Continuous improvement of environmental performance is the "right thing to do" at Noble Corporation. The company pioneered ISO 14001 certification among offshore drilling contractors and recently took the industry lead in creating a greenhouse gas emissions inventory for its global operations.
"We see clear benefits from being at the forefront," says Mike Cadigan, manager of health, safety, environment and quality for Noble Drilling Services, Inc. "Our internal culture makes a point of being first, not following the pack. The ISO 14001 certification initiative is one of the things that differentiates Noble from other drilling contractors."
The starting point for all of Noble's efforts is awareness, Cadigan says. "We want to contribute, in our way, to sustainability. It starts by being aware of our impact. We carry out measurements, find improvement opportunities, take corrective actions, measure again and take stock of what we've achieved. This gives us discipline and systematizes our work."
Pioneering ISO 14001 certification
In 1999, the jackup rig Noble Lynda Bossler operating in the North Sea became the first offshore drilling rig in the world certified to meet the ISO 14001 standard. As of year-end 2003, 38 Noble rigs, shore base operations and locations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Brazil and the Middle East/India regions had achieved ISO 14001 certification. In addition, 16 Noble rigs are certified to the IS0 9001 quality management standard. DNV has conducted the certification audits.
"By the end of 2004, we will have more than 50 rigs, offices and field support yards certified to one or more management system standards," Cadigan says.
The move toward fleetwide ISO 14001 certification was spearheaded by Cees van Diemen, district manager for The Netherlands and Denmark Region, and Gert-Jan Windhorst, Noble's health, safety and environment manager for European operations. "The Dutch and Danish governments have strict regulations," says Van Diemen. "Our environmental system procedures, which are ISO 14001 certified, exceed those requirements. Our clients appreciate that very much, since it is less costly for them to obtain drilling approvals."
In addition to the assets that are certified to ISO 14001 and ISO 9001, Noble's rigs in Brazil and Mexico are certified to the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, a safety and environmental standard administered by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Reducing impacts on the environment
Noble is a pioneer in other efforts to reduce the impact of drilling operations on the environment. In 2003, the company completed its initial three-year baseline assessment of diesel engine emissions as a first step in managing the emission of greenhouse gases from its drilling units worldwide.
"There is considerable discussion in the scientific community about the long-term effects of greenhouse gas emissions," Cadigan points out. "Whatever the outcome of these discussions, Noble is committed to proactively managing the emission of greenhouse gases from our operations."
Noble also installed a Siemens gas analyzer on a rig engine in the Gulf of Mexico in order to measure actual baseline emissions and normalise this data against engine output. At the same time, Noble is working with major engine manufacturers to find out how to improve engine efficiency, which would reduce both fuel consumption and emissions.
Another initiative to reduce Noble's impact on the environment is a recycling program in its Gulf of Mexico Division. The recycling program is designed to minimize the amount of waste generated by Noble's offshore rigs, including paper, plastics, post consumer metals and other products.
The company segregates and bags waste offshore and donates the materials to The Arc of Iberia in New Iberia, Louisiana. At The Arc, individuals with developmental disabilities process the materials. In this way, Noble's recycling program provides a valuable community service as well as an effective and responsible method of handling waste.
Noble rigs and locations have recycled more than 1 million pounds of waste materials worldwide since 2002. The company introduced recycling to its Brazil operations in 2003 and is working with clients to expand the scope of its recycling capabilities in all areas of operations.
Supporting improvements
Noble works toward continuous improvement in environmental performance as part of its ongoing efforts to secure and maintain ISO 14001 certifications. This work has the full support of Noble chairman and chief executive officer James C. Day. Along with the company's senior management team, Day participates fully in regular meetings of Noble's Health, Safety and Environment Steering Committee.
In Noble's 2002 Sustainable Global Performance Report, Day wrote: "In most cases, the Company's health, safety and environmental efforts, the genesis for these undertakings, began decades ago. The Company has and will continue to set the standard in our sector for our focus in these critical areas. These efforts have been and will be accomplished in conjunction with providing the highest return on capital in our sector. Being a leader financially is clearly critical in that we can deliver on the commitments in the health, safety and environmental areas."
Cadigan points out that Noble is striving for sustainability in all areas of its operations. "We can easily understand the importance of reducing emissions, minimizing all types of waste and continuously improving our environmental performance," he says.
"We are also working on the important social aspects of our business, such as recruiting, hiring, training and developing people who can succeed in our culture that promotes both individual responsibility and teamwork," he says.
Noble also has an excellent safety record. "Our people have reduced the number of incidents and injuries for the past 11 consecutive years, and have outperformed the industry in safety for 24 of the last 25 years," Cadigan adds.
On key financial indicators, Noble consistently outperforms its peer group. "Our financial strength means that Noble can support initiatives and programs to ensure the safety of our people, the efficiency of our equipment and the continued growth and sustainability of the company," Cadigan concludes.