Downstream Operations Safety Matters To DPR In The Oil And Gas Sector

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In Nigeria, the giant of Africa, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has specified that effective from 1st of September 2020, it would initiate the strict enforcement of its Minimum Industry Safety Training for Downstream Operations (MISTDO), noting that no personnel would be allowed to engage in downstream operations without MITSDO training in the oil and gas sector.

Again, the Director and Chief Executive Officer, DPR, Sarki Auwalu, disclosed that the enforcement which would kick off in several States in the federation, would be extended nationwide effective from January 1st, 2021.

In continuation, Auwalu stated this at a stakeholders’ engagement on MITSDO aimed at promoting operational safety in the downstream sector, in Lagos. According to him, “This implies that no person will be allowed to engage in downstream operations without MISTDO training in these States namely: Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Rivers, Imo, Enugu, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Nassarawa, Gombe. It is expected that all downstream workers should be trained to be effective in their services.

“Effective from January 1st, 2021, compliance will be extended nationwide. Again, effective January 21st, 2021, we would also be renewing licenses if and only if we confirm that the operator has met our safety requirements.”

He lamented that the level of the destruction created by fire and gas-related accidents is huge, saying that the introduction of MISTDO would bring down the incessant fire outbreaks and accidents in the downstream sector.

“Some of these incidents have come from fallen tankers, petrol station fires, gas explosion and vandalism of oil and gas properties. Our records show that 70 per cent of accidents in the Nigerian oil and gas industry between 2013 and 2019 occurred in the downstream sector,” he disclosed.

Auwalu stated to reverse this trend, the DPR had put in place enhanced regulatory strategies for downstream facilities development and operations monitoring targeted at the people, the process and the equipment.

“We are leveraging on technology to save Nigerian lives working in the industry, before now it is very hard to track number of trucks carrying products from all the depots we have to all the filling stations in the country. The safety issues, property loss and environmental damage is so enormous, we are using technology to create the platform whereby workers in the industry will go there train themselves, get certified and by doing that we have the record of every individual working in the downstream.

“MITSDO is an interactive portal that is translated in three Nigerian languages and previously, we were witnessing gas explosions, MITSDO will take care of the necessary things that would check against gas explosions,” he disclosed.

Delivering his goodwill message,  Senate Committee on Gas, James Manager, said the oil and gas industry is very volatile, advising that operators, business community and stakeholders to be safety conscious. He lauded DPR for the initiative, pointing out that training and educating people on safety is suitable for the downstream sector.

The Lagos State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Hauwa Olowookere, said safety is everybody’s business, restating the Corps’ commitment to support DPR to driving safety in the downstream.

The Head of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), DPR, Olusanya Bajomo, stated MITSDO, provides a stand for marketers, regulators and the business community to ascertain safety in the Nigeria Oil and Gas downstream sector.





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