Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway – The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has ordered Equinor to review its safety routines, following an investigation of an emergency shutdown incident last December on the Snorre B platform in the North Sea.
An unstable oil level gauge in a produced-water degassing tank caused the latter to shut down. To stabilize the process plant and keep production running, automatic shutdown functions for high liquid level were overridden in both the degassing tank and flare knockout drum.
The PSA said there is evidence of uncertainty concerning overriding of safety functions, and that this is not in compliance with section 26 of the Activity Regulations.
It has given Equinor until April 9 to review its established routines for its facilities, to ensure that overriding of safety systems is performed in future in accordance with the regulatory requirements.
In addition, the Authority has imposed two orders and a fine on Seadrill Europe Management for serious breaches of regulations, identified following audits of Seadrill and its semisubmersible West Mira.
One of the orders covers the rig, while the other pertains to all Seadrill’s drilling facilities on the Norwegian continental shelf.
In addition, the PSA has decided to impose a fine of NOK50,000 ($6,000) per day, which will take effect from March 12, if the company fails to meet a compliance deadline.
This relates to an order to “review safety-critical installations, systems and equipment on West Mira and implement the necessary corrective or compensatory measures to ensure that installations, systems, and equipment are capable of performing their required functions…”
Although the PSA issued an acknowledgement of compliance to the rig on Oct. 30, 2019, various incidents have since occurred onboard the facility, which could have had potentially serious consequences.
One involved an unintentional disconnection of the lower marine riser package.
Earlier this year, an audit of the rig’s electrical installations and technical safety, performed with the Norwegian Maritime Authority and the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning, uncovered further irregularities, and found that Seadrill had not taken appropriate action following previously identified nonconformities.
03/12/2021
