Rosneft offshore platform marks a flawless 15 years

During the last 15 years of operation, Rosneft Vietnam has commissioned more than 30.3 million working hours and produced 53.5 billion cubic metres of gas to fuel energy for approximately 20 per cent of Vietnam’s electricity generation, and all of this without a single lost time injury (LTI).

On the topic of this success, country president and general director Mervyn Goddings sent a note to staff members and contractors on June 22, 2017 expressing his delight at the daily report from the platform and the operations team, as the company that day achieved 15 years of operations without an LTI.

“Without doubt, this is a milestone to be proud of and is truly a world-class performance. More important though is what it actually means, that despite the risks and hazards associated with offshore exploration and development, the logistics of offshore operations, and the production, treatment, and transport of hydrocarbons, every one of you has returned safely to your families after each shift at work. That is what really counts,” Goddings wrote.

He highlighted the company’s safe working culture and explained how it developed from careful analysis and mitigation, good planning and communication, attention to details and shared values, and a relentless desire and effort to perform every task safely.

“This is your achievement and legacy. Please continue to maintain and improve the very high standards you have set,” Goddings continued.

Apart from achieving a 15-year track record of safe operations, Rosneft Vietnam has also been making contributions to the community via a range of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

In 2017, the firm financed $203,000 to implement various CSR activities, bringing its total contribution to Vietnamese communities to $1.2 million in the past five years. The 2017 projects consisted of providing free heart surgeries for more than 60 childhood patients, sponsoring advanced vocational training and English classes for 49 welders and electrical technicians, and donating laboratory equipment for scientific research and study at Hanoi University of Mining and Geology’s Petroleum Department.

Other donations were sent to the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association to organise Russian language classes and musical performances to promote Russian culture. They also bought equipment for the blood collection vans used by the Blood Donation Centre of Ho Chi Minh City.

Safety and sustainability

Block 06.1, located 370 kilometres off the shore of Vung Tau, began operating in 2002. The facility, operated on the principles of “no accidents, no harm to people, no damage to the environment”, has become a model of offshore operational safety.

With its operating management system incorporating a range of industry safety rules, Block 06.1 has been certified by DNV to meet ISO 14001 and OHSA 18001 standards, and achieved over 99.5 per cent reliability.

Lan Tay Platform is the front line in the gas production chain on Block 06.1. Around 80 engineers, technicians, and support staff are working to maintain an average production capacity of 10 million standard cubic metres per day. The team has complied with strict safety standards and continues to improve, organise training for staff and contractors, and conduct regular facility maintenance to assure the integrity of the system.

Despite working in harsh offshore conditions, the team has always been provided with high-quality meals. After long working hours, they play sports, work out, and have entertainment activities. Employees feel comfortable on the platform, and it is often said that they consider Lan Tay their second home, with colleagues as close as family members.

Ensuring a safe working environment is the responsibility of every Rosneft member, on-site or in the office, offshore or onshore. Vung Tau Supply Base (VTSB) is no exception, as it provides support to the platform by co-ordinating crew change helicopters, transporting food and other essential items, and supplying vessels containing materials and other equipment to be used on the platform.

Nguyen The Hung, a VTSB team leader who has worked for 25 years, is one of the two members who have served the company the longest. He said safety compliance is a continuous process to protect one’s self, colleagues, and family.

There have been over 2,000 safe flights, over 600 safe vessel trips, and about 10,000 line items efficiently managed and stored.

The milestone of 15 years of safe operations in Vietnam is proof of a strong team who works and cares about safety at home and at work, strives for an appropriate work-life balance, and has built a base for sustainable growth.