BP’s Valhall Flank North in PSA probe

On 23 and 24 September 2014, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) Norway carried out an audit of BP Norge AS (BP) and Valhall Flank North located in the North Sea. 

The PSA says the audit was focused on working environment and emergency preparedness.

Valhall Flank North is an unmanned well head platform in the southern part of the North Sea, around six kilometers north of the Valhall complex. The platform is operated by BP. The Valhall Flank North came on stream in 2004.

The audit was performed by means of a document review, presentations and interviews with the onshore organisation concerning occupational health and safety, and a verification at the platform.

According to the PSA, the object of the audit was to monitor how BP fulfills the regulatory requirements for emergency preparedness, including organisation and safeguarding of the emergency preparedness organisation, means of evacuation, maintenance of emergency preparedness equipment, and maintenance of the personnel’s expertise in relation to the emergency preparedness functions they perform. The purpose of the audit also included how BP fulfills regulatory requirements for work organisation, ergonomic factors and training in working environment matters.

Result

The audit identified two non-conformities and seven improvement points. The non-conformities related to defective correlation between emergency preparedness analysis, emergency preparedness plans and practice, and inadequate training in occupational health and safety matters.

Image: BP

[mappress mapid=”558″]