Petroleum Asset and Monitoring (HSE)

The HSE/Measurement Division regulates all surface facilities that make up the energy sector, across the spectrum of the value chain, and has two critical portfolios to manage as per legal requirements of the Petroleum Act and Regulations.

Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) portfolio

Relates to ‘Prevention and Control’ of HSE loss related events via properly management of risks, which have the potential to cause harm, damage or undesirable consequences to people, property and the environment. This portfolio also safeguards the State against transfer of economic liabilities associated with downtime, pollution and accident.

Measurement portfolio

Relates to accurately determining that the quality and quantity of

• Extracted and sold raw or crude energy resources and
• Manufactured products retailed to end users.

On the upstream side, this portfolio ensures that the State derives fair and equitable returns on produced resources. While on the downstream side, this portfolio ensures that end consumers get the correct specification and quantity for refined or processed product purchased.

These two portfolios though distinct and separate share a commonality, owing to the energy based installations where processing, handling and commercial transactions occur. Whenever any energy installation is approved or inspected for acceptability, the HSE and measurement technologies that make up the facilities are evaluated simultaneously in making a judgement.

Goals and Objectives

In performing the HSE/Measurement roles, functions and responsibilities the following goals and objectives are to be realised:

1. Economic Goal:
   1. Ensure no errors in determination of quantity and quality of
      1. Produced resources (fiscalisation)
      2. Retailed products (taxation/quality control)
   2. Ensure no unauthorised deviations in Exploration, Development and Operational Plans
   3. Minimise cost over runs on projects being granted tax concessions
   4. Promote Business Continuity
2. HSE Loss Prevention and Control Goal:
   1. Ensure proper management of risks so as to prevent serious HSE risks from  manifesting and becoming incidents, which carry the potential to:
      1. Impact negatively on people, property and the environment
      2. Become an socio-economic liability that can be transferred to the State
   2. Ensure a level of preparedness among operators to deal with emergencies and minimise consequences and rippling effects.

In understanding how the HSE/Measurement Division delivers on the above, the following must be noted:

Sectors Regulated

In administering the regulatory coverage the HSE/M Division work has been distributed in the following sectors:

1. Upstream E &P – Facilities regulated include the Exploratory Rigs, Seismic Survey Vessels, Onshore Terminals, Offshore Platforms, Gathering Stations and High Daily Rate (HDR) Contracted Vessels, etc.
2. Transportation/Oil Loss – Facilities regulated in this sector include Transmission Distribution Pipelines, Well Sites, Transportation Vessels such as RTWs, HDR Pipelaying Barges, etc.
3. Storage & Marketing – Facilities regulated in this sector include Bunkering/ Wholesale Facilities, Service Stations, CNG Stations, Commercial Diesel and LPG Storages.
4. Refining & Petrochemical – Facilities regulated in this sector include LNG Terminals, Gas Processing, Methanol/ Ammonia Plants and the Refinery Plants. Quality control monitoring of all refined products sold to end consumers also fall under this sector.
5. Measurement – Facilities regulated in this sector include all quality and quantity Devices or Equipment used at Fiscal Points for Crude Sale Tanks, Gas Metering Skids, Provers, Sampling.

Departmental Functions

The HSE/Measurement Division is responsible for administration of regulatory framework in accordance with the Petroleum Act and subsidiary Regulations, through continuous 24/7 regulatory coverage of all energy asset infrastructures from upstream to downstream ends of the value chain.

Core duties related are as follows:

1. Facility Approvals governing
   • New Built
   • Modified/Upgraded
   • Reinstatement after a major accident
   • Relocation of foreign used facilities to Trinidad and Tobago
   • Life Extensions of existing facilities
2. Loss Prevention Inspection Programmes
   • Annual Inspection
   • Three-year audits of Safety Management Systems
   • Assessment of third-party development applications
3. Loss Control Intervention Activities
   • Incident Investigations
   • Pollution Response
   • Pollution Compensation Mediation
   • Coordination of National Oil Spill Contingency Programme
   • Assessment of Emergency Response Drills
4. Monitoring of Fiscal Measurement Operations
   • Crude cargoes for sales
   • Natural Gas and Condensate sales
   • Investigate Measurement Breaches/Infractions
   • Assessment and approval of measurement devices

Work Programme Philosophy

Every facility that make up the energy sector is assessed for approval in a first instance and inspected thereafter,; annually or periodically as necessary, for determining where the system should be allowed to operate. The objectives are to determine:

• Fitness-for-Purpose (only applicable at inception)
• Fitness-for-Continuous Operations (maintenance, de-rating operating conditions, etc.,)
• End-of-Life i.e., when to take system out of service based on benefit versus liabilities

Work performed by the departmental units within the HSE/M Division also takes into account matters affecting the public, State and other stakeholder groups who the MEEA is required to interface and conduct related work activities in conjunction with, such as:

1. Town and Country Planning Division
2. Environmental Management Authority
3. Maritime Division
4. Ministry of Works and Transport, Transport Division
5. Occupational Safety and Health  Authority
6. Fire Services Division
7. Office of Disaster Preparedness

ADMINISTRATIVE

Manpower Resources

During the period under review, the HSE/M Division had the under mentioned manpower resources: