The Expert Witness Marine Blog

Stewart Technology Associates Has The Experience To Improve Oil Spill Cleanup Methods

Rose Rodriguez

Many marine drilling operations are confident that when they need to perform oil spill cleanup, that it will be effective. What they often discover is that they weren’t fully prepared and suffer the consequences. It’s usually either due to poor spill containment or simply an oil spill cleanup plan that wasn’t efficient. The result is more damage caused to the surrounding environment than there should be and a greater loss of oil that likely could have been saved.

When these spills aren’t properly contained or cleaned up, they reflect poorly on the drilling operation which can ultimately lead to a negative impact on their business. Stewart Technology Associates has the decades of experience and a track record of innovation that these operations can count on to ensure their oil spill cleanup is as effective as it can be prior to a spill. Clients bring in the STA team to analyze their methods for these situations and to offer adjustments that could be made which will prove to be invaluable when a spill occurs, which they inevitably do.

It’s essential that oil spill cleanup plans are developed and planned for proactively instead of waiting until a spill has occurred. When an operation is fully prepared for the worst then they are able to minimize the damage that can result from these accidents. Being proactive can prevent these spills from being major incidents and lower the financial hit they cause. That should be the goal of any operation’s oil spill cleanup plan.

A Marine Accident Investigation From STA Provides Valuable Insight

Rose Rodriguez

When an unexpected incident occurs on an offshore drilling rig, whether it’s a spill or a malfunctioning of equipment, the only way to adequately determine what when wrong is if a marine accident investigation is conducted. That being said, unless the investigation is carried out thoroughly and by experts who can properly put the incident in the proper context, then the results won’t be credible and that’s a risk that can’t be taken. Stewart Technology Associates is a widely respected consultancy firm that has served clients across the globe in the offshore drilling industry.

These organizations have contacted STA over the years when they need marine accident investigation because they have the confidence that the findings will be accurate and can be put to use to make the necessary adjustments in order to prevent these kinds of incidents from occurring again. Because the findings of a marine accident investigation may also point to a specific person as the cause, they frequently lead to litigation. In order to back up those findings, STA supplements the investigations with expert testimony when it’s needed so that clients will be protected from possible lawsuits if they’re called into question.

Accidents in the marine drilling field have the potential to be very damaging to the operation financially but they don’t have to be if the operation is prepared to react when they happen. This is why in addition to a marine accident investigation, clients also value the insight STA is able to provide in regards to spill containment and oil spill cleanup.

For The Best Spill Containment Strategy, Consult With Stewart Technology Associates

Beth Bowes-Carter

In order to be well prepared for potential accidents, a marine drilling operation needs to have a spill containment plan ready to put into action right away. Of course, if that spill containment method ultimately proves to be ineffective, then it won’t matter how prepared the operation was or how quickly they reacted. This is why so many in the offshore drilling industry turn to Stewart Technology Associates. The rapid analysis and consultancy STA is able to provide when facing a major problem, such as an oil spill, has been repeatedly illustrated as a valuable resource to marine drilling operations.

Stewart Technology Associates can assess the current plan you have in place and then help you determine how to make changes if they feel your oil spill containment won’t be as efficient as it could be. The goal is to both minimize the damage the spill causes to the surrounding environment as well as salvage as much of the spilled oil as possible. Working towards both of these goals saves the drilling operation financially not to mention avoids any bad publicity.

Any kind of negative coverage can also impact a drilling contractor’s bottom line and STA helps ensure that doesn’t happen. When there are questions that need to be answered regarding what went wrong in an oil spill, Stewart Technology Associates can also conduct marine accident investigation in a manner that will get those answers. Establishing a relationship with STA is something drilling companies all over the world have found to yield long term value.

 

A Marine Accident Investigation Should Only Be Conducted By Experts In The Offshore Drilling Field

After the early confusion and panic dissipates following an oil spill on a marine drilling rig, there remain a lot of questions. Everyone involved will want to know what went wrong and in some cases, making this conclusion is easy as the cause will be obvious. That isn’t always the case and actually more often than not, the specific cause of an accident will be more complex and not easily determined. This is when a drilling operation conducts a marine accident investigation.

Having experts look into all aspects of the accident allows them to ultimately identify the chain of events they believe led to the spill. Without the knowledge of what mistakes were made, it is impossible to make the necessary changes to prevent a similar accident from happening in the future. Anyone that works in the marine drilling field knows how damaging an oil spill can be. Ideally, the operation will have used effective spill containment and oil spill cleanup methods to decrease the environmental damage and salvage some of the spilled oil. This also lessens the potential financial hit suffered by the drilling company.

In addition to being brought in to conduct a marine accident investigation, Stewart Technology Associates can also analyze these other areas and offer recommendations on how they can be improved. The range of services that STA is able to provide has made the consultancy and engineering firm a respected name in the marine drilling industry and one that is called upon by drilling operations across the world.

STA Has Used OrcaFlex Software For Years To Great Results

The industry-wide reputation that Stewart Technology Associates has earned over the past 25 plus years is the result of the consistently high level of services that the company has provided a diverse client base which includes major oil companies and government agencies. The extensive experience possessed by the team at STA is nearly unparalleled in the offshore drilling field and that gives a tremendous amount of credibility to the analysis offered by the consultancy firm. This is true when it comes to the analysis of offshore structures such as pile anchors, wave power systems and steel catenary risers as well as emergency policies related to spill containment and oil spill cleanup.

A long term partnership that Stewart Technology Associates has had software company Orcina has proven to be a valuable one. Like many across the industry, Orcina’s OrcaFlex software is used by STA to  gather and analyze information related to a drilling operation. STA’s been using OrcaFlex for years through each new version and release. Over 170 organizations now consider OrcaFlex a standard part of their operation and that speaks volumes for the software.

Continued innovation is a critical part of this industry and that’s something both Orcina and STA have provided throughout the field. A drilling operation that is proactive when it comes to analysis of their structures finds they’re at a reduced risk for damaging accidents and also benefit from a greater level of productivity. With the assistance of Stewart Technology Associates, significant improvements can be made that will pay off in the future.

STA Has Spent Decades Improving The Spill Containment Plans Of Clients All Over The World

A marine drilling rig is a complicated piece of equipment and the operation surrounding it has a lot of variables that can go wrong at any time. The key to a successful operation isn’t hoping that mistakes aren’t made but rather expecting that they will be and having a plan in place when they do. This is the difference between a marine accident that is catastrophic and one that results in minimal damage. Therein lies the value of a relationship with Stewart Technology Associates.

As one of the industry’s most highly respected consultancy firms, STA is able to provide a tremendous amount of insight to clients on everything from the efficiency of their offshore structures like steel catenary risers to the expected effectiveness of their spill containment plan. STA has been a staple in the field of offshore drilling since being founded in 1986 by Bil Stewart. After years of working in the industry, Stewart recognized a number of areas where his particular knowledge base could be beneficial to drilling operations.

He started the company committed to improving the productivity, efficiency and safety of drilling operations all over the world and has been doing so ever since. The team at STA can analyze your spill containment plan and provide valuable improvements that will reduce the damage of a potential spill. They can also provide guidance on the most effective oil spill cleanup methods that can help salvage some of the oil rather than let it all go to waste.

STA's Insight Leads To Major Improvements To The Oil Spill Cleanup Process

The examination of the processes used in the marine drilling industry is vital for operations that want to remain successful over the long run. This kind of analysis is important in every industry and has proven to be a vital aspect of the work done within the drilling field. Any time a mistake occurs with equipment or structures being used, an analysis of the accident should be done in order to identify what went wrong and what can be altered so similar accidents don’t happen again.

But in the case of an oil spill, those kinds of issues can’t be dealt with until the after the more pressing issues have been addressed, including oil spill cleanup. A drilling operation that utilizes oil spill cleanup methods that are proven to work will find that damages they incur as the result of a spill are significantly less than they would be otherwise. This is because they avoid serious harm done to the environment which can have costly ramifications in addition to being able to salvage much of the oil that’s been spilled instead of losing it all.

By bringing in Stewart Technology Associates, one of the most credible names in the industry, an operation can take an accurate look at their current oil spill plan and determine how it can be improved. With decades of experience in the field, Stewart Technology Associates has the kind of insight that can lead to a significantly more efficient and effective spill containment and oil spill cleanup processes.

STA's Use Of The Latest OrcaFlex Software Is A Factor In The Company's Long Term Success

Stewart Technology Associates was founded in 1986 and over the course of the past 25 years has become firmly established as one of the most valuable names in the offshore drilling industry. This has been accomplished by always utilizing the latest technology, including the newest software from leading developer Orcina. Their OrcaFlex products are widely used in the marine drilling field, including by over 170 worldwide organizations.

OrcaFlex has been a primary tool used by STA since the beginning for design, analysis and other projects. The versatility of the OrcaFlex software has provided STA with the ability to continually expand upon the different types of analysis that can be performed, which has increased the value that STA is able to provide all of their clients. By consistently delivering extremely credible results, the clients of Stewart Technology Associates have developed a strong trust of the company.

Drilling contractors and oil companies that call upon STA for riser analysis, pipe lay analysis, jack-up analysis, anchor analysis, mooring analysis or one of the other services that are available are confident that the information that is collected will be used to identify adjustments that could be made to that will improve the productivity, safety and efficiency of the drilling operation.  It’s rare to find someone in this field that has the same kind of diverse and well-rounded knowledge possessed by STA and that’s one of the many aspects of the company that sets them apart from others in the field.

A Marine Accident Investigation Can Result In Litigation So The Results Must Be Credible

Among the many issues that will need to be addressed following an accident in a marine drilling operation is what went wrong that led to the accident. Determining the exact cause of a marine accident isn’t always easy and the truth may implicate a specific individual. When that happens, a legal battle can ensue. That’s why an unbiased company may be brought in to carry out the marine accident investigation. This is one of the many services that are offered by Stewart Technology Associates.

When STA is brought in to conduct a marine accident investigation, it’s because a drilling contractor can’t afford the results of the investigation to be unreliable or run the risk of them being proven wrong. This isn’t a concern with Stewart Technology Associates because for more than 25 years the company has proven to be credible. The results of a marine accident investigation completed by STA will be backed by diverse and legitimate experience in the field.

Furthermore, if those results are called into question, STA founder and CEO Bil Stewart is prepared to supplement those findings with expert testimony in court if that’s needed. This gives clients the confidence they need to hire Stewart Technology Associates to perform a marine accident investigation and trust that they’ll be able to count on the results. STA also provides clients with additional material to complement the marine accident investigation, including technical reports, which offer increased credibility and further strengthen the case that’s being made.

Drilling Operations Of All Sizes Benefit From Spill Containment Analysis

The founder and CEO of Stewart Technology Associates, Bil Stewart, has been working on improving oil spill containment systems since the 1980s. He recognized early on that the processes being implemented in these situations often weren’t very effective. Stewart saw ways that he could help drilling operations improve their spill containment strategies. He founded Stewart Technology Associates in 1986 and has since worked with offshore drilling operations from all over the world. STA is now one of the most trusted names in the industry and offers a wide range of services.

For analysis and insight on the equipment used in the offshore drilling field, Stewart Technology Associates has the kind of experience and expertise that can be counted on. That experience comes from having worked with operations that vary in size and scale. A spill containment plan that is appropriate for a larger drilling operation may not be appropriate for one that is smaller and vice versa.

That being said, there may be aspects from one that can be applied to the other and STA’s diverse background allows for those connections to be made. Not only is Stewart Technology Associates prepared to address any spill containment issues for a client, they can also assist with improving the oil spill cleanup efforts. Marine accidents and oil spills can be disastrous but they don’t have to be if the operation is prepared to react when they occur.  The clients of Stewart Technology Associates are ready to act quickly when these situations happen and suffer less as a result.