The following summarises the points covered at the September meetings of both EPOL and OREEF. Should you have any queries on the content, please contact us through OEER.
EPOL
- Media protocols – A media subgroup/workshop is being set up to review current practices in respect of offshore emergencies.
- Revision of EPOL guidance – Police Scotland are currently reviewing the EPOL guidance:
- Oil Industry Annual Weapons Security Audit
- Guidance for Oil & Gas Industry – Flare Firearms Procedures Document
- EPOL Relative Response Guidance
- Offshore Death Flowchart
- Company Representative Facilities at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for Offshore Major Incident
- EPOL disclaimer – Disclaimer paragraph now been agreed with EPOL members, to be inserted into existing/future EPOL guidance documents.
- Severe weather – EPOL members are planning an exercise for multiple operators to test their severe weather action plans simultaneously, along with Police, Coastguard, OEUK and training providers.
- HM Coastguard Update – New medical evacuation timescales have been added to the IOER document. Acute psychiatric emergencies offshore guidance is being reviewed and an EPOL/TMF meeting has been proposed to explore its practical application.
- OPRED update – Two of five Tier 3 exercises for 2025 now complete, with three more due in Sep/Oct 2025. Any lessons learned will be shared with OEUK, Oil Spill Response technical group, EPOL and OEERT. Six Tier 3 exercises are due in 2026. The next National Contingency Plan exercise is for oil/gas will be at end of 2026/early 2027.
- IADC update – MHiE event held at OEUK on 8 Sep 2025. Continuing with IADC workgroup on tubulars and workgroup for standardised rig equipment for jack-ups. Forthcoming IADC HSE & Sustainability conference in Amsterdam 17-18 Sep 2025.
- OEUK update – Engaging with offshore emergency training provider for exercise to test multiple duty-holder responses and SWAP’s during severe weather. Also, policy development for Safe Weight Limit to be completed/launched in Nov 2025.
- Police Scotland update – Deployed ILO’s at 3 incidents over the last quarter, for an offshore cardiac arrest (19 Jun), sudden death (26 Jun) and protest (13 Aug). Recent incidents by activists onshore were also highlighted.
- OEUK Security Committee update – Next OEUK Security Committee meeting Oct 2025. Currently amending ToRs to ensure information restricted to appropriate audiences.
- Learning from recent exercises – Evaluation report on Exercise Blyth (offshore renewable energy exercise) run by HM Coastguard on 17-18 June 2025 to be published shortly.
- Information sharing – Recent intervention when 2 vessels were progressing at speed in close vicinity to a platform. Reminder from HSE of safety alert issued in May 2023 on actions to take if a fishing vessel approaches/breaches a safety zone (shared with fisheries).
- Evacuation reception centre guidance – EPOL ERC guidance/pro-formas are being reviewed in light of recent exercise feedback. An EPOL workgroup will look at updating these as users are increasingly creating electronic versions.
Next meeting – 0930 hrs, Wed 3 December 2025
OREEF
- An examples of industry good practice was presented – named sleeves added to life jackets enabling ease of identification of casualties during an emergency
- OFTO working group restarted
- Incident learnings were shared including two vessel allisions with, a vessel collision , and a casualty winched by SAR helicopter from a nacelle (the first in the UK)
- A Gwynt y Mor windfarm CTV were praised for their assistance to HM Coastguard in two SAR incidents
- HM Coastguard will be hosting an emergency response workshop in December focussed on floating offshore wind.
- Work is continuing by the Performance Standards Working Group on drafting OREEF guidance on performance standards for renewables
- It was agreed by members to publish the final draft of the OREEF Emergency Beacon Use Good Practice on the OEER website
- A presentation on Exercise Blyth (TRIREX series) was provide by the Deputy SOSREP for Maritime Salvage and Intervention and HM Coastguard and lessons learned discussed.
Next meeting will be held on Thu 4 December