Yemisi Izuora
TotalEnergies, has pointed out the critical importance of ensuring safety in the country’s oil and gas industry operations.
This the company highlighted when it hosted a Health, Safety, Security, Social and Environment (HSSSE) forum for 62 contractors at the TotalEnergies Village in Port Harcourt. Themed “The Role of Contractors in Regaining Operational Control and Embedding Safety Culture,” the event aimed to reinforce the company’s commitment to zero incidents and fatalities, introduce the SABI project, and provide a platform for collaboration, feedback, and shared learning.
Welcoming participants, Country Chair and Managing Director, Mr. Matthieu Bouyer, emphasized the importance of collective responsibility in achieving safety goals. “The objective of this forum is to share key initiatives, identify improvement actions, and engage in meaningful dialogue around safety, operational risks, and culture. Our goal is simple: to ensure that every person working on our sites returns home safely at the end of each day or shift,” he said.
Mr. Bouyer reiterated that safety is a core value at TotalEnergies—one that must be upheld consistently across all operations. He noted that the forum’s theme aligns closely with the SABI project, which focuses on strengthening operational control and embedding a proactive safety culture across all sites and offices.
He highlighted the critical role contractors play in the success of Project SABI. “Contractors account for approximately 70% of our manhours and are often more exposed to operational risks. In many cases, serious incidents affect contractor personnel rather than TotalEnergies staff. If we are to sustain the benefits of this project, collaboration between our organizations at every level is essential,” he stated.
Addressing the contractor MDs in attendance, Mr. Bouyer called for leadership and accountability in driving safety performance. He outlined five key pillars of responsibility, Know and enforce safety rules, Ensure personnel are trained, equipped, and empowered to work safely, Foster a culture of speaking up, Learn from incidents and Implement fair recognition and consequences. A just safety culture rewards safe behavior and addresses lapses constructively.
“SABI is not just a project—it’s a mindset shift,” Mr. Bouyer concluded. “It reflects our commitment to safe, robust operations. I urge you to support and implement SABI-related actions to help us build a workplace where safety is everyone’s responsibility.”
Highlights of the event included a syndicate session, a detailed presentation on the SABI project, award recognitions, and the validation of the Safe Driving Charter of Commitment.