Stories

KBR's Stuart Holmes, graphics and photographic specialist, traveled to Baku in Azerbaijan to photograph BP-operated onshore and offshore facilities in the region designed by KBR, for marketing and publicity purposes. Against the backdrop of KBR's 'Zero Harm' initiative, Stuart gives an account of his visit through his own eyes.

>KBR's Stuart Holmes

Safety was certainly a main focus for my trip - starting long before I set foot on Azerbaijan soil. Aside from the offshore medical exam and a handful of vaccines, there was a seemingly endless chain of emails from the travel and safety departments to manage. On top of that, it is BP's requirement that anyone going offshore must complete an intensive offshore survival training course. This includes fire-fighting, evacuation from smoke-filled rooms, and learning how to escape from a helicopter simulator which is submerged upside down in a swimming pool - not for the faint-hearted, and certainly not for claustrophobia sufferers.

Once in Azerbaijan, I quickly noticed the close attention to detail KBR pays to all its employees on trips such as this - from being met at Baku airport by a driver, to being issued with a new set of personal protective equipment (PPE) which fit like a glove. It was a relief to have a dedicated and approved driver who drove impeccably throughout because I read online that driving in Azerbaijan is not always as safe as we're used to with less regard for the rules of the road.

BP-operated Sangachal onshore terminal

I arrived the first morning at the BP-operated Sangachal onshore terminal, located south of Baku. It soon became apparent the extent to which KBR is aligned with BP and its safety values. Safety was the most important aspect of every visit I embarked on. To get into the Sangachal terminal, I was required by BP not only to watch a detailed induction video but then to pass an exam on various safety topics. At all sites, I was shown around by a dedicated BP HSE team who pointed out any specific situations that were of especially high risk.

The scale of these BP projects, and how seamlessly the work was achieved, was amazing. The level of collaboration needed between KBR, BP and a host of contractors is truly impressive. It is truly commendable that KBR has achieved 17 million work hours on the Caspian projects while maintaining world class safety performance.

Moving from the Sangachal terminal, I then visited the fabrication yards for the topsides and jackets. Apart from the usual inductions for site visits, I and the other visitors were required to watch a safety video by BP on 'working at height', as the day involved taking photographs from a cherry picker 40 meters above the topsides area. The BP HSE personnel were always informative and had an excellent command of English, so there was no chance of misinterpretation or misunderstanding. It was reassuring to be in such competent hands throughout my trip.

Deep Water Gunashli (DWG) platforms

The final leg of the trip was a five-day stint offshore on the Deep Water Gunashli (DWG) platforms. On arrival at the BP offshore port terminal at 6 a.m., I underwent a routine alcohol breath test. Unsurprisingly, there's a zero-tolerance approach to alcohol consumption, so no chance of sampling the local Baku brews the night before on an assignment such as this. My temperature was also taken - anyone going offshore to a BP rig soon gets used to these tests. There was a detailed medical questionnaire to fill in as well as a visit to the onshore port doctor to be given a clean bill of health before being cleared for departure. The first induction video came on leaving port on the transfer vessel taking me to the rig; this covered the vessel's safety features as well as the procedures for landing on the rig.

The DWG platforms are home to more than 200 personnel, so safety and personal welfare are obviously a critical aspect of the operation - after all, in the event of a medical emergency, it might take a number of hours before a rescue helicopter can reach the rigs. Any visitor must attend detailed safety briefings on arrival, watch an induction video, followed by a multiple-choice test to ensure you were paying attention, and a quick introduction to key personnel, the HSE team, and the medical doctor. The aim is to minimize any risk to personal safety, and nothing is left to chance.

But even with the best safety procedures, there is never any room for complacency. I have visited many KBR-constructed facilities over the past 25 years, and with every visit, KBR employees are encouraged to take a proactive approach to safety. It is always at the forefront of my mind and I reported some minor safety observations during my visit which all personnel are encouraged to do on a daily basis. I was able to bring this to the attention of the rig safety personnel - setting an example for all KBR employees, and contributing in a small way to the maintenance of BP and KBR's excellent safety records in the Caspian Region.

To read more about KBR's work on the BP Caspian projects, visit theKBR Newsroom.