WELL EXAMINATION - SELF-REGULATION IN A GOAL-SETTING ENVIRONMENT

Safety in the offshore oil and gas industry in the U.K. is now enforce d through a system of goal-setting regulations that require companies to set standards, then demonstrate how these are achieved. Within this system, the safety of wells and well work is controlled by a requirem ent that operators develop and apply well-examination schemes where wo rk programs are reviewed by independent, competent examiners. This pap er describes the previously used scheme based on explicit government a pproval; the relevant elements of the goal-setting environment; and ho w well-examination schemes have been developed, how they operate, and the impact of well examination for companies working in the U.K.