Malampaya achieves 8 million safe man hours
By Roderick Abad – November 23, 2020
from Business Mirror
The Malampaya Onshore Gas Plant (MOGP) has achieved its 19th year of “Goal Zero” performance equivalent to 8 million safe man hours. Since it has caused no harm and no leaks across its operations, this means that there have been no incidents recorded across personal and process safety. Pioneering the natural gas industry in the Philippines, Malampaya paved the way for a sustainable and secure energy future for the country. It has so far supplied up to 20 percent of the national electricity requirements using indigenous resources, thus reducing the importation of oil—thanks to Goal Zero that has made it possible.
“Goal Zero is the heart and DNA of our operations at Shell,” said Dingdong Altarejos, MOGP installation manager of Shell. “Whether we’re working with customers or on the field, we always think about how to avoid making a negative impact on communities. Though it’s unavoidable that we use up resources from the environment, there is a way to do it responsibly—and that’s what we strive for here at Malampaya.”
Beyond this objective, Goal Zero is a mindset and lifestyle that is deeply-rooted in the work culture across Shell’s manpower—from regular staff and contractors, to technical and non-technical crew.
Because Malampaya has a huge task to keep gas flowing on a daily basis, there are various components, equipment, and teams that need to work perfectly together, according to him. “With Goal Zero, there has to be a solid system in place so that we can monitor all moving parts and coordinate our efforts,” he said, while citing the importance of having meticulous processes to detect missions and leaks, as well as documenting every incident to identify areas of improvement.
What make Shell’s safety and sustainability standards separate from other companies are its willingness to learn from past mistakes, openness to try and invest in new technologies, and investment in like-minded people with the same safety mindset.
“Goal Zero may require tremendous effort, but it is made sustainable by an organization that is strongly committed to its vision. The groundwork has been laid immensely, and our team now can only hope to pass on the baton,” Altarejos stressed. “This success isn’t an overnight thing. We need to continue to nurture it. Hazards evolve, but the vigilance, passion, and commitment must remain. We are already looking forward to the next years of achieving Goal Zero.”
