Tirex Petroleum & Energy reinforces safety across offshore operations

The management of Tirex Petroleum & Energy Limited, a subsidiary of Still Earth Holdings has reinforced the important role of safety advancing rig operations in the oil and gas industry.

The Company renewed the reinforcement when it recognised and rewarded outstanding offshore workers for exemplary safety consciousness and adherence to best practices at the second edition of its FOCUS on Safety Initiative, an acronym for Formulate, Organize, Communicate, Undertake and Summarize.

The ceremony, held recently in Lagos, celebrated offshore professionals whose dedication and vigilance contributed significantly to improving safety standards across oil rig operations in 2025.

Delivering a keynote address titled “Advancing Workplace Safety Standards,” Izugbokwe Chukwudi, health, safety and environment (HSE) manager for West Africa Operations at Shelf Drilling, highlighted people, processes, and the environment as the three critical pillars required to drive sustainable safety performance.

He emphasised that organisations must recruit the right people, provide adequate training, and equip them with effective systems and procedures.

According to him, safety is not a standalone goal but an integral part of operational excellence, requiring continuous improvement, behavioural awareness, and investment in training and systems.

Presenting the awards, Ken Chendo, deputy general manager of Tirex Petroleum & Energy Limited, commended the recipients for upholding safety as a top priority and for setting exemplary standards within offshore operations.

Recipients of the 2025 Safety Excellence Awards include Barry Owiriwa, offshore installation manager at Shelf Drilling; James Odomo, roustabout at Shelf Drilling; Prince Nwinor, utility staff at Delta Hospitality Limited; and Sunday Babalola, utility staff at Delta Hospitality Limited. The awardees were recognised for demonstrating strong leadership, compliance, and commitment to safe offshore operations.

Read also: How Nigeria is leading West Africa’s next offshore chapter

Speaking on behalf of the award recipients, Sunday Babalola expressed deep appreciation to Tirex Petroleum & Energy Limited, describing the recognition as a rare honour in his over 20 years of offshore catering experience.

He encouraged the company to sustain its commitment to recognising and celebrating offshore professionals.

Similarly, Prince Nwinor said he was overwhelmed to receive the award less than five years into his career, describing the recognition as both motivating and inspiring.

The closing remarks were delivered by Michael Olakanma, rig manager at Shelf Drilling, who applauded Tirex Petroleum & Energy Limited for initiating and sustaining the FOCUS on Safety Initiative. He described the programme as timely and impactful, noting that it reinforces the importance of safety across offshore operations.

Olakanma expressed hope that other industry players would emulate the initiative in promoting a stronger safety culture across the oil and gas sector.

The FOCUS on Safety Initiative, now in its second year, is an annual programme designed to strengthen offshore safety culture by recognising individuals whose consistent commitment continues to raise industry standards nationwide.

Modestus Anaesoronye is a leading Nigerian financial journalist with over two decades of experience reporting on the insurance and pension sectors across Nigeria and West Africa. He has held key editorial positions at major national media outlets, including The Comet, The Nation, and Financial Standard, and currently serves as a Senior Financial Analyst at BusinessDay Media Ltd.

A widely travelled reporter, he has covered industry developments in more than 14 countries across Africa and Asia.

Anaesoronye is a multiple award-winning journalist, honoured several times as Insurance Journalist of the Year and Pension Journalist of the Year by recognised industry bodies, including PensionScope and the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp), among others.

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