Cenovus has informed the Canada-Newfoundland & Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) of a dropped object incident during cargo lifting operations on the SeaRose FPSO.
The recently upgraded vessel, which is stationed over the White Rose oilfield, experienced motions after a container was landed in the laydown area. This caused the crane hook to drift and contact a bumper rail, followed by drooping of the pennant line assembly (master link, wire rope and hook) over a crash rail.
That in turn released the tension on the pennant line assembly, causing it to disconnect from the crane hook and fall to the deck below.
Crane operations were swiftly suspended. The area had been barricaded with only authorized personnel inside the exclusion zone; however, as the C-NLOPB noted, the incident could have led to a fatality, owing to the weight of the object and the distance travelled.
Cenovus has started an investigation into the cause of the incident.
