HSE and DRILLING FLUIDS

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 Introduction
This presentation will cover the following drilling fluid Health,
Safety and Environmental topics:

HS&E fundamentals, philosophy and targets

The importance of HS&E control measures
The importance of HS&E Management Systems

Managing hazardous drilling fluid chemicals safely:

Identification
Handling

Managing Non Aqueous Fluids safely (to be covered later in

the course)
Safe handling of NAF
Fundamental & important handling procedures
NAF Spill prevention techniques
NAF discharge monitoring 2
 Question
Why is it necessary to have comprehensive HS&E control
measures and management systems?

Answer
Leaving HS&E to chance will inevitably result in the following
serious consequences:
Greatly increase the possibility of personal accidents, injuries
and even deaths
Greatly increase the possibility of environmental spills and
incidents which may:
Damage the environment
Seriously impact the ability of the operating company to
continue in business
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 HS&E Control Measures & Management Systems

To be in control of safety there are 4 important questions to ask:

1. What are the hazards?
2. What are and risks?
3. Are they under control?
4. How can we best manage the hazards and risks?

If we precede EVERY decision with these 4 questions, we’re half

way home.

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 HS&E Control Measures & Management Systems

…some of the worst hazards are invisible, like…

voodoo curses!
and…..
poorly trained people
ambiguous safety policy
a lack of commitment
self delusion: “we’ve got
everything under control”

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 HS&E Control Measures & Management Systems

Conclusions

Some hazards and risks are obvious, others are invisible or difficult
to identify

Comprehensive HS&E control measures and management

systems are fundamental to identifying, eliminating and/or
managing hazard and risk, whether obvious or difficult to identify

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 HS&E Control Measures & Management Systems

Conclusions
If correctly and thoroughly structured, HS&E control measures
and management systems will accomplish the following:

Identify hazards
Safely manage those hazards
Identify risks
Where possible, eliminate those risks
Where not possible, manage those risks
Provide training and awareness systems designed to
achieve the above
Promote continuous improvement
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 Health & Safety Philosophy

Fundamental principals
Your Health & Safety is primarily your own
responsibility

Your actions will directly impact the Health &

Safety of others

We all have a duty to support and promote the

Health and Safety of others

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 Health & Safety

The role of employers

Provide & maintain workplaces, plant and systems of work, as
far as practicable, to ensure employees are not exposed to
hazards

Provide information and training

Consult and cooperate with H&S reps

Where the presence of hazards is unavoidable, provide

adequate personal protective equipment

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 Health & Safety
The role of employees
Take reasonable care to ensure your own health and safety

Avoid adversely affecting the health or safety of others

Comply with instructions for health & safety

Wear personal protective equipment provided

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 Drilling Fluids
Fundamental HS&E Targets
No environmental
spills

No accidents
or injuries

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 Drilling Fluids

Health & Safety Targets

Identify the hazards and risks, particularly hazardous fluids & materials

Ensure safe handling of hazardous fluids & materials

Educate and train personnel

Promote continuous improvements in safety

Design effective systems and procedures to achieve all the above

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 Drilling Fluids

Environmental Targets

Identify region-specific environmental concerns

Legislation compliance

Company environmental policy compliance

Technical justification for drilling fluid selection

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 Drilling Fluids

Environmental Targets
Identify drilling fluid spill hazards and risks

Planning and contingencies designed to contain hazardous

drilling fluids and eliminate spill risks

Educate and train personnel

Promote continuous improvements

Design effective systems and procedures to achieve all the

above

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Managing and handling hazardous
materials
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 Health hazard & risk
Definitions
A HEALTH HAZARD IS:
The potential of an agent to cause harm to health

A HEALTH RISK IS:

The likelihood that an agent will cause harm in the actual
circumstances of exposure

RISK = HAZARD x EXPOSURE

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 Hazardous materials
The effect on a person of a hazardous material depends on:
The nature of the hazardous material
The site of the action
The amount of the hazardous material involved (“dose”)
The reaction of the individual (“susceptibility”)

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 Hazardous materials – hazardous effects

Local effects: Systemic effects:

Skin and eye irritation & Central nervous system
burns (headaches, nausea,
dizziness)
Skin defatting leading to
dermatitis Cardiovascular system
(CO poisoning)
Sensitisation (allergy) and
asthma
Teratogenic and
carcinogenic
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 Hazardous materials – hazardous effects

Chemical hazardous effects may be :

ACUTE - effects lasting minutes, hours or days e.g.

irritation

CHRONIC - effects lasting weeks, months or years

e.g. occupational asthma

Effects may be reversible or irreversible

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 Hazardous materials - routes of entry

Inhalation

Ingestion (swallowing)

Skin and eye contact

Injection

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The Skin
One of the body’s biggest organs
– one major function is protection
Composed of the outer
(epidermal) and inner (dermal)
layer
Major protection provided by the
outer layer
Irritant contact dermatitis - a
common skin disease which
results from direct contact with a
chemical
Effects occur only where contact
occurs and can range from a
redness to blistering and formation
of pustules

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 Injuries caused by chemical substances

Caustic burns - cleaning dregs from a tank - no PPE

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Injuries caused by chemical substances

A caustic burn
at the back of
the ankle

The same
caustic burn one
week later

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 Injuries caused by chemical substances

Caustic material in the eye

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 Injuries caused by chemical substances

Sulphuric acid burn

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 Hazardous materials
Classification

There are 2 grades of hazardous material classification:

1. Dangerous goods

2. Hazardous substances

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 Hazardous materials
Essential information:

Essential information for identifying and handling

hazardous chemicals is relayed in the following 3 ways:

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Chemical wall charts

Labels

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 MSDS Information
Material safety data sheets contain the following information:

Product Identification Physical and chemical properties

Composition, information on ingredients Stability and reactivity

Hazard identification Toxicological data

First aid measures Ecological data

Fire fighting measures Disposal considerations

Accidental release measures Transport information

Handling and storage measures Regulatory information

Exposure controls, personal protection Miscellaneous information

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 MSDS at the workplace

Ensure that the following practices are followed regarding MSDS

information at the workplace:

Provide active up-to-date Material Safety Data Sheet files

covering all drilling fluid chemicals on location

Distribute these MSDS files to the OIM, Medic and sack

storage / mixing areas

Update the active MSDS file list whenever a new item is

received

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 Chemical wallchart Information

Chemical wallcharts contain the following information:

Product name First aid treatment

Colour code Fire fighting media

UN code Action for spillage

HAZCHEM label Personal protection data

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Chemical wall chart Information at the workplace

Display chemical wall

charts at all the key
locations

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Hazardous materials - Examples of hazchem labels

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Personal protective equipment (PPE)
for handling & mixing drilling fluids

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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for handling drilling fluids

Hard hat

Gloves, long rubber gloves for handling

hazardous materials

Coveralls, i.e. long sleeved to cover as

much body skin as possible, rubber apron
when handling hazardous materials
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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for handling drilling fluids

Boots - recommend rubber

or treated leather

Eye Protection, glasses,

goggles or full face mask (as
appropriate)

Dust mask, particulate filter mask,

respirator (as appropriate)
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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for
handling drilling fluids

Ensure PPE being worn

is in good condition and
provides the desired
protection !!

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 Handling fluids & chemicals – risk control
Fumes and dust:

Install fume and dust extraction equipment over

mixing hoppers, shale shakers and mud pit area

Plate over mud pits

Provision of masks for dust protection

Provision of particulate filters and respirators as

necessary

Rotate personnel working in high risk areas to

minimise exposure
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 Handling Fluids & Chemicals – risk control

Housekeeping:

Immediate clean-up of dry chemical spills

Immediate clean-up of drilling fluid spills
Dedicated Hazchem storage
Labelling on all four sides and top of palletised
materials

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 Mud chemical mixing
Steps for doing the job safely

1. Preparation

2. Mixing chemicals

3. Cleaning up

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 Mud chemical mixing
Steps for doing the job safely

Step 1 - Preparation:

Check the chemicals to be mixed:

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets)
Wall charts

Obtain appropriate tools, eg. barrel pump, etc

Inspect the condition of the chemicals to be mixed

Obtain appropriate PPE and WEAR IT

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 Mud chemical mixing
Steps for doing the job safely
Step 2 - Mixing:

Check that hopper is running and that every thing is lined up

correctly

When handling sacks ensure they are conveniently positioned and

use correct lifting procedures

Be aware of any forklift operations

Close the hopper any time chemical is not being mixed

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 Mud chemical mixing
Steps for doing the job safely

Step 3 - Cleaning up:

Inform derrickman, pump man or supervisor that job is complete

Tidy up mixing area

Dispose correctly of empty sacks and drums

Dispose correctly of any pallet waste, e.g. banding, wood &

plastic wrapping

Ensure forklift is parked in designated area with forks lowered

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 Jewellery

CAN BE DANGEROUS

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SAFETY APPLIES IN ALL ASPECTS
OF LIFE NOT JUST WORK

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 Safety Briefing
Some hazards are predictable and
considered a normal part of the job.

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 Safety Briefing

Some hazards are NOT predictable and are

considered a normal part of the job.

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 Safety Briefing
Some hazards are geographically dependent.. We
need to be aware of the hazards unique to the
area..

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 Safety Briefing # 31546

But over time, the two most likely hazards that

can seriously affect your mental and physical
well being are . . . . . . .

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 Safety Briefing # 31546

And that’s why we love it.

LET’S GET BACK TO WORK

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