INTRODUCTION

Safety management is a vital constituent of the oil and gas industry. In the wake of the Macondo Incident which happened in the United States and Gulf of Mexico. There has been a deep awakening to the need for effective safety regulations. Thus, countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Angola, China, Brazil, and Russia among others have adopted laws and regulations for safety in the Petroleum Industry. The primary purpose is to establish the occupational safety of employees, prevent the occurrence of accidents and guarantee safety and smooth operations in petroleum facilities. Taking into account the volatile nature of the raw materials used in petroleum production which are flammable and combustible under high temperature. There is a need for safety management practices to be put in place to curtail the aftermath of these activities. For effective and efficient safety management to succeed in petroleum operations, the management down to the personnel must be involved in safety practices. Oil companies must ensure that all employees have a better understanding of safety awareness, to effectively implement and observe safety practices and culture.

Lack of safety awareness and training has been identified as one of the major reasons for the poor safety culture in the oil and gas industry which leads to disastrous accidents. A lot of initiative actions have been taken, and rules and regulations were tightened and implemented in trying to curb these unwanted incidents. As a result of these, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) released its Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Safety Regulation 2023. The Regulations delineate the safety responsibilities and obligations of different categories of persons participating in midstream and downstream petroleum operations. This paper shall examine the sufficiency of the safety provisions and duties placed on various persons involved in petroleum operations.

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