OFFSHORE SAFETY PERMIT REQUIREMENTS IN NIGERIA
In Oil & Gas business in Nigeria, any job or contracts that based on Offshore, personnel that will execute the job need to obtain OFFSHORE SAFETY PERMIT before they will allowed to go to offshore to execute the job(s).
This is unlike most of the permits that bears the applying company’s name. Staff who have this permit do not need to apply a new one even when he/she changes job or company.
Staff should provide his/her previous Offshore Safety Permit number only. If it has expired, it will be renewed with very low cost.
The OFFSHORE SAFETY PERMIT is given to personnel of an organization through company’s application or personal request.
OFFSHORE/SWAMP LOCATION TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Travel to Offshore/Swamp Facility
Any person travelling to an offshore/swamp facility, marine vessel, barge or rig operated in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry, by either helicopter or boat must:
I. be authorized by the senior person of the facility, vessel, barge or rig to travel to their destination. Authorisation for personnel from Government Regulatory and Security Agencies shall be from the respective
Government Regulatory and Security Agencies in accordance with their statutory mandates
II. be trained in accordance with the company’s Training Matrix which details the relevant mandatory professional training requirements for an individual and the required safety permit.
III. not exceed a stay of thirty (30) days from the time of arrival to their offshore destination and the minimum duration of ‘time off’ must be at least half the time of stay offshore.
IV. not exceed 12 hours work time per day and shall also have equal time for rest.
V. possess and present a valid Offshore Safety Permit (OSP) Card for admittance; at designated desks at embarkation points, on arrival from and departure to offshore locations.
Note: In the event of special circumstances that may require exception to above, Company must notify the Department with satisfactory reason and obtain approval from the Director, DPR.
Mandatory Requirements for Obtaining OSP
Personnel shall meet the following requirements to obtain an OSP: –
a. Have a valid offshore medical certificate of fitness from a Government (Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria/Federal Ministry of Health) approved medical clinic or hospital to show fitness to travel to an
offshore environment;
b. Have completed the required mandatory internationally recognized HSE training as stipulated and approved by DPR at approved training centers for offshore travel by boat or helicopter as applicable.
Please note that HSE training (BOSIET, HUET, Firefighting, etc.) shall be deemed internationally recognized if the training is accredited by organizations such as IADC, API, OPITO, NOGEPA, OLF, UKOOA, NSOC-D and that
which may be recognized by the Director of Petroleum Resources in writing;
c. Non-Nigerian citizens working offshore must hold a valid work permit visa. A visiting visa is not acceptable;
d. Payment of the applicable fees;
e. State Dignitaries and VIPs visiting an offshore facility, who for practical reasons cannot comply with the above, must obtain a Special Offshore Safety Permit in accordance with the provisions of these guidelines.
2.3. Types of Offshore Safety Permits
There are six (6) types of offshore safety permits and these are listed below: –
| S/NO. | PERMIT TYPE | COLOUR |
| 1 | Full Offshore Safety Permit (For regular offshore workers) | BLUE |
| 2 | Travel Safely by Boat (Restricted to boat travel only) | GREEN |
| 3 | Restricted Offshore Safety Permit (For Marine Crew) | RED |
| 4 | Restricted Offshore Safety Permit (for Helicopter-only travelers) | ORANGE |
| 4 | Infrequent Offshore Safety Permit (Limited to 4 return trips in each year) | WHITE |
| 5 | Special Offshore Safety Permit (For State Dignitaries and VIP’s) | PURPLE |
Full Offshore Safety Permit
A Full Offshore Safety Permit is required for anyone who makes frequent trips to offshore facilities. To obtain a Full Offshore Safety Permit, the requirements is listed in 2.2 of this document
A valid medical certificate of fitness from a Government (Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria/Federal Ministry of Health) approved medical clinic or hospital;
Work visa for non-Nigerian citizens issued by the relevant authorities;
Valid offshore training certificate, (T) BOSIET or (T) FOET from a training organization approved by the DPR in line with Section 2.2 of this document;
Payment of the applicable fees;
Travel Safely by Boat Safety Permit
Travel Safely by Boat Safety Permit may be issued if a passenger has completed the Travel Safely by Boat (TSbB) training but has not completed the HUET. In this instance the passenger is limited to travel offshore by Boat only. All other
requirements outlined in 2.2 apply
Restricted Offshore Safety Permit for Marine Crew
Due to the nature of work of Marine crew, i.e. working and living onboard a vessel, Marine crews are permitted to join the vessel at any of the marine contractors’ bases. Any changes to the compliment of the crew must be reported to DPR or its accredited representative for the POB update and the updated crew list must be submitted to DPR for update in the OSP system.
The issuance of Offshore Safety Permit to Marine Crew shall be based on their STCW training and Certificate of Competence. Marine crew are not required to have completed BOSIET training but are restricted to travel by boat only i.e. not permitted to travel by helicopter, unless they have undergone HUET training. All other requirements outlined in 2.2 apply
Restricted Offshore Safety Permit for Helicopter-only travelers.
The issuance of a Restricted Offshore Safety Permit for Helicopter-only travel is subject to meeting the requirements of 2.2, except that the minimum training requirement for this permit is a valid HUET approved by the DPR The travelers who meet the above requirements are not required to undertake the Travel Safely by Boat training and, as such, shall not be permitted to travel by boat.
Infrequent Offshore Traveler Safety Permit
Infrequent Offshore Traveler Safety Permit is issued to personnel whose nature of work does not require them to work offshore regularly. Infrequent Offshore Traveler Safety Permit can be used for not more than four (4) return trips offshore within a given year. All requirements outlined in 2.2 apply. Refer to 2.4 for validity;
Special Offshore Safety Permit
In exceptional circumstances a Special Offshore Safety Permit may be issued, subject to approval of the Director of Petroleum Resources. This is usually for visit to an offshore facility by State Dignitaries, Senior Company Managers and
Directors, Government visitors and other VIPs.
Mitigation and requirements for Special Traveler permits are listed below:
Before the offshore travel, all visitors must be given travel briefing and upon arrival to location, be given site HSE briefing;
Visitors are to be accompanied always by personnel from the Host Team and ensure the Visitor Helmet policy of licensee or lessee is followed;
Optimized sitting arrangement (e.g. TBOSIET/TFOET trained passenger to sit next to door/window as well as to be the buddy for non-HUET trained visitor/ passenger).
Note: An Operator can ONLY be issued a maximum of twenty (20) free OSP cards with VIP status for any given year. Each of the VIP OSP cards shall be attached to a company and be valid for two (2) return trips in each year. Any additional OSP VIP card shall attract the fees for Full Offshore Safety Permit.
Validity of Offshore Safety Permit Card
OSP Card validity will depend on the validity of medical certificate, relevant trainings, and OSP fees, whichever comes first.
Infrequent Offshore Travelers Offshore Safety Permit fee shall be valid for 3 years with a maximum of 4 offshore return trips in each year
Note: Offshore survival training will be valid for a period of 4 years. Refresher training must be completed within the 4-year period. If the validity of a certificate runs out, the holder will undertake the full course again. There shall be no grace period.
Loss of Offshore Safety Permit Card
Loss of Offshore Safety Permit Card must be reported to the Department of Petroleum Resources. The loss must also be reported to the Nigeria Police and a statement obtained. A letter of Application for reissuance will be required from the licensee, lessee or his contractor and evidence of payment for reissuance presented before a new permit can be issued. The fee for reissuance
shall be half of the fee for OSP annual renewal.
Damaged Offshore Safety Permit Card
Any OSP card that becomes inadvertently damaged or defaced will be changed by the Department or its accredited representative at no fee to the card holder.