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908 Offshore Oil and Gas Safety I
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Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricanes are defined as tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 knots) or higher. In the western North Pacific, hurricanes are called typhoons; similar storms in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean are called cyclones. The company's Hurricane Preparedness plan should include information on essential and non-essential workers evacuation.

BSEE Hurricane Procedures Explained
  • Depending on circumstances it may be necessary to evacuate all non-essential personnel and begin shutting down production up to 72 hours in advance of a storm or hurricane.
  • All personnel should be evacuated and production shut down as the storm gets closer.
  • After a storm has passed and it is safe to fly, operators should initiate aircraft flyovers of facilities to evaluate damage from the air.
    • For onshore facilities, flyovers can identify flooding, facility damage, road and infrastructure problems, and spills.
    • Flyovers of offshore facilities can identify damaged drilling rigs, platform damage, spills, and possible pipeline damage.
  • Once safety concerns are addressed, operators should send assessment crews to offshore facilities to assess damage.
  • After it is verified that facilities and ancillary facilities, like pipelines that carry the oil and natural gas, are undamaged and ready to accept shipments, operators may begin restarting production.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

5-11. It may be necessary to evacuate all non-essential personnel and begin shutting down production up to _____ in advance of a storm or hurricane.