Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is often regarded as extremely dangerous and toxic with container ships. Natural gas vapors are flammable, and LNG typically contains methane, ethane and propane. LNG presents safety hazards that must be managed. When LNG spills, it vaporizes quickly and leaves behind no residues. As LNG vaporizes, the vapor cloud can ignite if there is a source of ignition, but otherwise LNG dissipates completely.   Industry standards To handle LNG safely, it is stored in industry standard tanks (double walled, insulated, of proper metals according to the relevant EU (CEN) standards, or to the US standards, e.g.…

  Human failures are implicated in many serious, fatal accidents in hazardous industries, especially for oil and gas. Some recent examples include the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, Texaco Milford Haven Explosion and Fires and the 1988 Piper Alpha Disaster. There is an evident need and recognition of Human Factors as a key topic for addressing safety in the oil, gas, onshore chemical plants, pharmaceutical manufacturing and power generation sectors. As technical safety measures improve, we can expect the significance of human factors in major accidents to increase as well. During the preparation of major accident hazard (MAH) safety reports, the…

  Before a crisis strikes, business owners should think about how a disaster would impact customers, suppliers, employees, the public and their company’s value. A crisis can strike a company anytime and anywhere hence advanced planning is key to ensuring the company is prepared. Let’s look at some of the most well-known crisis management case studies from the last several years, as well as what we can learn from them.   The Target data breach A cyber-attack on Target in 2013 affected about 110 million of Target’s customers – with 41 million of customer’s payment card accounts and contact information…

  Project management certifications are in demand by companies and recruiters alike. In the competitive and complex market, project management certifications hold a vital role in ensuring you stand out from the competition and increase your chances of getting hired. Gaining certification has many benefits, such as a salary bump and gaining certain important traits that increases project success. With the many types of project management certifications today, here are the reasons why you should get a certification as an international project manager.   Increased demand As business continues to internationalize and the strategic intent of global organisations is to…

  Laytime and demurrage are traditionally one of the most contentious issues in the shipping industry, owing to the frequency with vessels are delayed in port, the cost caused by such delays, and the often ambiguous wording in charter parties and contracts for the international sale of goods. To maintain a harmonious business relationship between shipowners and charterers, it is desirable to avoid disputes on charter parties. Therefore, the establishment of a clear and solid contractual basis on laytime calculations and demurrage rules for all parties is one of the utmost importance. A firm understanding of the legal and practical…

  Effective planning and execution of shutdowns and turnarounds is essential to maintain inventory levels and reduce loss of revenue for the oil and gas industry, particularly if improper maintenance leads to an unplanned shutdown. Unplanned shutdowns impacts heavily on the company operating the facility. Problems commonly encountered in shutdown execution include: Lack of an integrated management strategy; Unclear definition of work responsibilities.; Incomplete work scope definition; Ineffective planning effort; Uncoordinated procurement of shutdown materials; and Poor contractor control and communications. Therefore it is essential that plants are able to manage shutdowns and turnarounds effectively and efficiently. Here are 10 crucial steps…

  In the industrial setting, there are many hazards – more importantly fires, explosions and toxic releases. Fires occur the most frequently in industries and is the first major hazard in chemical or process industries. Industrial fires are highly hazardous and dangerous, and accidents lead to the loss of lives and major damage to infrastructure. Fires take several different forms, such as jet fires, pool fires, flash fires, fireballs, vapour cloud explosions and boiling liquid expanding vapour explosions (BLEVEs), which are outlined below:   Jet fires Jet fires, or ejected flames, occur when there is an ejection of flammable liquid…

Major incidents in the oil and gas industries highlight the importance of having robust processes and systems in place. Process safety is especially important for the oil and gas industry and aids in the prevention of incidents. When incidents do occur, they result in the release of hazardous materials and have huge environmental aspects. As seen in the 3 incidents below, process safety incidents are lethal and very costly.   Williams Olefins Plant Explosion and Fire June 2013 The explosion was caused by the failure of a heat exchanger, which resulted in 2 workers killed and 114 injured. A rupture…