In your opinion, how well-equipped is the GCC oil and gas industry in terms of fire protection? How prepared are major oil and gas producers to efficiently detect fires and prevent accidents?
Given the large amounts of flammable gases and liquids being handled and stored in the GCC, fire protection is extremely significant, and I believe that the GCC oil and gas industry is fully cognisant of that. In terms of awareness and regulations, a lot of improvements have happened over the years.
With several large facilities coming on stream with new technicians and operators, managing competence and compliance to avoid human errors has become an ongoing challenge. Technology plays a major role in efficiently detecting and preventing incidents.
For instance, it is now possible to detect deadly gas leaks at the speed of sound, without being affected by inclement weather, wind direction, leak direction, or any potential gas dilution. Unlike traditional gas detection equipment, today’s gas leak detection technologies do not have to wait until a gas concentration has accumulated, and the detection response is instantaneous for all gas types. The adoption of such innovations in the field of safety is gaining momentum in the GCC.
What major fire accidents have occurred in the regional oil and gas industry in the recent past?
Risk is the product of frequency and consequence. With the best will in the world, the frequency of accidents cannot be brought to zero. Therefore, there are still fire incidents that make headlines all over the world. However, focussing on keeping the risk at a low level is the key, and today’s flame and gas detection technologies can help to do that.
With crude oil prices below $60 a barrel, do you think regional NOCs and other major oil and gas producers are spending enough to address HSE? As major energy companies cut their operating costs, are they still investing enough in fire security systems?
We are seeing operators doing all they can to reduce costs. But “all they can” has not meant reducing their focus on ensuring the safety of their personnel. NOC personnel have explicitly told us that the budgets of safety projects are ring-fenced and will not be reduced. Operators understand that they must ensure that cost-cutting does not compromise safety.
Statistics from Solomon Associates, among others, have shown that best-in-class operators have significantly reduced their maintenance budgets and improved their process safety by improving reliability.
As the old saying goes, “If you think that safety is expensive, try having an accident!” The cost of major industrial incidents is usually measured in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, and the consequent business interruptions are around four times more expensive again, not counting litigation, investigation, and regulatory penalties.
Regulatory audits and inspections usually increase following these incidents. Process manufacturing plants need to achieve top-quartile safety performance, or be in the top 25% of safety performers in the industry.
What specific products does your company offer in the field of FPS, and which of these have been implemented within the oil and gas industry?
An ultrasonic gas detector is a meter that “listens” to sound at frequencies above human hearing, specifically the sound generated by a pressurised gas phase or gas leak. The gas does not have to reach the detector’s sensor to be detected.
Emerson’s ultrasonic gas leak detection technology, the GDU Incus, [improves] gas detection system effectiveness. This innovation utilises ultra-sensitive acoustic sensors to constantly monitor for the release of pressurised gas.
It is designed to provide reliable, wide-area gas detection for toxic and/or combustible coverage in any hazardous-area application where pressurised gas is present, regardless of the environmental conditions. It does not require calibration, and its sensors will never expire, throughout the life of the instrument.
The GDU Incus addresses the challenges of traditional detection technologies as it is not affected by wind direction, gas dilution, or extreme conditions, and it operates with consistent detector sensitivity. Many oil and gas producers in the GCC have worked with Emerson to install the GDU Incus in their facilities.
How do you believe fire safety standards and combat readiness can be improved in the regional oil and gas industry?
Flame and gas detection systems should be carefully designed, with the right combination of measurement instrumentation, data acquisition and analytical technologies to provide an accurate picture of what is happening in a facility. One of the challenges is properly placing an adequate number of sensors to detect hazards effectively. Inadequate detector coverage due to improper or insufficient sensor placement brings a facility to an unmitigated hazardous state.
The regional oil and gas industry continues to find new ways to make flame and gas detection foolproof. Many producers are now adopting a comprehensive line of defence including point detectors, Xenon flash lamp-based detection, and multi-sensor acoustic gas leak detectors designed for the harsh conditions of the region.
More than using advanced technologies, however, what’s important is for the industry to build a strong process safety culture where everyone understands hazards, helps to manage risk, and observes safe working practices.
When it comes to the safety of workers in the Middle East’s energy sector that are operating in hazardous conditions where there is a potential for fire outbreaks, do you believe there is enough awareness of labours’ safety?
The awareness of labour-force safety in the region is high. The fatal accident rate (FAR) has dropped over the years, signifying the increased awareness. All major oil and gas companies have
their own safety awareness programmes, and have mechanisms to evaluate hazards at the worksite, including the use of the latest technologies. For instance, they automate processes and increase the level of safety through wireless applications that simplify the action of mobile workers, track people and assets, enable safety mustering, and provide video monitoring.
What are the innovative concepts that are revolutionising fire detection and protection? What solutions or services are your customers choosing to rely on to secure their operations?
The current industry standard in flame detection is the triple infrared (IR3) flame detector developed and introduced by Spectrex in 1993. IR3 technology identifies the unique infrared spectral signature emitted by hot CO2. Digital processing is used to analyse the spectral and dynamic characteristics of the measured IR radiation to identify a fire event. It is exceptionally sensitive and immune to spurious alarms, irrespective of external conditions such as extreme weather and environmental illumination.
The latest innovation in this area combines the proven advantages of IR3 flame detection with smart video analysis. A unique IR spectral signature is identified by IR3, while the smart video provides picture analysis of the real-time video feed.
This combination makes it possible to differentiate between real fires and other radiant sources, while obtaining information about the actual fire size and location, so that the situation can be responded to in the most efficient and effective manner. Live video signal from the smart camera mounted within the detector is processed in real-time, visually identifying fires and interpreting flame characteristics.
For added precision, it is possible to mask parts of an image where there may be existing ‘friendly’ fires or flares. Live, colour video output is via LAN (local area network)or analogue video. By connecting your system to a video monitor, you will be able to see the exact size and location of the fire and enact a better response initiative.
