On this occasion, we interviewed Manuel García, a Venezuelan who is a national and international reference in the oil industry in the field of Health, Safety and Environment, also known as HSE. He is an industrial engineer with more than 40 years of experience in HSE management in the oil and gas, food and beverage, and commercial and residential maintenance services industries. He is the founder and owner of the Situation Response and Attention Model (MARS), an innovative methodology that has positioned him as a leader in the formulation of corporate HSE proposals, with a rigorous focus on customer needs and continuous improvement.
He is the author of many publications, including: Comprehensive Risk Management System Model (MSGIR 2006), Model for Attention and Response to Situations (MARS 2021) – Spanish and English versions, MARS Applied to Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (2024), MARS Applied to Case Study in QHSE (2026).
He currently works as an independent consultant, promoting a universal model for health, safety, and environmental management.
1. At present, there are no official figures on accidents at the IPPGN in Venezuela. However, based on information reported by the media and social networks, there appears to be significant damage to the environment due to spills and operational accidents that have caused harm to people and facilities. Does your team have any figures to share and possible causes?
It is true that currently no official consolidated figures are published on accidents in the national oil, petrochemical, and gas industry. However, our team has been monitoring the situation through press reports and documented sources.
Between 2003 and 2018, more than 180 fatalities were recorded in connection with various incidents in the industry, some of which had a significant impact. The most notable case was the explosion at the Amuay Refinery in 2012, which left 47 people dead, 135 injured, and caused millions in losses.
There has also been an increase in the frequency and magnitude of oil spills in several regions of the country; between 2009 and 2016, the volume spilled exceeded one million barrels, according to official figures available at the time.
As for the possible causes, the patterns observed point to the deterioration of prevention, maintenance, and operational integrity systems, as well as a lack of sustained investment and weak risk controls.
Beyond the figures, it is essential to recognize that the industry urgently needs to strengthen its culture of prevention and its safety management systems.
2. Given the current deterioration of oil infrastructure, what should be the immediate priorities in health, safety and the environment to promote a safe operational recovery?
To achieve a safe operational restart, there are four clear priorities.
- Restore the culture of Health, Safety and Environment, reinforcing risk prevention and control throughout the organization.
- Clarify roles and responsibilities, ensuring that each worker has the necessary training and skills to perform their job safely.
- Rigorously apply the risk control hierarchy in critical processes, equipment, and areas, tackling risks at their source.
- Perform technical diagnostics to verify compliance with Risk Reduction Measures and mandatory minimum standards.
In summary, the priority is not only to reactivate, but to do so with discipline, prevention, and control.
3. Can compliance with international health, safety and environmental standards add economic value and competitiveness to the Venezuelan oil sector?
Yes, without a doubt, compliance with international standards in Health, Safety and Environment can bring real economic value to the Venezuelan oil sector.
These standards bring together best practices that help us work in a safer, more orderly, and more efficient manner. Incorporating them into the business model not only reduces risks and losses but also strengthens the confidence of investors, partners, and international markets.
In addition, they promote a more sustainable and resilient organizational culture, which is precisely the direction in which the global energy industry is moving today. In this sense, complying with international standards is not only a technical requirement but also a competitive advantage.
4. How can the sector rebuild a culture of safety in a workforce that has operated for years under contingency and with declining standards? And what role can the repatriation of expert talent play in this process?
Rebuilding a culture of safety means going beyond revisiting basic standards; it requires moving toward a sustainable and resilient business culture.
If there is a lag in traditional safety culture today, the gap is even greater when we talk about a comprehensive model that connects strategy with operations and people with results. Safety must be integrated into the organization’s purpose, values, and goals, and translated into clear practices, measurable indicators, and continuous improvement.
This means aligning strategy—vision, principles, and objectives—with operations—procedures, processes, and results—and balancing technical aspects with strengthening human talent, roles, and responsibilities.
In this process, the repatriation of expert talent can play a key role. Professionals with international experience can contribute best practices, operational discipline, and an updated vision that accelerates cultural reconstruction and raises industry standards.
5. Given the oil decentralization currently being proposed for Venezuela, do you think the country’s legal framework needs to be improved to ensure the establishment of health, safety and environmental measures?
This is a very important question. In any country, everything related to health, safety and the environment is based on a clear structure: the Constitution, laws, regulations, and technical standards. That foundation does not change, even in a process of decentralization.
Rather than creating new laws, the key is to ensure that the existing legal framework is applied in a transparent, technical, and consistent manner. The primary responsibility for ensuring compliance lies with the State and the institutions responsible for supervision and control.
If progress is made toward oil decentralization, it will be essential to strengthen these institutions, ensure clear rules, and avoid the discretionary use of regulations. Safety and the environment should not become political tools, but rather technical pillars that guarantee responsible and sustainable operations.
In short, rather than a large number of laws, what is needed is solid institutions, effective oversight, and impartial enforcement of regulations.
6. Can you give examples from other countries of a company that has an oil operation that complies with the standards for safe facilities and operations?
Yes, there are several international examples of oil operations that meet high safety standards.
One notable case is Norway with Equinor, where quantitative risk analyses are a legal requirement. In addition, there is complete transparency in incident reporting and the principle of keeping risks “as low as reasonably practicable” is applied, which raises the level of demand throughout the operation.
In the United Kingdom, companies such as BP operate under the close supervision of the Health and Safety regulatory body, with mandatory process safety studies and a culture based on leadership and operational discipline.
In the United States, companies such as ExxonMobil operate under a very strict regulatory framework, which includes standards such as OSHA for process safety, environmental regulations, and American Petroleum Institute (API) standards to ensure the integrity of critical equipment.
The common denominator in these cases is clear: robust regulation, effective oversight, operational discipline, transparency, and continuous learning. In these business models, there is no room for improvisation; they are built on leadership, technology, and sustained commitment.
7. Many opinions and interviews with experts on the subject mention mandatory minimums. Could you explain what these consist of?
“Mandatory minimums” are basic safety requirements that must be met before performing an operation. They are non-negotiable, unless there is an alternative measure that has been duly evaluated and approved by a competent technical team.
They apply especially when there are deviations in control barriers or when the causes of a previous event are not fully known. In such cases, minimum conditions are established to reduce risk and prevent the incident from recurring.
For example, they may be required before starting up equipment, performing an operation, carrying out maintenance, or entering an area with special conditions.
In short, mandatory minimums are the safety floor that must be guaranteed to maintain reliable and safe operation.
8. Does Venezuela have the capacity to establish a business model that covers the functions of HSE in its oil industry?
Yes, Venezuela has the capacity to develop a solid business model that fully integrates Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) functions into its oil industry. But this requires a profound reengineering. Rather than talking about isolated functions, we must begin by analyzing the context, defining a clear positioning toward a sustainable business, and aligning values, purpose, and ambitious goals in terms of health, safety, and the environment.
The model must build a coherent value chain capable of delivering results with commitment, discipline, and effective management. By strengthening quality, organizational culture, and sustainability, it will be possible to close the current gaps and move toward the expected standard.
A modern oil agency, together with its affiliated companies and contractors, must work under this approach to consolidate a truly sustainable and resilient business.
9. Do you know where Venezuela stands on this issue?
It is difficult to rank Venezuela in terms of sustainable and resilient business models, as this is a relatively new and very demanding approach.
However, I can point out that between 1982 and 2002, the Venezuelan oil, petrochemical, and gas industry made significant progress in health, safety and the environment. During that period, with the support of world-class companies, comprehensive systems aligned with international standards were implemented, and competitive levels were achieved in the region.
Unfortunately, in recent years there has been a gradual deterioration that has affected these advances. The current gap is significant.
However, the challenge, although great, is not impossible. With clarity on the direction and commitment to restoring standards, sustained effort and technical leadership, it is possible to move forward again.
10. What contributions would you make to improve this system from a technical standpoint and from an academic training standpoint?
From a technical standpoint, we would provide a team of professionals who have remained active, up-to-date, and working on innovative models of health, safety and environmental management. The idea is to contribute practical experience to strengthen systems, develop case studies, and align processes with modern and sustainable standards.
From an academic standpoint, the contribution would be in the training and alignment of human talent. It is essential to prepare professionals for their roles and responsibilities, promoting leadership based on commitment and discipline.
If we manage to integrate technical knowledge with solid training, it is possible to build an agency or industry that once again becomes a benchmark in the field.
The views expressed by Manuel García are of his personal ownership and responsibility, and do not necessarily reflect the position of PDVSA Ad Hoc.
