From the inception of the oilfield, risk has been a part of the business. Most everyone agrees that the first oil well in the world was drilled by Colonel Edwin Drake in Pennsylvania in 1859, a whopping 21 meters in depth, which equals 68’ 10”. However, that is not the case—at least that well was […]
Safety: Let’s Have a Meeting!
Greetings and salutations! It is my sincere hope that by the time this edition hits the press that the price of oil has crept back up and everyone has started ramping back up! Between the coronavirus, the quarantine, riots, and the Saudis and Russians seeing who can drop the prices the fastest, it has been […]
No Time to Back off Safety
As companies start recovering from the coronavirus debacle and the major downturn due to oil prices, the time has come to focus on rebuilding a sustainable business, especially in the field of safety. Some companies just continue to rebuild following the same philosophies and principles that have been carried on for years. It is a […]
H2S: Subtle But Deadly
Greetings and salutations my fellow safety enthusiasts. Another day and another dollar, if the oil price goes back up, lol. We’ve been through downturns before, and in all likelihood we will go through it again. I think this is the 7th downturn that I’ve experienced in my short 49 years in the Patch—give or take […]
So You Want to be in Safety!
Greetings and salutations to this month’s column on Safety. As you may know, I started in the oilfield in 1971. This was also the same year that OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) started up as well. It has been a long road for both of us. There is no doubt that it will continue […]
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Greetings and salutations! Another great day in the wide world of safety, said no one ever, LOL. Not many people even like the subject of safety, but it is extremely popular among safety people. It’s kind of like when engineers get together and tell engineer jokes, when no one understands the jokes except for engineers. […]
Safety is First!
Greetings and salutations from the safety world! I hope the holidays were safe, memorable, and happy! Word has it that the oilfield is slowing down a bit. Hopefully, the slowdown is just a small correction. I’ve noticed over the years, the oilfield has changed in the sense that the calendar 4th quarter tends to slow […]
Holiday Safety
Season’s Greetings and salutations my friends! I hope this month’s message finds you safe and prosperous. Instead of the usual oilfield safety conversation, this month will be on holiday safety, which pertains to all of us, especially our family and friends. As you know, the holiday season is not necessarily a happy occasion for us […]
Accident Investigation
Greetings and salutations! Welcome to another fun edition in the land of safety. As I mentioned in the previous edition, this month I’m going to talk about Root Cause. Root cause analysis and its process is always one of the most fun topics in the oilfield, said no one ever. The first and most important […]
The Cafeteria Plan
Welcome back! I thank you for the feedback and responses to the safety section of Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine. It is fun to write about some experiences, solutions, and different angles on how to make safety relevant, innovative, and even (sometimes) thought provoking. As I’ve said before, there are numerous different angles to […]