Deepwater Horizon Disaster

[knight1fox3]

Has anyone else read this? Very interesting. And now NCEES is adding a new exam come April 2013 for software engineering.

New developments in aftermath of Deepwater Horizon disaster emphasize role of licensure in ethical engineering practice

May 3, 2012

With the arrest of former BP engineer Kurt Mix putting the Deepwater Horizon disaster back in the headlines, it is important to remember the vital role that the licensing of engineers plays in protecting the American public, not just from technical incompetence but also from unethical practices.

Mix was arrested on April 24 on charges of obstruction of justice. He is accused of intentionally destroying electronic records related to the response to the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, which killed 11 and led to the largest oil spill in U.S. history. The first individual to face criminal charges following the disaster, Mix is accused of deleting hundreds of text messages, including some concerning the amount of oil potentially flowing into the Gulf of Mexico following the Macondo well explosions. While Mix should be afforded the presumption of innocence that any accused person is entitled to under our legal system, the allegations surrounding his arrest present an opportunity for sober judgment about the public’s interest in the practice of engineering.

Most of the media reports about Mix are referring to him as an engineer. Individuals such as Mix practice engineering in the private sector every day without a license under licensure exemptions. While state laws may not always require a license, NCEES is committed to advancing licensure for engineers to better protect the public from incompetent or unethical practice.

Professional engineers are licensed at the state level; they must meet education and experience requirements in addition to passing a standardized examination program. To maintain a license, a P.E. must adhere to a strict code of conduct, with the primary charge being to practice the profession in a manner that protects the health, safety, and welfare of the public. A professional engineer who violates this obligation is subject to losing his or her license.

In a statement released in June 2010 during efforts to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, NCEES leadership highlighted the role of engineering licensure in protecting the public from incompetent or unethical practice. The latest developments in the Deepwater Horizon disaster call attention to the importance of ensuring that business activities do not sacrifice the well-being of our nation’s citizens. It is a mission to which NCEES and its member licensing boards remain firmly committed.

Dale Jans, P.E.

NCEES President

Jerry Carter

NCEES Executive Director

 

[knight1fox3]

More on this here as well:

/>http://theinstitute.ieee.org/career-and-education/career-guidance/licensing-software-engineers-is-in-the-works

 

[Dark Knight]

Just my :2cents: ...

There is a Spanish say..." Despues que le ves las bolas al perro seguro sabes que es macho". That translate into something like...After seeing the dog's ball you surely know is a male...or something like that.

I find what Mr. Jans said a bit hypocrite. NCEES and the states know there are thousands of non-engineers in the private sector offering engineering services and in engineering positions without having a license. What do they do? NOTHING, as in NADA...ZERO. Then, when something like Deep Horizon happens they point fingers. In the meantime they are too busy collecting fees from PE hopefuls and changing the rules whenever they feel they want to.

It is easy to point fingers after things happen. How about preventing things from happening?

The engineering profession lacks the respect and status other professions have because of that. Now a days any one can be called an engineer. The guy that cleans the carpets, the bathrooms, the cabinet, and the one that takes care of the lawn...Maintenance Engineer, Building Engineer. What else?

Where I work we have a whole engineering design section with only one engineer and she does not have a clue what a relay is. The rest are Engineering Technicians doing design work( I call them Copy/Paste Engineers). But they are in charge of the design of the protective relay system that will keep the lights on. Next time a blackout happens, as in East Coast Blackout some years ago, I am sure NCEES will point fingers one more time.

 

[envirotex]

For what it's worth...the state of Texas where many petroleum, drilling, production, operations engineers work and reside currently shields "engineers" from being licensed if they are participating in "the activities of a private corporation or other business entity, or the activities of the full-time employees or other personnel under the direct supervision and control of the business entity" (Texas Engineering Practice Act §1001.057).

So for the most part petroleum engineers don't get licensed unless they need to provide expert witness testimony...this is a problem. Following Macondo, the newly formed BOEMRE started requiring a stamp for drilling (from the drilling rules: "Requiring submittal of certification by a professional engineer that the casing and cementing program is appropriate for the purposes for which it is intended under expected wellbore pressure.")...before that, not so much.

 

[EM_PS]

We (MI) require casing certs too, not necessarily by a stamping PE, though they are usually by a petroleum engineer or CPG - stamping would seem to be a good idea, though also an easy way to single out a fall guy away from the owners-operators, which wasnt (nor shouldn't have been) the case w/ Macondo

 

[cdcengineer]

The licensing system is flawed let's face it.

 

[Guest]

Just my :2cents: ...

There is a Spanish say..." Despues que le ves las bolas al perro seguro sabes que es macho". That translate into something like...After seeing the dog's ball you surely know is a male...or something like that.

I think another spanish saying also applies as well .... "A ti te toca"

It's really easy to point fingers ... but what happens when it is your turn to be the guard at the door?

 

[Freon]

Being in the industry, I have a little different perspective. The major players in the petroleum industry see licensure as a big issue that is about to knock on the door. They were burned by some of the manpower decisions that were made in the 80s during the oil glut and most of them are working to get ahead of this issue.

The universities also play a part, even when I was in school (back when 8-track tapes were still cool) Chemical and Petroleum Engineering programs did not encourage people to get in the pipeline. They are also trying to tack a large sailboat through the wind on this issue.

My place of work, there has been a push to get some of the young guys started on the path to a PE.

Lastly, as most of you know, I am one of the few people in the well control industry that had nothing to do with the Deepwater Horizon tragedy. I was working on a project in the North Sea. (By the way, the weather sucks in Aberdeen right now.) But I paste in a photo below that ya’ll may find interesting.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Let's face it, outside of the civvies, licensed engineers are few and far between. Most of them work in industry and come under that umbrella.

 

[Master slacker]

...Maintenance Engineer, Building Engineer. What else?

Hey, I'm a maintenance engineer. No, really. I am.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I was (really) a rocket scientist for a few years.

 

[envirotex]

...The major players in the petroleum industry see licensure as a big issue that is about to knock on the door. They were burned by some of the manpower decisions that were made in the 80s during the oil glut and most of them are working to get ahead of this issue.

Also being in the industry...I agree. Unfortunately, the people who could have taught or mentored the younger are mostly retired.

This is becoming an issue at the state level, as well. The RRC is finally making changes and new stamping rules are being issued.