RMET6053 Research Methods: Improving Royal Dutch Shell's HSSE Plans

This report assesses Royal Dutch Shell's health, safety, security, and environmental (HSSE) plans in oil production. It begins by highlighting the inherent risks in the oil and gas industry, emphasizing the need for robust safety measures. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Royal Dutch Shell's HSSE policies implemented between 2006 and 2015, identifying strategies to enhance workplace protection and welfare. Key research questions address the effectiveness of health and safety policies in preventing employee injuries, the company's approach to environmental concerns, and expert recommendations for improving HSSE plans. The literature review covers theoretical frameworks for workplace safety, occupational injuries on oil rigs, risk factors, psychological wellbeing of workers, environmental impacts, and HSSE management within Royal Dutch Shell, identifying gaps in current practices, particularly in chemical and waste management. The research methodology outlines a case study approach, using data collection techniques and analysis to evaluate the company's HSSE performance. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement in HSSE management to mitigate risks and ensure the safety and wellbeing of workers and the environment.

Running Head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Enhancing health, safety and environmental plans of Royal Dutch Shell in oil production
Name of the University
Name of the Student
Author Note

2
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................2
1.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................2
1.2 Problem statement............................................................................................................2
1.3.Aims and objectives of the study......................................................................................3
1.3.1 Aims of the study.......................................................................................................3
1.3.2 Objective of the study................................................................................................3
1.4 Research Question............................................................................................................3
1.5 Background of the study...................................................................................................4
1.6 Rational of the study.........................................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Literature Review.....................................................................................................4
2.1 Theoretical Framework....................................................................................................4
2.2 Occupational Injuries on Oil Rigs....................................................................................5
2.3 Risk Factors......................................................................................................................6
2.4 Psychological Wellbeing of Workers on Oil Rigs...........................................................6
2.5 Environmental Impacts.....................................................................................................7
2.6 HSSE Management in Royal Dutch Shell........................................................................7
2.7 Gaps in HSE Management...............................................................................................7
2.8 Chemical Management.....................................................................................................8

3
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
2.9 Waste Management..........................................................................................................8
2.10 Greenhouse Gas Management........................................................................................8
Chapter 3: Research Methodology.............................................................................................8
3.1 Method Outline.................................................................................................................8
3.2 Research Philosophy........................................................................................................9
3. 3 Research Approach..........................................................................................................9
3. 3. 1 Justification of the Chosen Approach......................................................................9
3.4 Study Location................................................................................................................10
3.5 Data Collection Technique.............................................................................................10
3.6 Case Background............................................................................................................10
3.7 Analysis Technique........................................................................................................11
3.8 Conclusion......................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................12

4
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Introduction
The industry of the oil and gas is known to be universal in the realistic way like it has
expanded from Europe’s temperate forests to secluded places of the Arctic, from Alaska to
Australia and to the tropical region’s rainforests. The oil and gas industry is the primary source
of the power energy as this is the most effective source of the consumable energy which runs the
other industries from different fields. Oil and gas industry majorly focuses on managing the
safety and health issue as many of its activities is linked with the dangerous safety rocks and
health problems (Bjerga and Aven 2015).
The only reason to produce this account is to know the strength of the safety, health and
environmental strategies that one of the major organisation named Royal Dutch Shell, an
industry of oil and gas in the United Kingdom uses in their facilities of the oil production
(AlKazimi 2015).
1.2 Problem statement
There are several daily activities that causes serious fears to the workers’ lives in the oil
and gas industry because of the severe circumstances in which they need to work and because of
the explosives product’s nature. The organisations must know the requirements of the safety of
the employees in the environment they work (AlKazimi 2015). Despite of the information that
the organisations who are working must implement strict facilities for the safety and health of the
employees and these reports has been given by the NORA Oil and Natural Extraction Council
and this report depicts that the ratio of the casual deaths has been more than eight times in the
industry of the oil and gas than that of the rates of the other industries. Consequently this has

5
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
become the most important element to measure the strength of the environmental and health
safety that will be adopted by these companies who are in the field of the oil and natural gas
industry.
1.3. Aims and objectives of the study
1.3.1 Aims of the study
The agenda of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the policies of the
environmental and health safety that has been adapted by the Royal Dutch Shell one of the
important company in the field of oil and gas. This report will let us know the policies and
strategies that must be legislated by the company so that they can achieve the major level of the
protection and welfare of the workplace.
1.3.2 Objective of the study
There are certain primary reasons that is needed for this work of researchhas been given
below:
 The evaluation of the policies of the safety and health that will be taken by the Royal
Dutch Shell it will be taken into consideration on the operation over the time of 2006-
2015.
 The evaluation of the environmental policies that will be taken by the Royal Dutch Shell
and it will be taken into consideration on the operation over the time of 2006-2015.
 In order to improvise the plans of the safety and health,what will be identification of the
strategies of the Royal Dutch Shell?
1.4 Research Question
There are some questions that will be answered regarding the above research work.

6
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
 How effective will the policies of the health and safety of the Royal Dutch Shell while
avoiding the bruises of the employees in the workplace?
 How will Royal Dutch Shell manage the concerns regarding environmental issues?
 What will be the policies made by the experts of the Royal Dutch Shell for improvising
the plans of the health and environment?
1.5 Background of the study
Certain researchers have noticed that there are several accidents that is leading to the
injuries to the people in the oil and gas industry globally. In Paraguana refinery complex which
is known as one of the huge oil refinery in the whole world, there held the fire that led to the
death of 151 people because of the incorrect security and health reasons. These accidents can be
avoided the security policies will be implemented (Chettouh, Hamzi and Benaroua 2016).
1.6 Rational of the study
There are many researchers who have been willing to do labour in this field after the
numerous accidents that took place in the work place of the oil and gas industry. Other research
work will be done to understand the reasons that was heading to such serious accidents (Okubo
2014). It has been said that other research work will be done to implement the policies and the
principles that will be used to escape such kind of fatal accidents. It will mainly give stress on
applying the policies regarding health and safety that must be utilised by the industry of Oil and
Gas globally.

7
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.1 Theoretical Framework
The Assets of the Royal Dutch Shell are safe as per the manager of the Royal Dutch
Shell. The most essential things according to shell is to ensure the integrity and the safety of the
assets (Falck, Flage and Aven 2015).
It has been noticed nowadays that healthy environment in the workplace helps in the
success of the company in whatever field they work in (Dhillon 2016). The policies of the good
safety and effective health will support the employees to be happy, creative and energetic and
also lessons out the number of injuries. They have been several research works that have shown
the effective measures of safety and health that will help in reducing the stress of the work and
injuries in the workplace (Oppong 2014).
There are three major aspects like care communication and deliberation that will help to
get a safe and healthy workplace (Chambers 2015). The organisation mast organise a workshop
to help the workers to know safety usage the harmful and hazardous Chemicals and how to
control the fumes and the noise must be also taken care of. The practice of the unhealthy
personal health will also be band in the place of work (Russo 2015).
The safe and reliable energy will be provided by the shell to the United Kingdom that is
almost the 13 percent of the total gas and oil supply of the United Kingdom. The Royal Dutch
Shell has a planned position while providing the energy supply (Chambers 2015). The
commitment of Royal Dutch Shell will be of protecting the safety of the environment, not to
harm people, respecting the neighbours, playing the chief role while promoting the best practice
and also to contribute to the society and you manage the policies of HSE and to promote a good

8
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
culture (Oppong 2014). The Royal Dutch Shell will be having a management system of the
environment with some policies as following:
 The protection of the environment
 Setting some fruitful targets for the improvements
 Getting along with the stakeholders
 Reporting performance to public
 Using those materials that will be energy efficient
2.2 Occupational Injuries on Oil Rigs
In the year between 2000 to 2013, it was seen that there had been exceptional growth in
the industry of the oil and gas because the number of accidents was increasing every year (Mehra
and Sarand 2012). There are some questions that has arrived about what kind of strictness will be
used to apply the measures and policies of the safety and health of the employees that will be
taken by the organisation named Royal Dutch Shell (Parkes 2013). The industries of oil and gas
must know the importance to apply some useful measures and policies that reduces the level of
the major accidents. The hazardous gases that comes out from the factories like hydrocarbons,
hydrogen sulphide and several other gases will affect the health of the human beings and to the
environment (Matthisen and Bergh 2016).
2.3 Risk Factors
The operations and the activities of the Royal Dutch Shell will bring several risks as the
conditions might change in the field of economic, legal, competition business social industry and
in the financial field also (Nielsen, Tyedt and Metthiesen 2013). However, if they are not
managed in a proper manner then it may result in the bad performance of the industry and

9
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
financial loss. the fluctuation of the price of these Chemicals oil and natural gas affected demand
and supply and certain factors that influence demand and supply are the economic and climatic
conditions and natural disasters that might take place in the large countries that produces oil
(Kelland 2014).
2.4 Psychological Wellbeing of Workers on Oil Rigs
The industries of oil and gas must get safer and better equipment from the other countries
and they must train the employees to handle the dangerous situations that will come in future like
the accident and fire in the workplace (Nielson, Tyedt and Matthiesen 2013). There should be
maintenance of the law and order and rules and regulations amongst the industries of oil and gas.
The wellbeing of the workers psychologically can only be stable only if the environment near
them must be favourable to them like there should be less workload, job security should be there
and many others (Mehra and Sarang 2012). The timings must be favourable to the Employees.
However if the workers are stable psychologically and there will be lesson number of accidents
and the performance of the employees will also increase as it has a great link with the increasing
amount of accidents and diseases (Matthiesen and Bergh 2016).
2.5 Environmental Impacts
The industries of the oil and gas includes refining extraction exploration transportation
and drilling that will affect the environment whether it is on land or the aquatic ecosystem. It will
also change the migratory patterns of the aquatic animals. Therefore it is the duty of the
industries to infuse environmental measures for the reduction of the environmental pollution.

10
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
2.6 HSSE Management in Royal Dutch Shell
The company shell has promised that they will be managing the security safety health
social performance and environment in an effective manner in order to achieve the performance
enhancement (Chettouh, Hamzi and Benaroua 2016). Certain HSSE policies will be used by this
company to maintain and run the industry in a better manner. These policies will be maintained
for the reduction of the harmful emissions in the environment. The industry of Oil and Gas train
some external auditors who will look after the rules and regulations of the safety in the
organisation (Chauhan 2013). There are certain games that has been written out that will be
followed by this company under their policy of security health and safety executive:
• Not to harm the workers
• Protection of the environment
• Maintenance of law and order in the organisation
• Following regulations and rules
2.7 Gaps in HSE Management
If there is any incompatibility in the policy of the HSE management then there will be
more accidents in the Royal Dutch Shell Company. Proper training is needed and there is no
mention about this in the policy. If this policy is followed properly then the rate of the accidents
will automatically decrease (Eaton 2013).
2.8 Chemical Management
The Offshore Chemicals regulation 2002 manages Little Stars and use of chemicals that
comes from extraction and drilling operations. The chemical uses production have increased

11
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
rapidly in the year 2015 by 34 % but the discharge of chemicals have decreased by 20 %
(LJOSÅ, Tyssen and LAU 2013).
2.9 Waste Management
The Royal Dutch Shell maintains the wastes that comes out from their Industry all over
the United Kingdom and they ensure to follow the laws and regulations. This company has taken
some measures so that they will prevent the waste production in the coming years (Eaton 2013).
2.10 Greenhouse Gas Management
The installation of the Royal Dutch Shell operate according to the EU emissions trading
scheme for CO2, pollution prevention and control legislation, and environmental permitting
regulations. These legislations have promised to reduce the emissions of the carbon dioxide in
environment (LJOSÅ, Tyssen and LAU 2013).
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
3.1 Method Outline
There will be the need of the research technique to bring out the analysis and study of the
negative and positive impacts of the production of oil on environment. This method of research
will contain techniques, tactics and unique philosophy. We will be choosing the correct
technique of research analysis look at the gaps among the difference in opinion of the people in
the strategies of the security and safety of the industry of Royal Dutch Shell (Wang and Mao
2012).

12
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
3.2 Research Philosophy
Three types of research philosophies have been primarily scene like interpretivism,
realism and positivism. These research philosophies will help to give detailed information on the
work of research. In this further study we will be choosing positivism philosophy to take out the
facts that are hidden and linked to the topic of research in the scientific manner (Truscott et al.
2010).
3.2.1 Justification of the Chosen Philosophy
Certain reasons has been mentioned for choosing positivism philosophy and they are:
• Identifying the major factors that are related to this research work.
• Suggesting a practical work with the implications that are theoretical.
• To estimate and simplified the data that has been collected.
• It will be helping to focus on the principal areas of the issues that has been required and
has been highlighted.
3. 3 Research Approach
The deductive approach will be selected as the suitable research approach that will help
you understand the detailed information. In the above-mentioned research, the deductive
approach will be useful to bring out a proper hypothesis and to make a proper strategy that will
be helpful to examine the hypothesis observed (Saunders Lewis and Thornhill 2011).
3. 3. 1 Justification of the Chosen Approach
Certain points have been given for choosing the deductive approach like

13
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
• It will help to explore and use the new theories to the related topic.
• It will help in the application of theoretical observation into the practical application.
• It will not only provide latest theories but will also help to verify them with the required
explanation.
3.4 Study Location
Royal Dutch Shell is known as the Global Group of energies in United Kingdom that
uses the innovative technology with numerous modes to build the workable energy for people.
The upstream, integrated technology, downstream and project development are four types of
operations that is running in this company. It will be seen that there is the emission of clean
Natural Gas in the environment that will be done with the help of the developers of Shell so that
they can utilise the properties of the hazardous toxins in the air.
3.5 Data Collection Technique
As it has been said earlier the issues of the safety and health will be more critical in the
field of oil and gas and also in the petroleum industry. This research will be aiming to asses and
fulfil the efficiency of the policies of the safety and health and also environmental. In addition,
the data collected will be going through the case analysis. This research will be assessing the
case background and the data that has been observed by reading the website of the British
Petroleum. The sustainability report and the previous research reports are such kind of report that
will be used for the collection of data. The term sustainability report will focus on the primary
approaches of the British Petroleum as well as their performance concerning the plan of the
mitigation to solve out their problems (Salaberry and Comajoan 2013).

14
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
3.6 Case Background
In the Shell Company, five people have died while they were working in the drilling
operation. This organisation has failed their policies and the projects and it has led to the
accidents in a huge way. Another accident took place when the gas was leaked out as the
equipment broke and it lead to dangerous accidents, and in future it will create a negative impact
on the society. Another report will be studied and that report has collected the exact amount of
the accidents that occurred in Royal Dutch Shell Company in the last 10 years (Witter et al.
2014).
This company will be taking some initiatives like some measures and policies to secure the
organisation. There must be reconstruction and maintenance of the company to avoid risky
situations to occur in the future.
3.7 Analysis Technique
Qualitative techniques will be used for analysing the data and to know the necessity of
the social and environmental policy and their impact on the Royal Dutch Shell Company.
Furthermore, certain articles and journals from the online sources will be used to record the data
with regards to the yearly accidents and the entire emission of the greenhouse gases in the
environment (Wan Ahmad et al. 2016).
3.8 Conclusion
This research will be selecting a qualitative technique for analysing the data collected
from secondary sources. An appropriate approach of research and style will also be selected to
way out the research in the systematic manner. These information will be helpful to fulfil the
objectives and the aims that has been discussed in the chapter 1 above.

15
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
References
Ahram, A. 2011. The theory and method of comparative area studies. Qualitative Research,
11(1), pp.6990.
AlKazimi, M.A., 2015. Investigating new accident causation, risk assessment, and mitigation
strategy selection tools in the petroleum industry.
Alvesson, M. and Sandberg, J. 2013. Constructing Research Questions. London: SAGE
Publications.
Barati, R. and Liang, J.T., 2014. A review of fracturing fluid systems used for hydraulic
fracturing of oil and gas wells. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 131(16).
Bergh, L.I.V., Hinna, S., Leka, S. and Jain, A., 2014. Developing a performance indicator for
psychosocial risk in the oil and gas industry. Safety science, 62, pp.98-106.
Bjerga, T. and Aven, T., 2015. How managers should think about risk—a case study from the
oil and gas industry. Signals and Systems: A Primer with MATLAB®, p.437.
Blackley, D.J., Retzer, K.D., Hubler, W.G., Hill, R.D. and Laney, A.S., 2014. Injury rates on
new and old technology oil and gas rigs operated by the largest United States onshore drilling
contractor. American journal of industrial medicine, 57(10), pp.1188-1192.
Chambers, A.B., 2015. Evaluation of Work Injuries between Employment Types: A Study of
the Oil and Gas Industry. NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY.
Chandra, S. and Sharma, M. 2013. Research methodology. Oxford: Alpha Science
International Ltd.

16
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Chauhan, N., 2013. Safety and health management system in oil and gas industry. Wipro
Technologies, Sarjapur Road, Bangalore, India.
Evans, P., Jonkers, G., Steffan, E.M., Campbell, J. and Lloret, C., 2016, April. Guidelines for
the Management of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) in the Oil and Gas
Industry. In SPE International Conference and Exhibition on Health, Safety, Security,
Environment, and Social Responsibility. Society of Petroleum Engineers.
LJOSÅ, C.H., Tyssen, R. and LAU, B., 2013. Perceived mastery of work among shift
workers in the Norwegian offshore petroleum industry. Industrial health, 51(2), pp.145-153.
and other tropes: Andragogical content knowledge in the 2014 OSHA Oil and Gas Safety and
Health Conference.
Mathisen, G.E. and Bergh, L.I.V., 2016. Action errors and rule violations at offshore oil rigs:
The role of engagement, emotional exhaustion and health complaints. Safety Science, 85,
pp.130-138.
Mehra, A. and Sarang, A., 2012, January. Quantitative and Qualitative Risk Assessment and
Health Performance Indicators of Occupational Health Hazards. In International Conference
on Health, Safety and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production. Society of
Petroleum Engineers.
Okubo, M., 2014. A critical analysis of safety and marine environmental protection
regulations for oil and gas development in the high seas.

17
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Oppong, S., 2014. Common health, safety and environmental concerns in upstream oil and
gas sector: Implications for HSE management in Ghana. Academicus International Scientific
Journal, (09), pp.93-106.
Russo, A., 2015. The Importance of Continuous Improvement in Occupational Health and
Safety Management and Regulation in the Oil and Gas Industry. Franklin Business & Law
Journal, 2015(3).
Salkind, N. 2011. Encyclopedia of research design. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage.
Saunders, M. N., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. 2011. Research methods for business students,
Page 52, 5th ed. Harlow: Prentice Hall
Shellnews.net. 2016. News Reports on Royal Dutch Shell Safety Issues. [online] Available
at: http://www.shellnews.net/2007/news-reports-relating-to-shell-safety-issues.html
[Accessed 12 Aug. 2018].
Somekh, B. and Lewin, C. 2011 Theory and Methods in Social Research, 2nd ed. London:
Sage Publications
Truscott, D. M., Smith, S., ThorntonReid, F., Williams, B. and Matthews, M. 2011 “A cross-
disciplinary examination of the prevalence of mixed methods in educational research: 1995-
2005”, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 13(4), pp. 31728.
Wan Ahmad, W.N.K., de Brito, M.P. and Tavasszy, L.A., 2016. Sustainable supply chain
management in the oil and gas industry: a review of corporate sustainability reporting
practices. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 23(6).

18
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Wang, S. and Mao, H. 2012. The Strategy Research of Modern Service Industry
Development. Asian Social Science, 8(2).
Witter, R.Z., Tenney, L., Clark, S. and Newman, L.S., 2014. Occupational exposures in the
oil and gas extraction industry: State of the science and research recommendations. American
journal of industrial medicine, 57(7), pp.847-856.