The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) on Thursday said it is prepared for its role in the oil and gas sector, including being able to manage aspects of the oil trade offshore Guyana; it said this includes being able to competently witness the transfer of oil from the production vessel to the ships coming in to collect oil that has been sold.
The Bureau in a statement said that through its mandate from the Weights and Measures Act of 1981, it is required to ensure that all weighing and measuring devices used in commercial trade are verified. These include measuring devices used in the emerging Oil and Gas Sector of Guyana.
“Hence, through aggressive recruitment and further training of its staff members, the GNBS is prepared to fulfill its role in the Oil and Gas Sector, which is to ensure accurate measurements during lifting of crude from the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel(s),” the GNBS stated.
Through support of the Guyana Petroleum Resources Governance and Management Project, the GNBS said it has benefited from the training of several inspectors of its legal Metrology Services Department.
These Inspectors can now competently witness the proving/verification of the custody transfer meters used on the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels, GNBS stated. From the FPSO, the oil is transferred to the ships that come into Guyanese waters to collect what has been bought by various companies. In Guyana’s case, whatever companies which buy the oil are responsible for bringing in their own ships.
Further, to maintain reliable measurements, the GNBS will conduct routine checks on the offshore facility to ensure that all points, which can affect the metering of the product, are sealed before and after offloading.
Inspectors received the requisite training from the Measurement Service Division of Bureau Varitas of North America in accordance with the American Petroleum Institute (API) Petroleum Measurement Standards, GNBS stated. It added that the relevant API standards will be adopted as National Standards and will be used for verification of the metering system on the FPSOs,
Further, the GNBS said its inspectors have also undergone safety training required for transport and operation on the FPSO. These include the Helicopter Underwater Egress Training (HUET), which is necessary for personnel travelling to the offshore facilities; the Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CAEBS) training for inflight and underwater emergencies; and training on the ISO 45001 Occupational Safety and Health Standard to enhance their safety awareness.
The Bureau said it will continue to evaluate and expand its role in this emerging sector and further contribute to its sustainability through the provision of standards, testing, measurement and calibration services.
