OHSA New Silica Regulation & How to Mitigate It with No Footprint
Presented by: John Jackson
Abstract:
With an average of over one million pounds of silica sand used in horizontal well completions, crystalline silica is a major component of hydraulic fracturing. Multiple proppant transfer points can generate high concentrations of airborne dust, from offloading trucks to being pumped down hole. Engineering controls will be mandated by OSHA to mitigate personal exposure.
In June 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, will reduced the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) by half and created an Action Level (AL) for respirable crystalline silica (RCS) while requiring engineering controls to help mitigate employee exposure for hydraulic fracturing. A study was conducted at multiple hydraulic fracturing sites to determine if RCS concentrations could be reduced below OSHA’s new PEL using engineering controls that do not have an onsite footprint, namely chemically pre-treated sand. The results, to be presented in this presentation, showed significant reductions in RCS in both personal and area sampling
John Jackson is the Application Technology Manager for Unimin Energy in The Woodlands. John has spent years in proppant research and development for the hydraulic fracturing industry. He is currently working on a team that is developing engineering methods to control respirable crystalline silica within the oil & gas and glass industries. John serves as the Co-Chair of the American Petroleum Institute 19 C group, which oversees the practices for measurement of proppants used in hydraulic fracturing. He previously served on the Board of Directors for the SPE Gulf Coast Section. He holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from Sam Houston State University.
Registration via RSVP at bottom. Entrance fees have been generously donated in an effort to further HSE in our basin. Many thanks to Covia for their contribution towards a safer basin!