Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway — The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) has finished investigating a lifting incident that occurred last month onboard the Deepsea Atlantic semisubmersible drilling rig in Norwegian waters.
This was connected to a lifting operation from the Stril Mar supply ship to the rig, which is operated by Odfjell Drilling. The load dropped out of control before striking the Stril Mar’s bulkhead and landing on the seafloor.
Investigators found deficiencies in planning and execution of the lifting operation. In addition to having the wrong settings, the crane was operated outside its design criteria.
The lifting incident caused damage to the offshore crane, slip joint and the ship’s bulwark, with the starboard crane out of action for a period thereafter. In different circumstances, the load could have fallen with full force against the ship’s deck or the bulwark and caused worse damage to the ship.
However, it appears unlikely that the slip joint could have damaged subsea structures, nor did the incident pose potential for personal injury.
The PSA team identified inadequacies in the safety clearance of activities and the safety system for the offshore crane, and deficiencies in weight information for the slip joint and in use of the crane.
It has asked Odfjell Drilling to explain by this Friday, Oct. 28, how it will address the nonconformities.
10.24.2022
