This document discusses emergency preparedness for offshore oil and gas installations in the North Sea over the past 25 years. It outlines a tiered approach to emergency response, with installation-level incident response teams (Tier 1), regional emergency response teams (Tier 2), and corporate crisis management teams (Tier 3) coordinating response at higher levels of severity. Onshore, integrated emergency response rooms and dedicated response teams work with regulators and contractors. Regular training and exercises help ensure all personnel are prepared to respond effectively in the event of an offshore incident.

1. North Sea
Emergency Response Preparedness
25 Years On
Claire Forbes
Response Consultants

2. • report contained 106 recommendations (Nov 1990)
• Safety Case required for each installation
• operators must demonstrate their ability to manage
safety and emergencies as part of the Safety
Management System
• major engineering projects to platforms, subsea
isolation valves, escape systems and equipment
Public Enquiry
Lord Cullen
27 September 2013 Response Consultants

3. • personnel tracking system common to all operators
• OIMs and offshore emergency management teams train together regularly
at onshore simulator facility
• OIMs and CROs assessed every 3 years against industry-approved
Standards of Competence
• survival training and refresher in fire-fighting, escape, helicopter ditching
every 4 years
• new arrivals offshore attend briefing to identify muster points, escape
routes, lifeboat stations, safety and escape equipment
• weekly drills/musters
Emergency Preparedness
Offshore arrangements
27 September 2013 Response Consultants

4. Emergency Preparedness
Tiered Approach
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incident

5. Emergency Preparedness
Tiered Approach
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Installation
Incident Response Teams
Tier 1
Operational Level
incident

6. Emergency Preparedness
Tiered Approach
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Regional Office
Emergency Response Team
Installation
Incident Response Teams
Tier 1
Operational Level
Tier 2
Tactical Level
incident
minor
major
increasing
severity

7. Emergency Preparedness
Tiered Approach
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Corporate Headquarters
Crisis Management Team
Regional Office
Emergency Response Team
Installation
Incident Response Teams
Tier 1
Operational Level
Tier 2
Tactical Level
Tier 3
Strategic Level
incident
minor
major
increasing
severity

8. • integrated approach to emergencies between operators,
coastguard, police and contractors
• dedicated emergency response rooms
• up to 100 emergency response team members in weekly rota
• additional personnel are members of relatives, media and
evacuation reception teams
• personnel at the corporate headquarters may mobilise to
form the Crisis Management Team
Emergency Preparedness
Onshore infrastructure
27 September 2013 Response Consultants

9. Emergency Preparedness
Onshore Teams and Contacts
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Safety
Contact
POB
Assistant
Personnel
Contact
Log Keeper
Site
Contact
Emergency
Coordinator
Crisis
Management
Team
Logistics
Contact
police
Relatives
Coordinator
and
Responders
Media
Coordinator
and
Responders
Rep at
Coastguard
Coastguardpress/mediarelatives
installation helicopters,
vesselsmedical,
regulator
Admin
Support
Environment
Contact
regulator,
oil spill contractor
Evacuation
Reps
evacuees
POB/Vantage,
contractors
Regional
Management
installation

10. • formal training for all new emergency response team members
• separate training for media and relatives responders and
evacuation reception personnel
• frequent exercises, typically one annual full-day major exercise,
many half-day drills throughout the year
• audit exercises with marine and drilling contractors prior to
mobilisation
• training and exercises for contractors
Emergency Preparedness
Onshore training and exercises
27 September 2013 Response Consultants

11. “When disaster strikes, the
time to prepare has passed”
27 September 2013 Response Consultants