Key highlights

Existing and maturing structures, plant, equipment or systems that could either cause, or contribute to, a major accident, should be managed effectively to prevent failure or limit its consequences. The EI is championing age and life extension and asset integrity management for structures and structural components. We support the global industry with a focus on:

• Structures
• Rotating equipment
• The influence of the (extreme) offshore environment
• The negative impacts of climate change
• Corrosion under insulation

Our focus began with offshore oil and gas installations but has now expanded to offshore wind.

Current programme

• Guidance for Asset Integrity for Offshore Wind Turbines
• Guidance for Asset Integrity for  Hydrogen
• Guidance for Use of Polymer Based Repair Compounds “Repair Putties” in Integrity Management
• Guidance for Asset Integrity for Late Life
• Guidance for Asset Integrity for LNG Operations
• Guidance for Comparison of LOADS JIP with AWARE project
• Guidance for Implications of LOADS JIP findings for Integrity Management  Strategies
• Guidance for Deferral decision making (with OEUK involvement)
• New Edition MIC Guidance
• New Edition Caissons Guidance
• Position Paper, Floating Wind Structures
• Position Paper, Extreme Environmental Loading of Floating Structures

Recent publications

Key highlights

The work of the EI's Environment Management Group (EMG) focuses on the impact the energy industry has on the environment. In particular, it provides scientific data on which the industry can base its stance on environmental issues. EMG’s strategy is to enable the energy industry to operate sustainably, including by reducing methane emissions from oil and gas operations, integrating sustainability principles (e.g. circularity) into the lifecycle of projects, and measuring performance against global benchmarks.

The technical work of the EMG covers:

• Emissions (air, water and soil)
• Upstream oil and gas
• Offshore wind
• Circularity
• Waste

Current programme

• Energy retail stations green guide
• Waste to products – technology and economic assessment
• Embedding circularity into construction and decommissioning of assets
• Guide to predicting environmental recovery durations from major accidents
• Guidance on environmental risk tolerability for COMAH establishments
• Recommended practices for methane detection and quantification

Recent publications

Key highlights

The Health Technical Committee (HTC) advises industry on all health issues relevant to the international energy sector. This includes the health aspects of employees, customers and the public who may be impacted by the activities and products of the industry. HTC members are generally registered medical practitioners, certified occupational hygienists or senior medical professionals within their organisation.
Key areas covered by the HTC's work programmes include:

• Industry medical issues
• Occupational health
• Physical fitness and capability
• Air quality and emissions

Current programme

• Occupational health assessment for wind turbine workers
• Psychological wellbeing in the workplace
• Literature review on the burden of common respiratory disease across the wind industry
• High-level framework for the effective governance and delivery of emergency medical response and first aid provision across the renewables sector
• The prevalence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) cases across the offshore energy sector
• Investigation into exposures associated with diesel engine exhaust emissions from fixed and mobile installations and equipment used across the energy industries
• Guidance on selection and deployment of wearable technologies for occupational health and personal exposure monitoring
• Guidance on identifying and managing occupational health hazards during operation and maintenance of wind farms
• Guidance on selection of optimal noise reduction options and strategies in the energy sector

Recent publications

Key highlights

• Published a self-assessment tool called QUESTOR, based on analysis of 12 major accidents
• Published research on the use of causal loop diagrams to model incidents and design better interventions to improve
• Adopted and developed a human factors design handbook to help designers understand basic ergonomics requirements.  Expected publication Q1 2024
• Carried out workshop to explore the extent of human factors integration in energy transition projects (wind, hydrogen, CCUS)
• Developed guidance on integrating human factors into a process safety management system

Current programme

Our focus in 2024 is:

• Integrating human factors into risk assessments.
• Developing a new human factors online training course to support the EI Human Performance Pathway.
• Addressing human factors issues in automated systems.
• Developing short human factors videos for frontline workers.
• Revising guidance on learning from incidents.
• Finalising new guidance on human error probabilities in quantitative risk assessment.

Recent publications

Key highlights

Major accident hazards include those substances which offer substantial threats to worker and public safety, physical assets and the environment, typically as a result of fires, explosions, or toxic releases. Process safety seeks to both prevent the loss of containment of major accident hazards and to mitigate the consequences of that loss. The EI's Process Safety Committee commissions research and provides guidance on process safety issues.
EI process safety publications cover:

• Process safety leadership
• Risk assessment
• Risk management
• Review and improvement

Current programme

• Guidance on maintaining barrier effectiveness in major accident prevention
• Understanding the availability, reliability, and extent of onshore loss of containment failure rate data used in quantitative risk assessment
• Adaptation of the following process safety publications to new energy fuels and their application:
  • Guidance on applying inherent safety in  design: Reducing process safety hazards whilst optimising CAPEX and OPEX
  • Guidance and toolkit for training on emergency decision making in loss of containment incidents
  • Guidance on passive fire protection for process and storage plant and equipment
• Development of risk targets for layer of protection analysis (LOPA)
• Guidance on management of technical change
• Research into the conduct of remote hazard studies
• Research study how contractual arrangements impact the standing of process safety

Recent publications

Key highlights

The work of the EI's Aviation Committee is essential for the safety of over 100,000 air passenger flights globally every day. Standards, guidance, equipment specifications and animations are all produced to assist in the reliable and safe provision of aviation fuel to  commercial aircraft.

The work is conducted by the following subcommittees: Aviation Fuel Filtration; Equipment; Operations; Hydrant Systems; and Supply Chain Fuel Quality and Sustainability.

Current programme

• EI/JIG Standard 1530 Quality assurance requirements for the manufacture, storage and distribution of aviation fuel to airports
• EI 1540 Design, construction, commissioning, maintenance and testing of aviation fuelling facilities
• EI 1550 Handbook on equipment used for the maintenance and delivery of clean aviation fuel
• EI 1560 Recommended practice for the operation, inspection, maintenance and commissioning of aviation fuel hydrant systems and hydrant system extensions
• EI 1581 Specifications and laboratory qualification procedures for aviation fuel filter/water separators
• EI Research Report: GHG emissions associated with aircraft refuelling

Recent publications

Key highlights

The EI runs a well-established and globally recognised suite of proficiency testing programs

Engine Correlation Scheme (ECS)

The Engine Correlation Scheme (ECS) is specifically aimed at laboratories determining the Research Octane Number (RON), Motor Octane Number (MON) and Cetane numbers of gasoline and diesel fuels

Samples are distributed globally monthly. Data entry and report download are via a dedicated website. Reports contain Z-scores and standard deviations. Participation in the ECS is essential to prevent giveaways.

The EI Proficiency Testing Scheme (EI PTS)

With over 70 laboratory participants worldwide, the EI PTS is one of the largest schemes available for testing gasoline, diesel, Jet fuel, and fuel oils. The scheme covers all the important specification tests for these fuels.  The monthly reports are tailored for each individual laboratory and include the mean, standard deviation, Z-score, and EWMA trendlines for each test method.

The EI-PTS allows your laboratory to be benchmarked against global peers.

Recent publications

Key highlights

The HMC-4A Marine Oil Transportation Committee, oversees a programme focusing on losses of crude oil shipped by sea-going vessels and river barges. The membership comprises over 20 oil majors and refiners and has been running for over 30 years.

The report issued annually includes analysis by grade, load port, discharge port and vessels for company and global data. Comparing company with global performance allows better understanding of issues and causes of cargo losses.

The appetite for this global benchmarking is as strong as ever and continues to be a valuable asset for committee members. Membership of this benchmarking scheme is included as part of the EI Technical Partner fee. There is an annual fee for other participants.

Recent publications

Key highlights

The Fuels Infrastructure and Distribution Committee develops guidance for issues involved in the supply of fuels to customers. This assists in the safe and efficient provision of the petroleum products we need at the right place and at the right time.
Resources primarily cover equipment used and procedures followed for:

• Bulk storage
• Vapour recovery
• Road tanker operations
• Filling stations

Current programme

• Model code of safe practice part 2: Guidance on the design, construction and operation of petroleum distribution installations
• Design, construction, modification, maintenance and decommissioning of filling stations
• Model code of safe practice part 16: Guidance on tank cleaning
• Petroleum road tanker design and construction
• Guidance for the management of distribution terminal operations
• Investigation into the risk and impact associated with non-diesel fuel engine vehicles, by type, whilst entering or working within hazardous storage locations

Recent publications

Key highlights

At various stages during the extraction, transportation, refining, storage and distribution of crude oil, petroleum products and biofuels, there are requirements to measure its quantity and quality for allocation, custody transfer and fiscal purposes, as well as for stock control
and loss prevention.

To enable the oil industry and regulators to carry out such measurements in a standardised manner, the EI Hydrocarbon Management Committee (HMC) develops and issues guidance documents that reflect current industry good practice. The EI HMC manages the work programme covering:

• Upstream
• Refineries
• Marketing and distribution
• Cargo inspection
• Bulk oil transportation measurement activities

Current programme

• HM 25 Guidelines for the assessment of uncertainty in the oil and gas industry
• HM 26 Guide for liquid metering systems
• HM 29 Procedures for petroleum product cargo inspections
• HM 31 Guide to hydrocarbon management in petroleum refinery operations
• HM 50 Guidelines for the cleaning of tanks and lines for marine tank vessels carrying petroleum and refined products
• HM 54 Guidelines for the management of measurement for the upstream oil and gas industry

Recent publications

Key highlights

The EI is a world-class leader in analytical test method development, publishing IP test methods for hydrocarbon products and future fuels energy carriers such as hydrogen, methanol and ammonia.

The Test Method Standardization Committee (TMS) works closely with international standards agencies, including CEN, ISO and ASTM. Covering fuels, lubricants, bitumen and crude oil, our standards and test methods underpin product quality requirements which have an impact on safety and the environment, in both shipment and use.

TMS also has oversight responsibility for the EI’s Microbiology Committee, which provides technical guidance on microbial issues across the range of energy industry activities.

Current programme

• IP 630, the determination of the concentration of dispersed particles in diesel fuel – automatic particle counter (APC) light obscuration method
• IP 638, the determination of the relative permittivity of Aviation Turbine Fuel, using a small-scale automated temperature scanning instrument
• IP-PM-FI, the determination of the concentration of dispersed particles in methanol fuel - automatic particle counter (APC) light obscuration method
• IP-PM-FK, the determination of the lubricity of methanol, HFRR test method
• Guidelines for the investigation of the microbial content of liquid fuels and for the implementation of avoidance and remedial strategies
• Guidelines on detecting, controlling and mitigating microbial growth in oils and fuels used at power generation facilities

Recent publications