COS Announces Winners of the 2022 Safety Leadership Awards

HOUSTON, September 20, 2022 – The Center for Offshore Safety (COS) has announced the winners of the 2022 Safety Leadership Awards during its Annual Safety Forum. The awards recognize companies for their outstanding leadership in developing safety management and performance practices and projects that advance the offshore industry’s culture of safety.

“This year’s winners leveraged research and experience to develop processes and tools to mitigate risks and enhance safety in offshore operations,” COS Senior Director Russell Holmes said. “The COS Safety Awards provide a venue to share good practices, learn from each other, and support the industry’s commitment to continuously improve safety."

The two 2022 Safety Leadership Awards winners are:

• ExxonMobil: Enhancing Process Safety through Scenario Based Assessments. As part of a multi-year effort, ExxonMobil developed an Enhancing Process Safety (EPS) program that includes identification of higher-consequence scenarios, defined ownership of critical safeguards and field-based Safety and Environmental Management System (SEMS) assessments. EPS assessments involve in-field demonstration of the health of personnel and equipment safeguards that prevent or mitigate higher-consequence scenarios. This method allows for understanding how different management systems work together to support healthy safeguards and provides insight on these system interactions. Since ExxonMobil first piloted the scenario assessment methodology in 2017, a group of dedicated assessors has conducted external assessments on more than 50 process safety scenarios across upstream, midstream, refining and chemicals sites. The results of these assessments have provided deeper opportunities for learning and focused the organization on more impactful improvement opportunities.
• Oceaneering: Onshore Remote Operations: Oceaneering International, Inc. has designed and deployed a subsea, remotely operated vehicle system called Liberty E-ROV, a self-contained, battery-powered Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The Liberty E-ROV is operated from a remote onshore location and can conduct subsea work missions for up to two months without a surface support vessel. The combination of the Liberty and onshore remote operating center eliminates the need for vessels and personnel to travel to and from offshore, reducing exposure to high-risk environments as well as offshore injuries and environmental incidents. Since 2018, the Liberty has performed over 100 missions and safely executed 11,300 dive hours moving more than 3,800 personnel days from offshore to onshore. Compared to conventional ROV topside support and service, the Liberty led to more than 75% reduction in topside crew and vessel support.

The COS Board reviews all nominations and selects finalists for the operator and contractor categories. The annual COS Forum showcases finalists each fall to emphasize the significant contributions of its members’ successful new projects and programs. Winners are then determined by vote during the Forum by the Board and attendees.

The 2022 award winners have been important stakeholders on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for decades, and their contributions are integral to the advancement of offshore safety.

The Center for Offshore Safety is an industry-led initiative established in 2011 to promote continuous safety improvement for offshore drilling, completions and operations. COS accomplishes this goal through effective leadership, communication, teamwork, disciplined management systems, and independent third-party auditing and certification. Learn more about COS and information on how to become a member at www.centerforoffshoresafety.org.

API represents all segments of America’s natural gas and oil industry, which supports more than 11 million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of millions of Americans. Our approximately 600 members produce, process and distribute the majority of the nation’s energy, and participate in API Energy Excellence®, which is accelerating environmental and safety progress by fostering new technologies and transparent reporting. API was formed in 1919 as a standards-setting organization and has developed more than 800 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability.