The city of Houston, known as the energy capital of the world, was the setting for the OSRL 2025 event, a technical meeting exclusively for cooperative members. Over the course of two days, more than 100 representatives from energy companies from the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East participated in technical sessions, technology exhibits and strategic forums focused on emergency preparedness in offshore environments.
Jorge Pilay, Manager of Preparedness Solutions for the Americas at Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), highlighted the strategic nature of choosing Houston as the venue for the event. He noted that this city is home to numerous OSRL shareholder companies, which made it possible to effectively bring together participants from different parts of the world, including representatives from Guyana, Suriname, Argentina, Bahrain, Thailand, Norway, and Italy.
The event included nine technical sessions and a specialized exhibition of the global subsea response network, with the participation of twelve companies presenting their technological solutions for containing incidents in subsea wells.
One of the main topics of the forum was the use of technologies applied to spill preparedness and response. Pilay shared his experience with immersion simulators and advanced robotics, highlighting the usefulness of these tools in training exercises.
During the event, they showcased simulation software that facilitates interaction with robots and equipment within virtual environments. This tool raises the level of preparedness by eliminating the need to deploy physical resources and reducing operating costs. OSRL has therefore incorporated these solutions into its training programs for more realistic and effective training.
During the interview, Pilay addressed the specific challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean, where several countries lack adequate infrastructure to deal with large-scale emergencies.
"On the equatorial margin, a spill can affect small Caribbean countries that do not have resources or updated plans. Some plans are more than ten years old without revision, and that represents a significant risk," he said. In view of this, Oil Spill Response Limited collaborates with governments and companies in updating contingency plans, promoting drills and constant evaluations.
One of OSRL's pillars is its global infrastructure. In the Americas, the cooperative has capping stacks (containment equipment for subsea wells) in Brazil and Guyana, which can be deployed quickly in an emergency.
"We also have units in South Africa and Norway, which can be airlifted in case of simultaneous incidents. We have found that they can reach South America in two to three days using specialized air logistics," Pilay said. This robust logistics network ensures a coordinated response, even in countries that are initiating exploration activities, such as Uruguay, which is already contemplating future offshore drilling.
OSRL works with a preventive approach; its mission is to ensure that countries and companies have tools and protocols in place to act quickly. To this end, it promotes ongoing training, scenario analysis and the development of local capabilities.
"Many of the large companies operating in the region have made a commitment to support the most vulnerable countries in their preparedness. Collaboration is key to reducing risks."
highlighted Pilay
OSRL plans to repeat the forum in Houston next year, but also seeks to decentralize its activities. In 2026, it will organize regional technical forums in key countries in South America, with the aim of addressing local issues and strengthening the preparedness network.
"We want to be present in countries where offshore activity is growing, get close to their teams and share knowledge directly."
concluded Pilay
For more content about OSRL 2025, please visit our LinkedIn profile.
Source: Inspenet.
