What you need to perform it
Primary qualification
- Industrial-safety or hygiene technician specialised in gases, or an equivalent petrochemical/refining track record.
- Advanced H2S training per industry practice for sour-gas drilling (API RP 49 as reference; OPITO/ANSI schemes per contract — indicative).
- BOSIET/FOET with CA-EBS and offshore medical; internal-instructor qualification where the contractor requires it.
Basic STCW
- A-VI/1
- OPITO BOSIET
Specific courses
- Fixed and personal detector calibration and bump testing; records
- SCBA and cascade-air maintenance; leak testing
- H2S contingency plans: zones, winds, muster points and well briefing
- Breathing-apparatus rescue and exposure first aid
Indicative experience
Indicative: 3-5 years in gas safety in petrochemicals or offshore; the post is mobilised specifically for wells forecasting H2S, at operator or insurer demand.
Observations
Reinforces —not replaces— the unit's HSE team for the risk section's duration. Progression: H2S technician → sour-well safety specialist → project HSE supervision.
What this role does
The sour-gas contingency specialist on wells with H2S risk: maintains and calibrates the fixed detection network and personal monitors, keeps and tests breathing equipment (SCBA and cascade air lines), trains the crew, leads the specific drills and advises the response if gas appears. On a sour well, this work is the difference between an alarm and a tragedy.
Typical watches
- Shifts according to active H2S risk level
Key responsibilities
- Installation and maintenance of H2S detection systems (fixed and portable detectors).
- Calibration and maintenance of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and air cascades.
- Continuous training for the crew in response to H2S.
- Monitoring of risk areas when drilling formations with sour gas.
- Coordination with HSE Officer on Muster Drills and H2S evacuation plans.
Operational scope
- H2S risk zones
- SCBA equipment warehouse
- The entire MODU in H2S emergency mode
Profile reviewed by HydroAbyss (2026). Cited rules and timeframes are indicative: the final requirement is set by the flag State, the Administration and each company.