The American Petroleum Institute (API) recently released its Recommended Practice 54 (RP 54), Occupational Safety and Health for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations. RP 54 provides procedures for promoting and maintaining safe and healthy working conditions for personnel in drilling and well servicing operations.
"Each day, more than 11.9 million barrels of oil are pumped from thousands of wells in the United States to meet the needs of U.S. consumers," said Debra Phillips, vice president of API Global Industry Services. "Standards like RP 54 help the industry provide this important resource safely and sustainably. As operating conditions change and technology advances come on line, we develop and revise standards to improve operations and safety performance."
RP 54 provides procedures for maintaining safe and healthy working conditions for personnel in drilling and well servicing operations.
RP 54 applies to rotary drilling rigs, well servicing rigs and special services as they relate to operations on location. The document, first published in 1981, has been revised to include a new section on flowback operations -- a key component of safe well testing. It also expands provisions for offshore operations and updates requirements for facility and site process hazard assessment and mitigation.
API standards are developed under the organization's American National Standards Institute accredited process, ensuring the standards are recognized not only for their technical precision but also their third-party accreditation. This accreditation facilitates acceptance by state, federal and, increasingly, international regulators, with 96 references by the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. API's Global Industry Services division is responsible for certification, standard-setting, training, events, publications and safety programs for onshore, offshore and refinery operations.
API also recently published a handbook titled "Rules to Live By." It contains essential safety reminders for employers and workers alike. Each individual page of the handbook can be printed as a poster to remind workers of important safety tips while working at heights, employing stop-work authority or driving.
API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the natural gas and oil industry, which supplies 10.3 million U.S. jobs and contributes nearly 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API's 600-plus members include large integrated companies in addition to exploration, production, refining, marketing, pipeline, marine, service and supply firms.
The institute was founded in 1919 as a standard-setting organization. In its first century, API has developed more than 700 standards aimed at enhancing operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability.
For more information, visit www.api.org or call (202) 682-8000.
