exhibition (IPEC) where we met many of our members operating
in Libya. This event follows the appointment of Nick Hazlett-Beard
as OSRL/EARL’s Regional Manager for Libya and reinforces
our understanding of regional environmental concerns in
Libya’s rapidly expanding petrochemical industry.
32nd
Annual IPA Convention The Indonesian Petroleum
Association Convention is a major event showcasing Indonesia’s
importance in the oil and gas sector. With the establishment
of OSRL/EARL’s new Jakarta office, the event provided
a significant networking opportunity for OSRL/EARL as major
contractors, operators and government officials were present.
OSRL/EARL also served as a panel judge in one of the Technical
Sessions.
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Forging
Strategic Ties
11th
NOWPAP MERRAC Focal Points Meeting & 3rd Competent National
Authorities Meeting
Having previously
contributed to the “Minimum Level of Preparedness”
project, OSRL/EARL continues to be actively involved with
NOWPAP MERRAC through the exchange of technical and industry
best practices. This meeting in June led to OSRL/EARL’s
subsequent participation in September’s 2nd Joint NOWPAP
Oil Spill Exercise in Qingdao, China.
Developing
Links with the IMO
OSRL/EARL’s long-running ties with the IMO were reinforced
when 10 Southampton-based staff visited the IMO’s refurbished
London headquarters. Discussions centered on the IMO’s
broad work scope and our shared aim to encourage adoption
of the OPRC Convention through the Global Initiative (GI).
The visit reflected the government industry approach promoted
by the GI.
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Working
with Governments
OTSOPA
visit
In May, OSRL/EARL Southampton hosted the Bonn Agreement working
group on Operational, Technical and Scientific Questions concerning
Counter Pollution Activities (OTSOPA). The visitors comprised
scientists and technical specialists from maritime authorities
of European countries which are party to the Bonn Agreement.
This visit prompted
a dialogue on the role of governments in major maritime disasters.
The opportunity was also taken to discuss our collaboration with
Sea Alarm Foundation and how the Foundation may extend its reach
to engage with European countries in a broader support network.
This correlates with an earlier discussion at OTSOPA’s annual
meeting to develop partnerships for oiled wildlife response. The
visitors also toured our Southampton facility to learn more about
our services.
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Preparing
the Ground
As
an industry leader, OSRL/EARL is committed to sharing best practice
based upon our unparalleled response experience, which we promote
through our extensive networks and activities. In this respect
OSRL/EARL is dedicated to engaging key stakeholders by taking
an active role in many national and regional initiatives of mutual
benefit to our organisation and the wider international oil spill
community.
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OSRL/EARL staff in
the IMO Exhibition Hall
2nd
East Asian Seas Partnership Council Meeting
OSRL/EARL leverages on this regional
platform to build working relations with governments of PEMSEA
member countries in Southeast and East Asia as a Non-Country Partner.
Further to July’s meeting, OSRL/EARL will convene a workshop
on regional oil spill issues at the 2009 EAS Congress in Manila.
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Environmental
Sensitivity Index Mapping Workshop in Nigeria
The IPIECA GI WACAF programme, in conjunction with the IMO, conducted
an Environmental Sensitivity Index {ESI} mapping workshop in Abuja
Nigeria. During the programme 70 representatives from Government
, industry and other regulatory authorities discussed the way forward
on the development of an agreed ESI map for resources in Nigeria
and adopted a communiqué for the next steps. The programme
was supported by a dispersant workshop where it was agreed to review
and formalise the existing dispersant guidelines into a national
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Informing
Industry
UK
Spill ’08
As part of the 2nd Annual Marine Oil Spill Seminar, more than
90 delegates including former UK Secretary of State’s Representative,
Robin Middleton, CBE, visited the OSRL/EARL Southampton base for
presentations by manufacturers and a feature by Sea Alarm Foundation
on  efforts
to help oiled wildlife. Delegates then cruised down the Solent
to observe an equipment deployment from the OSRL/EARL response
catamaran including vessel spray systems and a variety of oil
containment booms. These operations were accompanied by a low
level flypast of MCA’s oil spill surveillance aircraft. A
commentary for the offshore activities was provided by Mr. Chris
Morris, Board Advisor to OSRL/EARL, and Dave Salt, Operations
Director.
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Operations
& Industry Experience in 2008
The past six
months has seen unprecedented levels of operational activity
at OSRL/EARL. At its peak, a total of five incidents were
handled simultaneously; our Duty Managers and Operations
Teams were concurrently committed to incidents in four different
countries. The range of activities has been extraordinary,
with staff involved in setting up contingency arrangements
in case of a spill through assessing in country response
arrangements and training local teams in the basics of response,
conducting aerial spray operations, shoreline clean up,
at sea recovery operations and some unique experiences in
desert clean up following incidents in the Middle East.
The use of
the OSRL/EARL Technical Advisors has been a common theme
throughout. In each case suitably qualified staff have been
sent to site at our cost to help the client decide on the
best course of action. The ability to do this means that
OSRL/EARL has been able to assist in the early stages of
an incident and demonstrate more value to its members in
delivering an effective response.
The activity
has not only been limited to oil spill emergencies. In addition
to moving 400 tons of oil response equipment to Libya in
four chartered 747 freighters, OSRL/EARL Logistics also
provided 300 tons of fire fighting foam to a member in the
North Africa using six chartered DC 10 aircraft. The latter
incident constituted another first for the company and was
completed in close cooperation with our dedicated aviation
supplier Chapman Freeborn. The experiences gained over the
period were both beneficial to our members when they needed
our services and have seasoned our Response team in dealing
with each of the situations.
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(1)
Dover Harbour Spill
 On
12th April, OSRL/EARL was mobilised by the Dover Harbour
Board to the Eastern Dock. The work barge Agem One had capsized
and released some diesel and hydraulic oil. The potential
spill could have been up to 7000 litres if the fuel tanks
ruptured during the salvage operation. OSRL/EARL commenced
clean-up operations around the dock, using a rope mop for
recovery. Once completed, the team was kept on standby.
The par-buckle lift of the Agem One began on 18th April.
Once the barge was upright, the fuel tanks were pumped out.
The lift was completed on 21st April and OSRL/ EARL was
stood down.
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(2)
Wreck Recovery Technical Support in Europe
 In
July OSRL/EARL was requested to supply technical support
during the salvage operations of a vessel that had sunk
20 metres below the surface near the approaches to two major
ports.
After an initial
assessment by the OSRL/EARL Technical Advisor, the pollution
response aspect of the salvage plan was developed, and required
equipment, local resources, strategies and response structures
were identified.
During the
initial stages of the actual salvage, a senior member of
the OSRL/EARL team was present to support the Captain of
the Port. The operation will continue over a prolonged period
and OSRL/EARL will attend on site at the request of the
client as required to give support and expertise.
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(3)
Corroded Pipeline in Gabon, West Africa
  In
May, OSRL/EARL sent a Technical Advisor to an oil spill
in Gabon that had originated from a corroded inland pipeline.
The oil had spilt in a lagoon, affecting areas of shoreline
including a local village. The initial response provided
an assessment of the situation along with clean up recommendations.
To cope with local environmental considerations, the waxy
nature of the spilt oil and high speed currents, the Harbour
Buster recovery unit was deemed to be most effective for
deployment. This was the first time it was used in a spill
since being purchased and commissioned earlier this year.
Once repairs on the affected pipeline commenced, contingency
plans were also developed, in case of a further spill. Training
on the use of the Harbour Buster was also given to local
vessel crew members.
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(4)
Storage Pit Overflow in Yemen
Earlier this year heavy rainfall caused oil contained from
a previous spill to overflow from its storage pits down
into adjacent wadis. The wadis affected were natural water
collection areas used for subsistence and irrigation.
The
terrain made for a difficult clean up as some points of
the wadi had a 130m sheer face. The OSRL/EARL Technical
Advisor implemented safety lines and contingency planning
for fast evacuation due to the possibility of flash floods.
High and low pressure washing was used along with manual
clean up techniques. All waste recovered had to be manually
taken out of the wadi up the steep incline to prevent secondary
contamination.
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(5)
High Alert Standby - Libya
In the second quarter
of 2008 an Operator requested a high alert standby in Libya
with a potential serious loss of oil offshore. An OSRL/EARL
Technical Advisor was sent and given the huge task of assessing
an array of response requirements which ranged from shoreline,
offshore and aerial response to the logistics of equipment
storage, office facilities and equipment maintenance in
country.
The deployment
involved the largest movement of equipment ever undertaken
in the history of OSRL/EARL so as to provide stock piles
in country to deal with every possible scenario.
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(6)
Tank Fire Logistics Support in Libya
In any response
operation speed is of the essence. At OSRL/EARL we are trained
to work under very tight time constraints and pressures.
When the call
came to supply 300 tons of fire fighting foam into Benghazi
to put out a tank fire, the OSRL/EARL Logistics team in
conjunction with our aviation broker, Chapman Freeborn,
scrambled six DC10 aircraft. They collected foam stock from
Angus Fire, a global firefighting technology company in
the UK, and Williams Fire Fighting in Holland and Spain.
The fire was extinguished shortly after touch down.
This incident
demonstrated how skills and capabilities developed within
OSRL/EARL were used to great effect in supporting such an
unusual request.
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(7)
Pipeline Spill - North Sea, UK
A process
upset on a platform in the North Sea resulted in OSRL/EARL
being mobilised to provide technical advice and aerial surveillance.
During the aerial survey no spill was located due to the
heavy nature of the oil. However, a small amount of persistent
oil was later detected along the shoreline. Upon discovery
of this beached oil, OSRL/EARL carried out a shoreline response.
Following the clean up of the beached oil OSRL/EARL conducted
post spill monitoring and assessments of the impacted coast
line.
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Portugal
Exercise, May 2008
OSRL/
EARL held a two-day joint exercise in Portugal to develop
relationships between government and industry.
Simulating
a response to a serious tanker incident in European waters,
the exercise helped the client to see how the Portuguese
Maritime Authorities would respond under such circumstances
and to also demonstrate its capability in supporting a government-led
response.
Preparations
for the exercise involved nine months of liaising with the
Portuguese Navy and industry so as to secure their participation
and care was taken to ensure the exercise was developed
to fit each group’s needs.
UK
National Exercise, June 2008
OSRL/EARL
had the opportunity to assist within the BP Crisis Centre
and the Marine Response Centre during the UK National
SOSREP Exercise held on 10th June.
Organised
and facilitated by BERR (Department of Business Enterprise
and Regulatory Reform), BP and the MCA, the exercise was
designed to test the response by various agencies to a
North Sea incident. The incident involved a BP installation
and saw a large pollution response, inclusive of search-and-rescue
operations.
NOWPAP
MERRAC Regional
Exercise, September 2008
China
MSA invited OSRL/EARL to the NOWPAP regional exercise
in Qingdao, China in September 2008. A container of oil
spill response equipment was sent to China to test the
shipment logistics.
The
OSRL/EARL team integrated well into the Command teams
comprising personnel from China’s National Committee
for Disaster Management and senior officials from the
China Maritime Safety Administration, Korea and Japan.
Two vessels from the Korean Coast Guard also participated
in the exercise. The OSRL/EARL team assigned to the beach
cleaning part of the exercise worked with and provided
guidance to the Qingdao Incident Commander and local equipment
and manpower supply contractors. The relationships started
by this exercise augurs well for future industry government
cooperation.
Our
participation in the exercise demonstrated our ability
to work with the China MSA to understand and manage the
logistical challenges that may occur during an actual
spill response.
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International
Oil Spill Conference '08
 As
the world’s largest oil spill response provider, OSRL/EARL
was well represented at one of the industry’s most important
events – IOSC ’08. Held in Savannah, USA, the Conference
featured exhibits and technical sessions catered to more than
2000 delegates from all over the world.
OSRL/EARL’s
contributions were significant: we presented 20 new Technical
Papers (published in the conference proceedings) and delivered
our well-known “Basics of Oil Spill Response” short-training
programme as one of the established curtain raisers to the conference.
For many of the attending staff, this was their first exposure
to the international spill response arena. To be able to present
and have their work published was a remarkable achievement.
In addition, we
raised the profile of the Global Response Network (GRN) through
a shared booth with MSRC to share information about the value
of this important response-industry collaboration.
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| Upcoming
Conferences |
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Offshore
Arabia 2009
OSRL/EARL is committed to being the premier
provider of spill services for the oil and gas industry in the
Middle East. We welcome you to visit our stand at the Offshore
Arabia Conference and Exhibition which will run from 11-13 January
2009 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
http://www.offshorearabia.ae/index.php
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5th
Interspill Conference
The 5th Interspill Conference and Exhibition
(Marseilles, 12-14 May 2009) is the next major event in the oil
spill conference cycle. Themed “Working Together”, the
conference will run parallel with the IMO R&D Forum to address
the topic of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) in the Marine
Environment. OSRL/EARL is part of the Interspill organising committee
and a permanent event sponsor.
http://www.interspill.com
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| Duty
of Care to People and Planet |
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OSRL/EARL
Sponsors Warblington School Fair
Warblington School is a specialist school
for Science and Mathematics in Hampshire. As a Fair Sponsor and
Participant, OSRL/EARL led 150 pupils through a presentation on
response strategies, followed by a session where pupils got up
close with equipment such as booms, skimming devices, storage
systems, gas monitoring systems and fluorometer dispersant monitoring
systems.
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 Reducing
Our Carbon Footprint
Led by the Environmental Committee,
OSRL/EARL Singapore embarked on a collection of reusable items
to promote waste minimisation so as to bring about net negative
carbon emission. Boxes of clothes toys, books and other items,
amounting to a total of 236 kg, were amassed. Reusable items were
donated to the Salvation Army while collected books were given
to the National Library.
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‘Oil
Spill Week’ at Fort Hill School
Keen to promote and maintain long term relationships
with local schools, OSRL/EARL’s involvement in this event
continued for the second year running, with presentations and
demonstrations conducted for Year 9 students of Fort Hill Community
School in Basingstoke.
Apart from viewing
booms and a Komara 12K skimmer from the UKR Southern Region Truck,
students also had the scarce opportunity to try on personal protective
equipment and go through simulated contamination.
OSRL/EARL
discussed oil pollution risks in China’s Bohai Bay Basin,
where students and staff had visited earlier in the year. We were
also pleased to judge some outstanding student presentations on
the same subject.
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17th
International Coastal Cleanup Singapore 2008
OSRL/EARL is proud to be a pioneer of this
event, held at Pandan Mangroves on 20 September. Working with
other volunteers, we collected a total of 1.37 tons of trash.
The activity also served as an extension of the Mangrove Study
trip conducted during 2007’s October Forum. Our staff brought
home a better understanding of the fragility of mangroves and
the importance of mangrove conservation.
Coordinated by the
Ocean Conservancy based in the U.S., the ICC is the largest and
most successful volunteer event of its kind, participated by thousands
of volunteers around the world.
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| Developing
Our People |
Being
Prepared for Challenges
Taking a secondment
in Singapore is something I will never regret. The chance
to experience another culture has been a steep but enjoyable
learning curve that I will refer back to in future. With
the role and the different working environments come specific
challenges. Expectations are high but it is all part of
proving capable of adapting and being flexible in this industry.
I would recommend Singapore to anyone who is prepared to
put him or herself through a massive learning experience.
Matt
Smith
Senior Trainer
Seconded
from the UK to Singapore
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Coordinating
and Aligning
April 2008 after working with
the Southampton Consultancy team since April 2001. This
is to develop my line management skills and enhance the
capabilities of the Singapore Consultancy team. My main
responsibilities are to coordinate their activities, grow
capability, build and maintain quality control procedures,
win business and carry out fee earning work. I have also
been tasked with enhancing the alignment of both Singapore
and Southampton  teams.
Since my arrival, I have implemented a number of initiatives
and delivered an audit project for an offshore drilling
programme near Bali.
Lee
Barber
Senior Consultant
Seconded
from the UK to Singapore
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Applying
Skills and Experience
I joined
the Singapore Operations team as Response Team Leader in
January 2008, having worked in the UK since February 1999.
I manage the day to day activities within Operations, streamline
the companies’ response standards and procedures, and
enhance personal competence within the Operations team.
Since commencing my secondment I have implemented several
key initiatives and projects
including
Duty
Manager
rotations, duty
team
training,
 redesigning
the Operations and
training rooms, and
developing the
computerised mobilisation system.
Matt
Clements
Response Team Leader
Seconded
from the UK to Singapore
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Growing
and Thriving on Challenges
A Spill Response
Specialist thrives on challenges and job satisfaction. So
when I was given the opportunity to relocate to Bahrain
for the development of the Regional Base, I jumped at the
chance. Stepping out from your comfort zone is unnerving.
A demanding environment supplemented by pushing objectives
puts you under more pressure and stress - you quickly adapt
your working style to suit and to achieve. The chance to
grow and develop all skills, soft as well as core to the
business, coupled with the improved quality of life, balances
out the scales. All secondments are highly demanding but
it rounds you as an individual and is enormously rewarding,
increasing confidence, ability, and competency faster than
normal, skills which undoubtedly will be utilised upon completion
of the secondment back in the  business.
Ryan
Rogers
Senior Spill Response Specialist
Seconded
from the UK to Bahrain
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"Capable
people are the lifeblood of our business"
Improving
and Enhancing Knowledge
Over in Southampton,
I was able to acquaint myself with a wider array of oil
spill response equipment and the additional OSRL/EARL services
offered in the UK, such as UKR and UKCS. As part of my training
as a Duty Manager, I managed the weekly duty team and several
ongoing spills. I have attended a spill with the UK teams
on two separate rotations and had invaluable  training
insights from aerial surveillance in UKCS aircraft and UKR
team exercises.
Quek
Qiuhui
Spill Response Specialist
Seconded
from Singapore to the UK
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Experiencing
a New Environment
Since
July 2007, I have worked with Exxon Neftgas on the Sakhalin1
project based in Eastern Russia on a 28 days rotation, back
to back with a colleague. As Oil Spill Response
Base Manager for the oil export terminal, my duties include
scheduling equipment maintenance and delivering training
to Exxon Neftgas and other contractors.
During
my secondment I have gained in-depth knowledge of the response
procedures and actions in a cold weather environment. This
includes the recovery of oil in ice and the dangers of working
in temperatures at -25°C to -30°C. It has also been
a valuable experience to work with Russian nationals as
this has helped to develop my teaching styles.  Working
within an oil company has shown me the high levels of health
and safety that are used within this company.
Andy
Nevin
Senior Spill Response Specialist
Seconded
from the UK to an external company
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| Matt
Smith and Ryan Rogers have left OSRL/EARL to take up positions
with the Australian Marine Oil Spill Centre and Petrofac at
the Dubai Petroleum Establishment respectively. OSRL/EARL
thanks both Matt and Ryan for their invaluable services to
the company and warmly wishes both continued success in their
careers. |
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| Commitment
to People Development – Assessed Competency Based Training |
 Further
to May’s update, OSRL/EARL continues to devote time and
resources to ensure that our people remain at the heart of
our business. We have been making great progress in developing
our people and assessing them against our occupational standards
within our OPITO approved competency management system (ACMS).
Since the implementation of ACMS a year ago, eight Response
Specialists have completed the standard. Another 34 candidates
(14 from Southampton, 18 from Singapore and two from Bahrain)
are all on track to be fully qualified as specialists by the
end of 2009. |
 Further
development sees the implementation of a new Supervisor
Standard which 30 personnel are now working towards. This
Standard is designed for candidates to complete during their
first two years with OSRL/EARL.
Our customers
also have also benefited from the ACMS with 18 external
delegates completing the OPITO Assessment Option as part
of the Oil Spill Clearance Course, in both Singapore and
Southampton. Additional external courses are being developed
to incorporate the Assessment Option.
Spill
Response Specialist Claudia Koh receives her Certificate
of Competency
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Exciting
Training Developments
Over the past
few months there have been exciting developments in the
OSRL/EARL Training department. As we continue to deliver
our high quality training in countries such as Ghana, USA,
Zanzibar, Syria and Thailand, we have also been anticipating
the year ahead. Take a look at the training initiatives
in store for 2009.
 More
Choice
OSRL/EARL
steps beyond its traditional remit of oil spill response
training for the first time by introducing Incident
Management and Hazardous
and Noxious Substances (HNS) Awareness to its
portfolio. The existing environmental Impacts course has
also been evolved into a field based course titled “Environmental
Advisors Field Course”.
Another introduction
to take advantage of is the new distance learning option
for our BERR Level 1 On-Scene Commanders Training course
which allows you to learn at your own pace and at a time
that suits you from the convenience of your own computer.
New
Locations
Nigeria
OSRL/EARL
has added Nigeria to its already expanding list of locations
in which to run the flagship Oil Spill Management (IMO Level
3) course, alongside Libreville, Gabon, in West Africa.
Libya
To complement
the rapidly expanding oil industry within Libya and through
the feedback gained from our Libyan representative, OSRL/EARL
has added an Arid Environments Inland Spills Course and
a Shoreline Supervisors (IMO Level 1) course for 2009.
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Hong Kong
Encouraged
by the success of the Shipping Course in Singapore, OSRL/EARL
has recently delivered this for the first time in Hong Kong
in November to benefit the shipping community there. This
course will also be featured on our calendar from 2009.
An IMO Level 2 course will be delivered next year in Hong
Kong as a result of a strong demand for a local training
option.
New
Assessment Options
Following
the success of the competency based training option on the
Oil Spill Clearance course in 2008, we have extended our
OPITO approved assessment option to our UK Response &
Control course (MCA & BERR Level 4), Site Supervisor/Beachmaster
MCA Level 3/IMO Level 1, our BERR Level 3 On-shore Duty
Holder course, as well as our Inland Spills course in 2009.
This rapid growth reflects the increased demand for competence
assurance from the oil industry.
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 Training
Course Directory 2009
New courses,
new locations, new dates. The 2009 Training Course Directory
details the major developments which will advance the delivery
options offered to our customers.
The E-dition
is already available on our website at http://www.osrlearl.com/prepared_train_signup.htm
and has been widely distributed by email.
Hard copies
are also available. To request a copy, please email your
contact details to training_uk@osrlearl.com
or training_sg@osrlearl.com
depending on your location.
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| United
Kingdom |
Middle
East |
Asia
Pacific |
London
(Head Office)
One
Great Cumberland Place
London W1H 7AL
United Kingdom
Tel: +44(0)20 7724 0102
Fax: +44(0)20 7724 0103
Email: london@osrlearl.com |
Southampton
Lower
William Street
Southampton SO14 5QE
United Kingdom
Tel: +44(0)23 8033 1551
Fax: +44(0)23 8033 1972
Email: southampton@osrlearl.com |
Aberdeen
Marine
House Blaikies Quay
Aberdeen AB11 5EZ
United Kingdom
Tel: +44(0) 1224 72 6859
Fax: +44(0) 1224 72 6860
Email: ab | | |
