OREANDA-NEWS. April 24, 2013. New emergency response coordinator turns in Coast Guard cap to join company.

What is your role and main objective at Apache?
My role as corporate emergency response coordinator is to ensure that Apache is prepared on all levels to effectively and efficiently respond to any incident. That includes helping implement systems, tools and training to ensure that we effectively plan, prepare, prevent, respond to and recover from any incident that may occur. At the end of the day, it’s about protecting the reputation of the company.

What is your background and how did your path lead you to Apache?
I served more than 26 years, including both active and reserve duty, in the U.S. Coast Guard. I spent much of that time in response roles such as chief of Marine Environmental Response, deputy incident commander for the Macondo oil spill, and liaison officer to Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana. I have served on a deployable Coast Guard Incident Management Assist Team and have responded to hurricanes, earthquakes, oil spills and other types of incidents. I was an emergency response consultant prior to coming onboard with Apache, and it was in that role that I met Jon Graham and John Williams, who gave me the opportunity to work at Apache. 

Do you have a schedule or timeline established for Apache’s crisis preparation?
The process of crisis and incident planning and preparation does not contain an end point. The process points to continuous improvement to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.

The model is cyclical and contains elements such as plan, prepare, train and evaluate. There are projects within this cycle that do have timelines, such as the implementation of the Web-based incident management tool called Command Pro. This tool will help align all Apache business units in a standardized response system.

Where do you see the company’s preparedness a year from now?
I believe that the company’s preparedness posture a year from now will be much more robust and agile. The implementation of Command Pro and other tools – EPlan Pro and Crisis Pro – will standardize our response capabilities, promote a real-time communication capability throughout the company, and provide a common operating picture. The addition of the deployable Corporate Response Team will increase our ability to respond to any incident worldwide and add personnel resources to augment and support any region or new venture project for long-term and complex incidents. Our Corporate Crisis Management teams have been actively training and participating in exercises to improve their crisis response skills. The layered response approach from the facility to the boardroom will make Apache a well-prepared organization.

Why is preparedness important for an organization like Apache?
One thing to remember is that Apache operates in a risk-based business. Incidents will occur, but the goal is to keep them from becoming a crisis. I think it is like someone who rides a motorcycle; it is not if you are going to lay the bike down but when.

How would you describe your move from the Coast Guard to Apache?
Moving from a military environment to a business environment is a significant change in lifestyle. However, the Coast Guard works with industry day-in and day-out. Therefore the aspects of the business are quite sim ilar but the focus changes. In both organizations, there is accountability for performing assigned tasks.

What do you think is the biggest lesson for industry from the Macondo disaster?
First of all, the most important thing is for operators to work in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. The toll in terms of loss of life, environmental damage, and impact on people’s lives up and down the Gulf Coast was immeasurable. Going forward, I think one of the biggest lessons for industry to learn from Macondo is that companies need to improve partnerships and information sharing. Any company that responds poorly to an incident or isn’t prepared brings consequences that will impact the industry as a whole. I think the public and regulators tend to view the industry as a whole and, as we experienced with the moratorium during Macondo, all will be affected.

What is Apache’s goal in terms of emergency preparedness?
I can see Apache setting the benchmark for preparedness in industry in the next several years. Our leadership places preparedness as a high priority, and personnel at the regions and throughout Apache are very motivated to improve response capabilities and processes.