BIG PLAYERS OF THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR, COMMITTED TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT IN THE INDUSTRY.

July 1st 2008

During the 19th World Petroleum Congress, five internationally recognised experts in health, safety, and environment gave speeches which proved that the oil industry works continuously to respond to the problems that emerge in the areas of exploitation, refinement and distribution of oil. The speakers of this Forum were Brian Doll, Global Environment & Health Advisor Exxon Mobil USA, Beatriz Nassur Espinosa, Health, Security and Environment Director of Petrobras, Elisabeth Harstad, President of DNV (Norway), Heidi Pervin, Public Private Partnerships on Road Safety, Chevron, and John Campbell, Technical Director of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers.

“We can and we want to work with NGO´s”

During his intervention, Brian Doll stated that “we can and we want to work with NGO`s”. Doll confirmed that working with organizations that do not belong to the oil industry is difficult, but not impossible. Proof is that thanks to the concerns of NGOs on social and environmental issues, leaders from key oil corporations have identified and solved problems originated by the oil industry.

A clear example of ExxonMobil´s successful campaigns, in cooperation with groups focused on the defense of the environment, is the programme known as Lead Free. Since the year 2000, ExxonMobil has managed to achieve that over 200 million people around the world can breathe cleaner air thanks to the enforcement of laws forbidding the use of gasoline with lead.

“Accidents: a tolerated epidemic”

Heidi Pervin, of Chevron Corporation, has spend over 25 years creating programmes to prevent accidents not only among those who work within the oil industry, but also among the communities where the oil companies work.

Chevron has developed over a hundred campaigns to prevent accidents in Asia, South America, Africa, and North America. One of the most successful programmes was developed in Guatemala, where Chevron donated technical equipment to monitor the excess of speed and it implemented numerous educational programmes to raise awareness among society regarding dangers caused by not using seat belts, and drunk driving.

“Champions of Health, Security and Environmental development”

Beatriz Espinosa head of health, security and environment from Petrobrás shared with the audience the reasons why the Brasilian company has been awarded, since 1998, for the programmes they have implemented which have made the issues of on health, security and environment pivotal themes for all 68.000 Chevron employees.

Petrobrás produces 2.3 million barrels of oil a day. The magnitude of this business as well as the responsibility that comes from the mere number of employees working at the company, have motivated Petrobrás to design innovative programmes that focus on the reduction of the risks of accidents, sick leave of employees and the decrease of the environmental impact in oil exploitation zones.

The main reason why the Petrobrás programme can be considered as an example, is that its implementation covers every member of the company, beginning with the President himself: “Results from this programme are evaluated in Petrobrás with the same interest as the financial results” assured Espinosa.

“Major dangers become minor risks”

Via this slogan, Elizabeth Harstad, of DNV, gave her speech. Harstad made emphasis on the main accidents that the oil industry has had since 1976, pointing out some particular explosions and large oil spills.

Among the accidents, DNV has conducted exhaustive investigations to determine the cause of the incidents and the different ways to prevent them. “Thanks to this process, mayor dangers become minor risks”, said Harstad.

At the end of her speech, the representative of DNV stated that even though the industry has improved in the prevention of major accidents, there is still the need to increase training and leadership of those who drive the large international oil corporations in order to avoid oil spillages, toxic gas leaks and explosions of oil storage tankers.

“Noise: another risk factor for marine wildlife.”

From his part, John Campbell, Technical Director of OGP (International Association of Oil & Gas Producers) referred to the fact that ocean oil spillages, the Boise generated from oil exploitations cause severe damage to marines wildlife.

His organisation has carried out various studies that conclude that marine wildlife, such as dolphins and whales change their behaviour due to the noise produced by inter oceanic exploitation and transport. All the research carried out by OGP has got the approval of the scientific community, and the results of these are published and distributed in the academic and business and world.

The five speeches will be available for ONGs that, as well as being aware of the problems that arise from oil exploitation, they also look for alternative solutions.