RecyclingtheGulf: safeguardingpeopleandthe
environment
In September 2015, Hoover acquired another addition to their
company portfolio, US-based Tech Oil Products, and along with it a
product range of waste compactors and food grinders. The decision
to acquire Tech Oil Products was made partly because of its range of
waste compactors and food grinders, with the intention to diversify
outside of purely an oil and gas market, and offer the products to the
marine industry; vessels, ships and even manufacturing plants, which
also serve a large collection of people and generate excess waste.
In addition to the added suite of products, Hoover has inherited the
stewardship of the ‘Recycle the Gulf’ programme; an offshore waste and
recycling programme developed to reduce and recycle the volume of
waste generated offshore on rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. The programme
provides ameans for companies to reduce and separate the volume of
waste produced on offshore installations via deposit bins onshore.
The process works as follows: the company provides compactors
for rent or purchase to rigs operating in the Gulf of Mexico, the rigs then
sort and compact their recyclable waste (cardboard, cans, plastics)
on the rig, then ship green bags to the rig’s dock facility. Containers
are strategically located on the dock to receive the incoming, clearly
identifiable green bags of recyclables, which are then collected. The
company then grades and sorts the recyclables, and transports them
to a local charity that helps the disabled in the local community.
After further sorting, the charity sends all donated recyclables to the
recycling centre; raising revenue for the charity in the process.
Although involvement in the scheme is not a revenue generator,
company involvement in programmes such as this have far-reaching
benefits, including protection of the environment, enhancing
corporate social responsibility, and strengthening bonds in the
local community. The more a company can demonstrate its social
responsibility, the better that company’s reputation in the industry
and local community. It is true that an environmentally conscious
corporate image is valued and recognised by consumers today
more than ever before, especially in the enduring wake of offshore
environmental disasters that negatively impacted local people in
nearby communities.
The Recycle the Gulf programme has been in operation since
2001, and almost all of the rigs operational in the Gulf of Mexico
have opted to contribute the fee to be a part of the scheme, which
offers them an organised and effective way to dispose of the waste
they generate daily offshore. Based on the environmental benefits
witnessed in the Gulf scheme, the company is now planning to
replicate this scheme in Trinidad.
Conclusion
Even in today’s challenging market, it is evident that there are always
new ways to improve health, safety and environmental issues in the
offshore industry by continually developing and offering innovations
to the industry that improve the safety of the conditions people work
in, and make a positive contribution to the environment at large.
The offshore industry is also a truly global one, and lessons learnt
in one region of the world should certainly be exported and applied
to other regions that may be further behind in terms of health and
safety concerns, and environmental corporate social responsibility
initiatives. Through this approach of sharing knowledge and
capabilities, the
industry will be able to improve personnel and
environmental conditions globally.
• In-line mooring component that allows rig
or vessel to quickly move off location
• Simple and reliable
• Activated by rig or support vessel
• No additional special equipment required
• For emergency or planned disconnect of
mooring lines
• Easily reconnected on location
• Safe mooring of DP rigs as well as
traditional mooring rigs
The Delmar Quick Release...
the Next Generation of Mooring
DELMAR SYSTEMS, INC.
Operations and Headquarters
Broussard, Louisiana USA
Tel: +1 337.365.0180
Technical and Engineering
Houston, Texas USA
Tel: +1 832.252.7100
Delmar Systems, Pty. Ltd.
Perth, Western Australia
Tel: +61 8 9288 4523
DELMAR
Patent Pending
•
