(54cz) Human Factors Engineering Checklist for Shale Hydrocarbon Owner-Operators

Shale rock formations lie more than a mile beneath the earth’s surface and contain natural gas deposits trapped inside tiny spaces within the rock. The hydrocarbons are extracted from the shale rock using a process known as hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.” This involves first drilling both vertically and then horizontally to the depth of the formation to expose more of the shale. Once the hole is drilled and the formation is reached, gallons of water, sand, and manmade chemicals are injected into the well under high pressure. The combination of the high pressure fluids and materials create small factures in the formation releasing the hydrocarbons.

Fracking is decades old technology that has gained attention from the public eye in recent years due to environmental and safety concerns. The environmental challenges range from groundwater contamination and air pollution to increasing traffic. As a result, Oil and Gas companies follow Best Management Practices (BMPs) for construction and operation of the drilling site including roads for the transport of heavy equipment, leveling of the site, structures for erosion control, the excavation of pits to hold drilling fluids, and the placement of racks to hold the drill pipe and casings. The dangers present for hydraulic fracturing workers include vehicle accidents; respirable silica sand; explosions and fires; and exposure to chemicals. While United States government organizations are working with shale producers to develop and implement environmental and health regulations for activities at shale hydrocarbon exploration and production sites, the safety culture of the worker in some companies tends to be overshadowed by the pressures to capitalize on the opportunities. The pressure to capitalize on the shale production opportunities is in part driven by the break-even production costs, which has decreased from $80/bbl to $35/bbl since 2013. Therefore the need for shale producers to stay vigilant and address corporate safety culture is ever more important to avoid unnecessary injuries and accidents.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported between 2003 and 2009 that in the oil and gas extraction industry there is an annual occupational fatality rate of 27.5 per 100,000 workers, which is seven times higher for all other workers in the United States. Additionally, in 2013, the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported a 23 percent annual rise in Oil and Gas fatalities. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a division of the United States Department of Labor, assures safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards. These standards require employers to provide a safe working environment, including but not limited to shale production sites. One component of these standards is 29 CFR 1910 which set the minimum human factors design requirements related to the typical operations and maintenance activities conducted by any Owner of shale production companies.

Owners of shale exploration and production companies are mostly unfamiliar with Human Factors Engineering requirements because Shale Exploration and Operation opportunities are often fast tracked to increase profitability. Consequently, issues surrounding worker safety may not be realized until it’s too late or may be overlooked all together. Therefore, the need to develop new approaches or improve on existing ones and consider mechanisms to incorporate human factors requirements to avoid negative effects associated with fracking is even more important.

A checklist is presented whereby the Owners and Operators of Shale exploration and production facilities can ensure that the minimum human factors requirements are integrated into their machinery units before they are put into operation. The checklist is intended to provide a uniform and economical approach to identify safety concerns in remote worksites based on, and supported by, various industry codes and standards. When well-implemented and managed, the checklist allows for a systematic identification of issues, after which the Owner-Operators can use the results to make trade-off decisions or find alternative solutions. An added benefit from using this checklist is that it can aids in early identification of risks that can potentially compromise the safety and integrity of personnel and the overall achievement of enterprise objectives and goals.