Management of COVID 19 in an Onshore Drilling campaign during

the Victorian lockdown

Presented by

Kevin Rollins

Senior HSE Advisor Onshore

Overview

• How we managed a large onshore drilling operation with +/-800 people movements per week at the height of the 2020 COVID -19 lockdown in Victoria.

• How we used a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) Process to help

• How we were able to reduce our level of control as the number of community cases dropped

Where in Victoria?

ChallengesIssue Challenge

Operating in regional Victoria which was not affected by COVID 19 as much as metropolitan Melbourne.

We had to prove to the local community we could operate safely with no risk to them

There was a very high number of active cases in Victoria during the well planning >8k.

Victoria in full lockdown and strict COVID 19 restrictions in place e.g. travel permits, face masks, hot spot lockdowns etc.

We had a number of Victorians in the workforce including local service contractors.

How could we get them to work, ensure they were COVID 19 free and not affect others?

Other states were closed to Victoria, or open with strict isolation protocols on arrival.

How would we get the interstate work force to Victoria and then home to WA, QLD and SA?

Majority of our workforce came from QLD and SA. QLD had 14 days controlled isolation on return, SA initially would not allow anyone to enter from SA, even essential workers.

How to manage the logistics in and out of site. SBM coming from Geelong, waste disposal WBM, SBM Portland and Camperdown, local civil work company’s, drilling equipment arriving, site security?

Other considerations

• What were our primary risks? People or financial?

• On average we had +/- 800 people to site per week

• Our main camp was 35 kms away from the well site. We had a POB of +/- 100 and delivery of local supplies.

• What would we do if we had cases(s)? Where would we isolate? How would this affect the community?

• What COVID budget would we need to implement the controls?, and

• Could we scale down controls if situation improved?

Victorian COVID Active Cases

370

772

1,8033,147

4,775

6,322

7,808

7,474

3,731

2,612 1,781

1,075

743

444

308 305

2030

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

01-Jul 08-Jul 15-Jul 22-Jul 29-Jul 05-Aug 12-Aug 19-Aug 26-Aug 02-Sep 09-Sep 16-Sep 23-Sep 30-Sep 07-Oct

Victorian

National cases

31st July QRA

Finalised

11th AugustPeak in Vic

cases18th Aug

COVID Safe Plan

approved

13th SeptSA Health Risk

Mitigation Plan approved

14th SeptRig move

from SA to E1

commenced

Spudded Enterprise Well - 1st OctoberDemobbed off site - 23rd December

QRA- Benefits

• We developed a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA).

• The QRA was designed with 6 possible COVID 19 treatment scenarios, calculating the risk to people and the financial risk to Beach – Rig Shut down?

• The QRA allowed us to daily track active cases nationally, by individual states, and later by Victoria Metro and Regional areas.

• We could calculate probability i.e. Population vs cases

• Once the probability was calculated, we were able to score that against our Beach Risk Matrix.

• As part of our QRA, we developed a Cost x Effort x Benefit (CxExB) model and rank each treatment scenario.

• The QRA and CxExB model allowed us to put in place effective ALARP controls to manage our risks.

• By being able to track active cases, we were able to revisit controls and scale up or down throughout the drilling campaign based on risk.

Calculating RiskStandard chance

of contracting COVID-19:

maximum active cases over

previous 14 days against current

population

Doubled active cases for

conservatism.

Fatality rates based on

Australian actual fatalities for

diagnosed cases

Doubled fatality rate for

conservatism.

3200 Personnel movements per month based on

figures from Blackwatch average 800

persons per week entering site.

Includes all persons in camp and

visitors to site i.e., logistics.

Infected persons incubation period: within 5 to 8 days: 78%; within 14 days 97.5%

Point of care test kits PCR (Lab Style) combined effectiveness for various isolation periods:

Scenario resulting in rig shut down (Financial Risk)

Notes:

• Financial Risk when the COVID Safe Plan was developed

• Financial impact risk plotted on Beach Risk Matrix results in an inherent risk of E4 with risk reductions to A4, B4 or D4 available

• Assuming rig shut down costs of <AU$100mm and likelihood based on QRA

• Overall maximum risk reduction from ‘Severe’ to ‘Medium’ – 14 day isolation

Create a Bubble – it’s our house

We had to protect those

From the local community including the 12 resident homes within 2 kms of the well site.

Our workforce onsite, and also

Ensure our families, friends and local communities were not at risk when we returned home

We identified 5 work groups onsite and put in controls appropriate to each group.

1. QLD based Drilling Contractor crews and their direct sub contractors.

2. Non Victorian Beach workers and their direct sub contractors.

3. Victorian Beach workers and their direct sub contractors

4. Victorian Logistic and support services.• Drilling equipment, fuel, water,

sewerage, waste disposal 5. Other Adhoc services

• Waste disposal crews, civil teams, Environment, security & Victorian Government and other regulators.

Adapting controls to changing risk17th August (Start)

• Dedicated charter flights from SA for Beach and Service Company personnel to eliminate the need to pass through Tullamarine Airport.

• Charter flights from QLD for drill crews avoiding any refueling in Victoria in transit.

• Combination of 7 days self-isolation and 7 days controlled isolation for all Victorian workers and any personnel remaining in Victoria on the field break time.

• Exclusive use of local hotel for controlled isolation with security.

• Mandatory COVID Tests on day 3 and 10 during isolation for Victorian workers.

• Dedicated 3rd party pathology clinic for collection and analyzation of COVID tests.

• Ample supply of COVID test swabs to conduct controlled test and allow immediate response to any reporting unwell person.

• Onsite Paramedic and emergency transportation vehicle available 24/7.

• Separate cordoned off areas for Adhoc Workers onsite.

• Mandatory COVID test within the last 7 days for all ADHOC personnel coming to site and / or visitors.

• Hands off guidelines for unloading trucks or transfer of liquids onsite.

• Controlled facilities for any suspect cases requiring isolation offsite.

• Temperature checking, self screening checklists, PPE, extra personnel for cleaning and hygiene

• Identified company for deep cleaning if required.

20th October

• Removed 7 days controlled isolation for Victorian workers – only 7 days self isolation before work.

• Released the local hotel for controlled isolation with security.

• Only 1 COVID test Day 3 of 7-day during self isolation prior to work.

13th November

• Split Metro Victorian Workers / Regional & Adhoc workers

• Removed the 7 days self isolation for Regional Victorian.

• Implemented COVID Day 3 before coming to site for Regional & Adhoc workers.

• 27h November• No isolation or testing requirements for

Victorian workforce.• Implemented COVID Triggers for escalation

– Metropolitan – 3 day rolling average of 10 locally acquired community cases per day. This equates to over 30 cases in 3 consecutive days.

– • Regional – 3 day rolling average of 3 locally acquired community cases per day. This equates to 9 cases over 3 consecutive days

Effect of scaling down controls

• Morale boost for Victorian workers by scaling down controlled isolations – ending up with no isolation.

• Saving from removing controlled isolation in hotel accommodation Saving for no longer requiring to provide security at controlled isolation hotels.

• Personnel compensation payments (day rate) for personnel staying in controlled/home isolation.

• Good hygiene practices and creating bubbles throughout – no colds or flu, no cases = no deep cleaning services required.

• COVID 19 Swabs negotiated as part of the pathology agreement free of charge. Test analysis arrange through local hospital.

• Changing COVID 19 requirements removed the need for masks towards end of campaign. Elected for washable masks rather than disposable.

Good numbers

Measurement Total

Total persons to visit Enterprise 1 (including crews) 6583

Number of high temperature checks >37.5 deg C 0

Number of persons isolated 1 (non COVID related)

Total number of days isolated 5

Total results NEGATIVE (only for cause) 1

Total results POSITIVE 0

Thank you