WE MAKE THINGS HAPPEN
Wintershall Norge HSEQ magazine | 01/ 2012
The Management System Openness and learning: HSE culture High activity with HSE inside operations Petroleum Safety Authority: main priorities
Dear all!
Openness is our founding cornerstone
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The Managagement System. Get to know it. And use it.
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HSEQ department. Here we are.
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It’s all about openness and learning – HSEQ culture
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We will be prepared
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Yoga at work, works
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Safety is in the small details
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Heart starter training will save lives!
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Big improvements
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High activity with HSE inside Operations
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Free cancer screening
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PSA’s main priorities for 2012
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the right way | HSEQ magazine for Wintershall Norge
You are reading the first issue of our new magazine The right way. The HSEQ department has chosen to communicate with you like this, and I hope you like it! As all new beginnings, The right way must start somewhere, and I look forward to hearing your feedback and ideas as we go. We are already working on the next issue, so do not hesitate with any contributions you might have. That said, we hope that this magazine will give you input, food for thought, learning and in the least some faces to connect with names and people you see in our offices. Most of all our goal is to point out The right way for excellence in HSEQ. Our HSE results reflect every little bit of what we do at Wintershall Norge. We believe there is always room for improvements, please join forces and contribute to the leading company we strive to be. I am sure you will find some inspiration in the story about our colleague Sølvi Eik who literally always has new horizons on the top of her mind (page 16). Our management system is in place, and now we must use it, update it and improve it. To do that, we need to hear from you. So, read and get back to me!
Editors: Janne Lea, Sissel Johnsen, Ingveig Tveranger. Concept and design: Fasett. Printed by Gunnarshaug. Printed according to the standards of the Nordic Ecolabel Svanemerke.
Thank you, Janne Lea HSEQ Manager Wintershall Norge
Openness is our founding cornerstone
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“Health, safety, environment and quality are integral parts of Wintershall Norge’s activities. To me this means that all of our colleagues should return safe from work, and no damage should be done to the environment surrounding us. The past year we have increased the number of competent colleagues by more than 50. They came from 35 different companies and are of 17 different nationalities. Building a common identity and culture is a top priority now. Integrated in this is also the task of building a common understanding of HSEQ. The cornerstone of the Wintershall Norge culture is transparency and openness, and we need to establish this culture deep in our hearts.” says Bernd Schrimpf, Managing Director of Wintershall Norge AS.
I have always been proud of working in Wintershall. Since I first joined the company in 1980 as a drilling engineer, I’ve had the chance to see the company from many perspectives. I am very happy that I was given the opportunity to join Wintershall Norge in 2010 and by this experience the great work done by our team here. To do our outmost to avoid harm to people, the environment and assets, HSE is an integrated part of Wintershall’s operations all over the world. Both globally and here in Norway we strive to be better at HSEQ every single day. The Norwegian circumstances are particularly good for improving HSEQ efforts. There are three reasons for this; the special Norwegian openness, the strong HSEQ focus from the industry and the authorities, and the Norwegian way of mixing creativity with a systematic approach to challenges.
“Every one of us has to do everything we do a little bit better and more efficient every day.”
Bernd Schrimpf Managing Director Wintershall Norge AS
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4 Wintershall Norge corporate values Creative - We have the courage to pursue bold ideas - We inspire each other and build value-adding partnership - We constantly improve our products, services and solutions
Open - We value diversity – in people, opinions and experiences - We foster dialog based on honesty, respect and mutual trust - We explore our talents and capabilities
Responsible - We act responsibly as an integral part of society - We strictly adhere to our compliance standards - We never compromise on safety
Entrepreneurial - We all contribute to our company’s success, as individuals and as a team - We turn market needs into customer solutions - We take ownership and embrace personal accountability
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1. The basis for building a strong HSEQculture is openness. When I was asked to join Wintershall Norge as Managing Director, no one told me that everyone here worked in open offices. Even though our growth has altered this slightly, I have come to believe that this is a good symbol of the Norwegian openness culture. A culture where we sit together, discuss, and challenge each other. It is also a culture where competence and content is valued higher and formal rank is given less consideration than in other cultures. It is important for me that Wintershall Norge maintains and strengthens a culture where everyone feels they can stand up for their views. Because it is a challenge to stand up and say ‘wait, have we assessed all possible risks in this project’, when the rest of the team is ready to move on to the next phase. Building on the Norwegian openness is therefore an important part of building our HSEQ culture. 2. If you ask a manager of a petroleum company anywhere in the world what the most important tasks of their mission is, I would be surprised if not all of them had HSEQ on their top three list. But having seen this in many markets, I know for sure that there are not many that come close to what I have seen in Wintershall.
The industry, the authorities, the colleges and universities all have worked together to ensure that HSEQ is a vital part of the way we operate here in Norway. All companies operationalize this in slightly different ways, and our common task is to make the right way for Wintershall’s HSEQ culture. Our aim is to lead the way on the NCS for the decades to come, and this starts with a strong position in HSEQ. 3. Norway and Germany share the same approach to creativity. Some cultures around the world sees creativity and cutting corners as two sides of the same coin. I couldn’t disagree more. Creativity is all about finding better solutions to the challenges we have. It is to implement these solutions and make sure they become part of our culture and part of our daily operations. It has been extremely important to develop a new management system to ensure that we are able to have a systematic and documented approach in all processes of our business. Together we are moving from a small and successful exploration company, to an integrated exploration, development and production Company. This means that every one of us have to do everything we do a little bit better and more efficient every day. That is creativity.
The WINO Management System The new WINO Management System (MS) is a major improvement compared with the previous management system ‘Promenade’. It has a better user interface, improved process and work flow descriptions, and an upgraded Document View.
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Janne Lea, HSEQ Manager and Irene Risanger Sunde, Quality Management Specialist
The Management System Get to know it. And use it. Risk awareness. Preparedness. Quality. Efficiency. The System is waiting for you. Are you ready?
text Sindre Bø photo Morten Berentsen The new WINO Management System (MS) was launched January 2012 and the HSEQ department is fully engaged in the training process. The primary training is mandatory for all employees and long term consultants, and will be completed by the end of April. Training will be given to new employees. What is it actually? Irene Risanger Sunde, Quality Management Specialist in Wintershall, describes the MS as a digital tool that you need to use actively.
“Maybe you’re experiencing challenges in the planning of a drilling operation or need help in a contract process? Well, then you can use the system to check out how Wintershall Norge has decided to handle such challenges, what is our best practice reflecting corporate standards and regulatory requirements. The Management System is a part of the streamlining and cultural construction of the entire company”, says Risanger Sunde. The good news is that when you learn how to use it, the MS comes in very handy. But why do we need it? And how do we use it?
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Management System
According to Janne Lea, Wintershall HSEQ-manager since January 2010, the Management System is a vital part of the continuous impro-vements and loss prevention in Wintershall. The requirements you need or searching for are usually already known. You do not have to explore a new way of doing things every time. Try to look at it as a method to work safer and more effectively. To put it simply, the system is designed to help you.
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Janne Lea perceives the system as useful in several matters: It contributes to high quality, safe and efficient operations. It reflects compliance to corporate and regulatory requirements. It describes the organisation and decision making authorities. It defines everybody’s roles and responsibilities. It ensures coordinated execution of our activities according to WINO best practice. It provides a basis for training of new staff and contractors. It contributes to simplification and learning and will continuously improve our processes. the right way | 01/12
The new management system is a process oriented system, organized around the flow of different activities. It’s a cultural construction and a collective memory to streamline every operation.
Management System
Richard Heyerdahl, HSEQ-advisor for Wintershall for two years now, sees the MS as a common storage for all employees where you can share practices and capture lessons learned. “It is human to make mistakes, but we should always try to avoid them from happening again, the Management System helps you learn. The ultimate goal is that all the essential information you need to perform your activities shall be accessible in the System. We need to put the company’s collective memory in one place where everyone has access to it.”
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Heyerdahl points out that a risk management system is not worth much if the employees keep on doing their individual assessments like they always have, often isolated from others. “Our system is created because someone already has considered the daily challenges. Someone knows something you don’t know, and the system gives you access to this knowledge.”
WE MAKE THINGS HAPPEN
Janne Lea tells us that the Management System in Wintershall is one large integrated system that addresses the management of the company as a whole. The new MS incorporates the outcome from the ‘Organization Implementation’ project in 2011 (DAIMS), where processes, interface, roles and responsibilities were defined for the various departments. “People should take ownership of the system. Whether you work in finance, procurement, HR, management, exploration or drilling you need to take responsibility for the risk at stake. In the HSEQ department we administrate the system and ensure the MS is implemented in the company’s structure. Now it’s time to start using the new system.” “What challenges do you meet in your efforts to implement the system?” “People are different. Some are eager to learn and pick it up easily. Some are sceptical to structure and formalities, and have difficulty in changing their attitude. Others are more adaptable, even though they have 20-30 years of experience within Winterhall or other companies with other cultures. We appreciate this experience, and invite everyone to suggest improvements.” a
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Management System
The new management system will never be finished. We depend on you as professional employees and users of the system to engage in the continuous improvement of the system. In risk management a mantra is to be ‘wise in advance’. Used properly, the MS will help everyone to cultivate readiness and create a more robust organisation. Being aware and prepared is what it’s all about.
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“But it’s fun to see that when my colleagues ask me questions I can use the MS to find the answers, and experience their ‘a-ha!’.” The MS is process oriented. That means it is organized around the flow of activities across, rather than by, functions or departments. Process orientation ensures that the different roles get involved at the correct place, and strengthens the interaction in the organization.
“In addition the system helps us to give good answers when the PSA ask questions. For instance ‘what has Wintershall done to maintain their see to it duty responsibility?’ The Management System helps us fulfil our responsibilities towards both the authorities and companies with which we cooperate”, says Janne Lea.
“The new MS tells us more precisely who does what and when, and it has improved the interface between the different departments.” Mike Pollard Wells Project Manager
In the HSEQ department Irene Risanger Sunde will be the person that administrates the MS on behalf of the department. She describes her job over the last year as exciting and interesting. “People who see the purpose of the system, start asking for it and using it. Others might consider it as an obstacle. A geologist for instance, might think this system won’t help him find more oil. Nevertheless, everyone has to learn how to use it, and then they will benefit from it! The Management System will help you do your job more consistently, effectively, safely and with a higher quality. For new employees it’s a great opportunity to learn more about the company and its routines.” Sunde admits that working with systems like this never gives you the big popularity prize in the company.
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For Mike Pollard, Wells Project Manager in Wintershall, the big improvement with the new system is that it is more detailed and clarifying. “The new MS tells us more precisely who does what and when, and it has improved the interface between the different departments. The work processes are getting more and more complicated, and we have to have a system that operates smoothly and independently of the people involved in the process.”
HSEQ department
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Here we are:
The HSEQ department Health, Environment, Safety and Quality in Wintershall Norge are organized in the HSEQ Department. In addition there are dedicated HSE people working in Drilling & Well and in the Maria Project.
photo Tom Haga, Morten Berentsen
The HSEQ Department is responsible your safety and well being, onand offshore. We have the overall responsibility for the Wintershall Norge Management System, and to follow up compliance with legal and corporate requirements. We work with the whole organization to establish HSEQ strategies and the annual HMSQ programme. We also prepare and follow up WINO audit program, including internal audits. HSEQ is following up our ‘see to it duty’ towards rig contractors, service providers and partners. We facilitate and are involved in Risk Management processes and constantly monitor our HSEQ performance. Our goal is to develop and maintain a robust and proactive HSE culture.
On the next pages, you can get to know the HSEQ department. In addition Torgils Haugstad will start as an Operational HSE Specialist in the Drilling & Wells Department. From May 2, Sissel Haugen, Senior HSEQ and Cecilie Kristiansen, HSE specialist Technical Safety will join our team.
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Drilling & Well 10
HSEQ department
Reidar Lindeberg Senior Operational HSE Specialist Interests: Sea & sailing, outdoor activities
in the HSEQ dept. supporting Drilling & Well
Sissel Johnsen
Alice Baker
Richard Heyerdahl
Senior Environmental Specialist Interests: Travelling and reading, music, running, yoga and cooking
HSE Management Support Interests: A variety of sports, hunting, fishing and hiking. Collecting 1st editions. Founder and chairman of the Board in Proactima AS.
Administrative support HSEQ Interests: Family and friends, training and outdoor activities. Food and cooking
Jan Fløysvik Senior Operational HSE Specialist Interests: Outdoor activities and together with the family. Have two horses and two ponies.
Andreas K. Skeie Operational HSE Specialist Interests: Sports, fishing and hunting. Active climber/rescue (Red Cross). Skydiving is a main activity for the past three years.
Janne Lea HSEQ Manager Interests: Family with four kids, sports and outdoor activities, reading and loves travelling.
Henrik Ciekals Operational HSE Specialist Interests: Spending time with family and friends, travelling, music and concerts, sports and politics Drilling & Well (permanently)
in the HSEQ dept. supporting Drilling & Well
in the HSEQ dept. partly involved in Maria project
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Irene Risanger Sunde
Rune Ellefsen
Quality Management Specialist Interests: Exercising, mainly running and skiing. Enjoys family and friends, good food and wine, movies and books.
HSE Specialist Risk Management Interests: Training, where soccer is the preferred activity. Enjoys his two children.
Maria project
Randi Morvik
Michael Lima-Charles
Trond Glinda
Senior Specialist HSE Management Interests: Mountaineering & skiing, family and friends. She loves to travel, this year to Germany, Italy and Spain.
Senior Environmental Specialist Interests: Football and skiing, music, geology, environment. Loves science fiction and about science and nature.
Senior HSE Specialist Technical Safety Interests: Grand kids, travel, fishing, hiking and especially Jotunheimen.
Valborg Birkenes Sigbjørn Barlaup Pedersen Senior HSEQ Specialist Interests: Family man and scout leader. Loves hiking, bicycling, skiing and running, Rides an old motorcycle which needs a lot of maintenance.
HSEQ department
Senior Environmental Specialist Interests: Family, sports, yoga and gardening.
in the HSEQ dept partly involved in Maria project
Maria project (permanently)
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It’s all about
openness and learning “A sound HSE culture is defined by the ability to learn from experience. We must always question our way of doing things and nourish dialogue and critical reflection on own practice, and be willing to share and develop knowledge of HSEQ. Organizations with a good HSE culture have good reporting systems for safety and quality.” PSA HSE culture leaflet
text John Sjursø photo Morten Berentsen
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Janne Lea, HSEQ Manager, likes to adopt this quote. “Our Wintershall values are in many ways supporting this description of sound HSE culture. Therefore it is important to anchor these values throughout the organization”, says Lea. “Culture is not just about values and attitudes but also inside our work frame such as knowledge and expertise, technology, economics, rules and regulations, next to more structural issues which influence daily life. In seeking to develop sound HSE culture, it is therefore important to understand how knowledge, values, norms, ideas, attitudes and conditions interact. These are all factors that will influence how we think and interact around health, safety environment and quality. Lea stresses that safety is about preventing serious incidents that can harm people, environment, assets and the company’s reputation.” She is focused ont creating an organizational culture where the various elements within the HSE are balanced.
HSE culture
“In seeking to develop sound HSE culture, it is therefore important to understand how knowledge, values, norms, ideas, attitudes and conditions interact.”
“We need to balance the attention we pay to personal injuries and major accidents, but also emphasize all parts of the HSE, like the external environment and occupational health.” “An open culture with a good information flow and good reporting systems are vital. A new system for reporting – Omnisafe – is now being implemented, and together we are creating a safe and honest reporting culture. We are motivated by continuous learning and improvement, says Lea. “This means that we must be flexible in relation to what the learning requires of us. Evaluations, audits and investigations, for example, are also important sources of learning. When we take a closer look and sometimes investigate, we are not looking for scape goats, but for maximum learning. No stone will be left unturned, and we will go sufficiently in depth to achieve maximum learning. If we are in doubt we may investigate an incident that is not serious and make a critical evaluation. If we think there are things we can learn, we need to stop, and assess what we have done – and to see what we can learn.”
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“But the industry is complex. Does this represents a challenge?” “Yes, of course. But it can also be a strength, if we combine knowledge from different disciplines and different backgrounds. Both the Maria project team and the management group, for example, are interdisciplinary, precisely to facilitate creative discussions and good solutions. It is necessary to see tasks from different angles before we make
a decision and move forward. Therefore, it is also important to develop a culture that emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary work and the need for involvement. Wintershall staff are all part of the same team. We need to have formal and informal venues where issues can be addressed and discussed. This applies of course also in relation to partners.”
images from Bazar Day
“We must learn from the events and evaluate the processes in terms of quality, resources and safety results. Procedures must be described simply, straightforward and clear. Those who do the actual work must be involved so that we have good processes and detailed descriptions where needed.
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HSE culture Well-planned 1. Policy, leadership & commitment 2. Hazards, risks, legal & business requirements 3. Objectives, targets & HSE Programmes
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System improved
5. Training & competence
12. Management review & system improvement
6. Communication & consultation 7. HSE MS documentation 8. Operational control 9. Emergency preparedness & response
Notified
Management system W·I·N·S: continuous improvement
10. Incident reporting, investigation & corrective action 11. Monitoring & measurement
“Wintershall Norway is a young organization. What does it take to build a common culture?” “Last year we put a lot of effort and time into establishing a structure and foundation for good risk management. The result of this work is partly reflected in our new management system. We also worked to establish a common understanding of the Norwegian HSE term. Knowledge of risk management and what it means in relation to proactive HSE work was the last key topic we worked on last year. We arranged courses and did presentations for large parts of the organization. Now it’s gratifying to see that this knowledge is used both in daily operations and for example, when the departments are planning team buildings.
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This year we shall continue the work with our HSE culture using a different approach. Now it’s about anchoring our values. The entire organization is involved in the task of clarifying the safety culture Wintershall wants to be associated with, and is not something that can be defined by the management. Involvement of the individual is crucial to our success. Now we are creating something together! Still, the management plays a vital role as a catalyst and role model. The management’s reputation affects the company’s culture and reputation. Therefore, a healthy and balanced safety focus from us in the leadership is essential to provide a good reputation internally and externally. We are always open to suggestions for improvement”, says Lea, who came to Wintershall from Maersk and the PSA.
in short
We will be prepared The date is November 15, and still some time away. But the preparations are already well in progress, lead by OFFB. “We expect to get over 300 people involved in one of the nations biggest exercises in Emergency Response”, says Randi Morvik, Sr. Specialist HSE Management. The first annual exercise was with GdF Suez in 2011, now it is Wintershalls turn. The rig involved will be Transocean Arctic and at the time of the exercise the rig will be operating on Haltenbanken out of Kristiansund. The list of participating companies/ authorities is long: The police (Nordmøre Jurisdiction), Kristiansund Hospital,
the Civil Army, our Next of Kin reception centre (Thon Hotel) and the ER organisation in Kristiansund Municipal Council will play an active role in the exercise. In addition some of our contractors (Halliburton, Baker Hughes and Møkster) are invited to take part. Also to be mentioned among the participants are the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre (JRCC) and WIHO. The scenario will be a Major Accident scenario, and the exercise will go on the whole day. In addition the media will play a central role. “We want this exercise to be very realistic, so we can learn from the experience”, says Randi Morvik.
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A special group is developing an exercise play scenario, hour by hour, minute by minute to be played out during the excersise. The scenario is not revealed to the exercise staff, because everyone must act according to plans and procedures as if it was a real incident.
Yoga at work, works Now you can practise this during work hours, and lower you shoulders together with you coworkers. It is proven through research that yoga reduces stress levels in your brain and body. We are therefore pleased to invite all of you to take part in our yoga sessions here at work. Come to the town hall area to take part and get a taste of it. You do not need to have any experience from yoga; the only thing you need to bring is YOURSELF! Please contact Siri Opedal for more information!
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Safety is in the small details – In climbing, every little detail is safety. The belayer must be experienced. All the equipment used in climbing has an expiry date. The ropes, for example, are replaced after a season even if they are not used. Climbing gives you a kick and it requires an extreme concentration. Your attention is very focused and the rest of the world is gone.
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Sølvi Eik, a geologist working in the Production and Development department, enjoys recreational activities where nothing is left to chance. Her childhood in beautiful Uskedalen, in the neighbourhood of the Rosendal Alps in Hardanger, could explain why she is so happy climbing the wall at Sørmarka Arena with other enthusiasts. The snowy white glacier Folgefonna near her home could perhaps explain why she crosses the Greenland ice, climbs Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and the Aconcagua in Argentina. To Sølvi, sport climbing and mountaineering are similar sports. It is all about being well prepared to challenge herself and to master the challenge. Sport climbing is done either on the indoor climbing wall, or preferably outdoors – weather permitting. In Rogaland, there are many good areas for climbing around Sandnes, Dale and towards Høle.
text John Sjursø photo Morten Berentsen, private
Sølvi Eik, Geologist
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“Here we have bolted many routes between 10 to 30 meters”, she says. “We use expansion bolts, which are drilled into the solid rock 1.5 to 2 meters apart, a typical team effort, but it’s always the one who puts the bolts in that takes the first ascent. Route selection is important, and all loose objects must be removed for obvious safety reasons.”
portrait
Sølvi is a member of Bratte Rogalands Venner, a climbing organization that has experienced a growth from 200 to 400 members after the climbing wall in Sørmarka was opened to the public. “It means that we have many beginners who need training. To get started you need a special license that confirms that you have learned to belay and clip in the rope during the ascent. Most beginners stay indoors, but personally I prefer to climb outside. It requires careful preparation and concentration. We are also dependent on dry, fine weather, which means that we have some challenges in our wet climate. April and May, however, are generally fine months. When it rains, we spend the time finding new climbing walls. This is exciting too.”
“A strong personal focus, but teamwork?” “We must always be two persons. Individual skills are very important, but you are also completely dependent on the person who secures you: the belayer. We take turns, alternating between climbing and belaying.
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Mountaineering requires the same careful preparations as climbing. Before the trip to Greenland, we pulled heavy tires on the beach as training for pulling a heavy sleigh for 25 days. The mental preparation is also important: it is incredibly important to set small goals. It could be looking forward to a chocolate bar for lunch, or having a meal. It is important not to look too far ahead, and enjoy your small victories as you go. During a long trip like that, the participants get to know each other extremely well, and soon become very aware of how dependent they are on each other. If a participant is struggling a bit, others step up for support. On our trip over Greenland, it was important to think collectively to make progress. Up in the high mountains taking your time is important. To avoid altitude sickness, we move in small steps. Acclimatization is important. And like climbing: Safety in every detail”, emphasizes Sølvi.
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Heart starter training will save lives! Cardiac arrest is the most common cause of death in Norwegian workplaces, and by placing heart starters in the offices you double the survival rate, if you actually use them and do CPR while waiting for the ambulance. text Ingveig Tveranger photo Morten Berentsen
Did you know? The Stavanger region has a survival rate of 30% if a heart problem occurs. In comparison New York only has 1%. The reason is that Norwegians in general have good first aid training.
Heart starters in Wintershall: Reception area Kitchen near finance department
The company Total Safety and manager Morten Aardal is training staff in the use of the heart starters for Wintershall. Before the summer, he will do three more trainings, thus providing all staff with better chances if the worst should happen. Private heart starters new trend “We actually see a new trend, people want to have a heart starter at home”, says Aardal. People get together and get one between them in a street or in a community, up in the mountains or in neighbourhoods. “A very interesting development, but perhaps natural as the heart starters are coming down in price. I see this particularly in the oil business”, he says. Get to know the equipment First aid, CPR and the use of a heart starter are not rocket science. “It is a stressful situation for people if they have to do it in a real situation, therefore we recommend that people get familiar with what needs to be done in the office if something should happen”, Aardal explains. The machine speaks to you – giving instructions “In our trainings we use the heart starter, and it actually talks to you, giving instructions. It is very simple, and there is no way you can go
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wrong. The heart starter measures the heart rate and pulse of the person in question, says Aardal. He is sure that the small machine will be able to save lives, even if the Wintershall offices and Jåttåvågen are just minutes away from the University Hospital in Stavanger. 30 compressions 2 breathings The first minutes are important if someone is under suspicion of having a cardiac arrest. Stay focused and follow instructions. Make sure you do heart compressions, 30 in a row, then 2 breathings into the person’s lungs. Keep going until the ambulance arrives. “We know that people have survived after more than one hour, so don’t loose hope, keep going, do all you can, listen to the machine, encourages the experienced first aid trainer.” A life is a life “Familiar yourself with the heart starter locations. Remember, a life is important no matter what position you hold, high or low. Bear in mind that the heart starter does not ask any questions; it just improves your chances tremendously.”
Big improvements For almost two years Richard Heyerdahl has has been engaged by Wintershall to support the company in HSE related work. During this period, he has witnessessed the company moving from a new and minor organisation in the Norwegian oil business, to the large and expanding independent operator of today with over 170 employees from 17 nations.
All together the HSEQ department consists of 15 dedicated ‘safety hunters’, trying to realize Wintershall’s vision of zero harm to people, the environment, assets and reputation. Among their responsibilities are: Monitor, report and follow up HSEQ performance.
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text Sindre Bø photo Guri Dahl, private
Provide and support the organization with specialized HSEQ resources, information and advice. Contribute actively to continous improvements and transfer of HSEQ knowledge within Wintershall and to our partners and contractors. Emergency response.
Richard Heyerdahl finds it exciting to participate in Wintershall’s development in all these matters. When Heyerdahl started in Wintershall the company was strongly influenced by the Revus culture with a certain Revus language. ‘This is how we are used to doing it’ was a refrain he heard several times.
According to Heyerdahl the company and the employees have made tremendous progress within the HSE area. “As a result of growth comes the need for a more structured management system. Last year we focused on establishing an understanding of what a good safety culture is all about and to teach everyone at Wintershall a common terminology. In 2012 our main objective will be to ensure that the Management System is actually used and that the way everyone works is in compliance with both the company’s and the Norwegian authority’s expectations.”
“During the last couple of years this culture has been substituted by a Wintershall culture. All departments have grown significantly, and there are more levels in the organisation. At the same time, the company is still recruiting employees from different companies and different nationalities. Getting everyone to learn and accept the Wintershall culture and continously improve the common understanding of an effective safety management, is a neverending process. If we keep on working the same way we always have, we would get the same results that we always have got. If we want to improve our results, we have to improve the way we work.”
Richard Heyerdahl HSE Management Support
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High activity
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Drilling & Wells Manager Ellen Braune leads Wintershall’s unique Drilling & Wells Department. “We are special, because we have integrated HSE people working directly with Operations, she explains. People and safety are on top of her list.”
Many challenges ahead Ellen Braune and her 25 colleagues in Operations will not be out of work any time soon. This year Wintershall is planning to drill five wells with four different rigs. Lined up are Borgland Dolphin, Transocean Arctic, Songa Delta and Bredford Dolphin. “We have a tight drilling programme, and our challenge is to prepare the rigs for operation and execute the planning process with high quality. This year we have one full rig intake, Transocean Arctic and one partial rig intake, the Bredford Dolphin. Bredford will come directly from a yard stay and we will do a thorough check to inspect all sides of the rig before we send it offshore, Braune explains. In comparison Wintershall drilled one well in 2011.”
text Ingveig Tveranger photo Morten Berentsen, Guri Dahl
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Ellen Braune is very pleased to have HSE people working in Operations, reporting directly to her. “To my knowledge, we are the only oil company doing it this way. It gives a lot of advantages, especially since we think HSE in every bit of planning and operation. Being responsible for our exploration activities I do all in my power to make sure people and their safety comes first. Taking care of the environment is another important area.”
Proactive thinking “We do a lot of proactive thinking, we want to be ahead and look many steps forward.” Braune and her Operations people are always considering the risk picture and work to eliminate factors that can trigger big unwanted situations. With the personnel on the rigs Wintershall share their mind set, trying to make all staff and drilling people in particular to see the big picture. Braune stresses that it is important for the crew to use proactive process based thinking, beyond the specific defined job task both on- and offshore. “Every little bit is linked to another; no one is stronger than the weakest link.”
New learning Macondo put the oil business in a new modus. “For us in Wintershall it means that our internal requirements are redefined and tightened. We have been able to set the company corporate requirements on the agenda, and agreed on a common way of handling operation with some country specific deviations. We are in the process of outlining a common well delivery work process that will help us to do it the same way across the different projects. This is important to ensure the quality we need to have in all planning and execution of wells.”
Reducing risk “Our business is constantly developing, and when you take a closer look you always see a room for improvement. Some of the things we have looked at after the Macondo are the BOP configurations and the whole business has put a question mark on the reliability of this important system. This can lead to new regulations. Our organisational set up and Management of Change process are two other areas that have been evaluated. We must always be open to learn from these disasters to reduce the risk for it to happen again”, Braune commented.
Asking the important questions PSA has a high focus on major incident potentials. Wintershall Norge has put a lot of effort to build this potential major incident risk into the risk picture. “We try to make a difference by always asking the right questions so we can be able to reduce the risk as much as possible. That is why it is extremely important to be proactive and always look forward, what are the risks we face today and tomorrow, not what happened yesterday”, Braune says.
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Ellen Braune Drilling & Wells Manager
Still, the company is learning every day. “If we have a minor incident we follow it up as well, but we will only put special focus on the incident if it had a bigger potential. We put the learning into our work processes to reduce the chances for it to happen again. We are arranging seminars and workshops for the drill crew offshore and our staff who plan the wells to detail, to get us all in on the same risk picture.”
New management system Braune is happy to have a new management system in place. “This makes us all do the job along the same process, and I consider this also as a safety barrier. We do the job consistently overt time and that builds competence and confidence”, she says.
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Mette Valeur, VP Operations & Customer Service ScreenCancer and Prof. Dr. Med Dagfinn Øgreid, Director of Oncology
Free cancer screening text Ingveig Tveranger photo Morten Berentsen, private
It is well documented that between 30 and 40 % of the population will be affected by cancer during their lifetime. The research actually expects the numbers to rise to nearly 50 % in the future. Wintershall is offering free cancer screening for all staff on a regular basis, for the six most common cancer types: mole cancer, prostate-, lung-, bladder-, bowl- and breast cancer.
Solfrid Vestly, ScreenCancer
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Wintershall is working with medical staff in ScreenCancer who provide approved and well-documented tests. – We come to the office and test those who have accepted the offer. All the staff get an e-mail with a questionnaire, and together we work out a risk profile and the relevant tests for each person. Then they can book time in a digital
calendar and come and see us for a test and a consultation at their chosen time during work hours, explains nurse Solfrid Vestly in ScreenCancer. Vestly makes it crystal clear all the information is treated with strict confidentiality. “Both the test and the results are private, and are not revealed to the employer. The only thing we report back to Wintershall is general statistics for accountability reasons, since the company pays for the testing.” “We know that we reach many people who would not see their doctor for such tests, and cancer discovery at an early stage will help save lives, so we believe this is a great preventive offer”, says Vestly.
PSA’s main priorities for 2012 Management and major accident risk Management at all levels of the industry must work to reduce major accident risk, and ensure that this work is pursued in an integrated manner.
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text Sindre Bø
The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA, in Norwegian PTIL) calls for special attention to certain main priorities for 2012. These are useful to examine for everyone working in the oil business in general, but especially for operational personnel, line Managers, Top Management and other personnel with HSEQ-responsibility. The priorities are management, technical and operational barriers, preventing environmental harm and groups particularly exposed to risk. The PSA is the first authority that has chosen to regulate the safety culture. The theme pamphlet ‘HSE AND CULTURE’, launched in 2004, provides perspectives on how to understand the concept ‘HSE culture’. Here we can read that a culture is not defined as an individual quality. It constantly develops through the interaction between people and specified frame of conditions. The PSA stresses that a sound HSE culture is:
a reporting culture a just culture a flexible culture a learning culture
You can read more about this and other relevant issues on the PSA website www.ptil.no, where you can choose among Norwegian, English, Russian and Polish languages. Take the time to check the whole PSA-website. Thus you easily find out which sections are relevant to you and your colleagues. Make it a routine to check for updates, or simply register for the newsletter Ptil produces once every 24 hours. Among the useful contents on www.ptil.no you can find PSA’s annual reports and other publications, in depth information about the Deepwater Horizon/Macondo accident, facts and statistics on the Norwegian oil industry and a useful glossary of offshore terminology with abbreviations etc. In addition you find links to co-ordinating authorities and cooperating administrative agencies.
The other main priorities are: Barriers Safety barriers must be maintained in an integrated and consistent manner in order to minimise the risk of a major accident. Natural environment The industry must work purposefully to prevent accidents which can cause acute discharges. Groups exposed to risk The companies must reduce the threat of injury and illness for groups particularly exposed to such risks through specific measures, and promote inclusion.
If you haven’t done it already, bookmark www.ptil.no as one of your favorites!
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Wintershall Norge ASA Kanalpiren, Hinna Park Laberget 28 NO 4020 Stavanger Norway Phone: +47 51 82 24 00 Fax: +47 51 91 06 11 info@wintershall-norge.com