Safety, survival and emergency response training is mandatory for offshore workers – and something they will do for their entire career.

Petans, a Norwich-based specialist in this type of training, has been a trusted partner of the offshore energy industry for almost 50 years.

“As a charity we feel it's really important that we support the industry and those looking to enter it,” said Ian Richards, training and operations manager at Petans.

“Despite great improvements in safety over the past 50 years, those entering the industry today may have little to no knowledge of the training they will have to do on a regular basis.

“For example, we have seen young people who have studied at college or university and are really passionate about the industry, only to find helicopter underwater escape training to be a barrier.”

Ian Richards, training and operations manager at PetansIan Richards, training and operations manager at Petans (Image: Petans) Petans met with City College Norwich earlier this year at the SNS2024 conference, organised by the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR), and discussed how it could help.

Ian devised a full day for engineering students so they could gain some hands-on experience of potential emergency response scenarios and how Petans’ training is designed to mitigate the risks involved.

“We had some great feedback from students and staff,” said Ian. “There were some worried looks at first, but everyone joined in and hopefully got a great experience out of it as well as an understanding that a career in the offshore industry involves a lifetime of training too.”

The highlight of the day was the helicopter underwater escape training (HUET), designed to test the students' resilience and confidence.

The exercise involved simulating a helicopter crash scenario in the North Sea, with students having to hold their breath and escape from a submerged helicopter pool simulator.

Once the students completed this, they were submerged again, but this time the helicopter rotated 180 degrees before the students could escape, adding an extra layer of complexity.

The highlight of the day was the helicopter underwater escape trainingThe highlight of the day was the helicopter underwater escape training (Image: Petans) After a complimentary lunch, the students were briefed on various fire scenarios and given demonstrations on the different types of fire. They were also shown how to use breathing apparatus before being equipped with masks, breathing equipment and safety PPE.

Each student was then exposed to a real-life fire in a specialist container, experiencing different fire management techniques, including observing and controlling temperature changes.

The container reached temperatures of over 1,000 degrees Celsius in the unburnt smoke and gases at ceiling level.

“This intense experience pushed the students to their limits, both physically and mentally,” said Ian. “It provided them with invaluable skills and a real sense of what it takes to survive in offshore conditions.”

Students had to tackle a real-life fire inside a specialist containerStudents had to tackle a real-life fire inside a specialist container (Image: Petans) Leon Wilde, head of engineering at City College Norwich, said: “The day was a great opportunity for students to find out first-hand what is expected in the offshore industry. It also saw them work as a team and support each other through the various activities.”

Lisa Taylor, head of employer relationships, added: “This event highlighted the importance of building relationships with employers so that our curriculum meets the requirements of industry and helps to reduce skill gaps.”

For more information, please email info@petans.co.uk, call 01603 891 255 or visit petans.co.uk