

We believe that prevention is the best response to pollution. By anticipating pollution risks, we can more effectively prepare for them and respond immediately in the event of an emergency. We are engaged in an improvement process based on accident analysis, experience sharing and real-life drills.
Why it matters
Oil and gas operations pose specific environmental risks. Accidental pollution can have serious consequences for both the environment and a company's business performance, which is why a quick response is important for mitigating potential community and environmental impacts. At Total, protecting the population and ecosystems of our host regions is a top priority. It is key to maintaining the trust of the local communities on which our operations depend.
A core component of our operations: risk prevention
Risk prevention lies at the heart of our operations. All new industrial projects are submitted to a Risk Committee, which brings together representatives from the relevant departments. The Committee analyzes the environmental hazards of each of our projects, as well as their impact on the health of the local population, while also taking into account community engagement concerns. Once projects are reviewed by the Risk Committee, they are ready to be submitted to the Executive Committee for approval.
- Designing equipment that is safer, more reliable and more efficient.
- Maintaining and inspecting equipment and facilities.
- Using monitoring and control systems to rapidly detect problems, especially leaks.
- Selecting means of transportation and routes that limit the risk of accidents.
All employees are informed about industrial risk. This Group-wide safety culture is reinforced by the involvement of all teams in real-time crisis simulations.
Being Prepared to Take Action
Thanks to Lula, we were able to evaluate our emergency response capabilities under real-life conditions and test several innovative technologies for the first time.
Our plans and resources for responding to an emergency
FOST: Total's Response Base for Europe and West Africa
In 1991, Total established an oil spill assistance and response base in southern France, near Marseille. The Fast Oil Spill Team (FOST), which includes some of the most able firefighters from the Marseille fire brigade, can respond immediately to emergencies off the coast of Europe and West Africa. FOST has initial response equipment that can be used alongside the site’s own resources in the event of an accidental spill. Backed by a high level of expertise, FOST is the ideal provider of know-how to local teams via technical support, training and emergency drills.
Leveraging feedback from experience
Every accident is unique and offers us an opportunity to enhance our prevention and response capabilities. By analyzing an accident, we can identify the causes and understand how and why it happened. Our objective is to do everything possible to avoid a repeat and limit the consequences in the event another accident occurs. Our detailed analyses go beyond the Group and cover high-potential accidents and incidents across the industry. We work hand in hand with our peers to establish the criteria for defining and adopting the relevant best practices.
Deepwater Horizon: Lessons Learned
Following the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion in the Macondo oil field operated by BP in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, we took precautionary measures to avoid a similar accident from happening at our facilities. Three task forces were set up to analyze the risks and mitigate them as effectively as possible. The first group was dedicated to deepwater drilling safety, the second to deep offshore oil recovery and the third to accidental spill prevention. Their work has enabled us to devise various solutions for curtailing risks. For example, we have revised our technical guidelines for deepwater drilling and increased the number of targeted training programs. We have developed new well plugging and surface recovery methods. And, where necessary, we have adopted new well intervention methods, enhanced our subsea dispersant injection capabilities, implemented new modeling tools for tracking oil spills and improved our crisis management program.