Why is action needed?
- Accidents happen for a reason; they are not mere matters of chance. By better understanding their causes, we can prevent their recurrence.
- International data on accidents at offshore oil and gas facilities are incomplete and inconsistent.
- Some governments release little or no information about accidents within their jurisdiction, and may not even confirm that investigations are being conducted.
- Some companies provide little or no information about their accidents.
- Prosecutions, legal actions, and domestic politics impede investigations and delay or prevent a complete understanding of how accidents happened.
What should be done? Governments should support an international treaty to improve data gathering and analyses and help prevent future disasters at offshore facilities. Here are some suggested provisions for such a treaty:
- Nations agree on accident reporting criteria, definitions, and information collection procedures.
- Nations agree to investigate any accidents within their jurisdiction that exceed specified casualty, pollution, or damage thresholds.
- Nations agree to release investigative reports within specified time frames.
- Nations agree to assist each other with investigations.
- Nations agree to delay prosecutions and enforcement actions until the official accident investigations are completed.
We have been talking about accident investigation and information shortcomings for decades. It is time to do something!
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 