Encana Re-Deploying Workers on Deep Panuke Following Fire Incident (Canada)

The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board has received several inquiries about an incident which took place on the Deep Panuke Platform on Saturday, January 19th, 2013.

The Board’s role is to ensure that the Operator (Encana) responds to such incidents appropriately, and that investigations are conducted to the Board’s satisfaction.

Board safety officers have visited the Deep Panuke platform twice since this incident occurred, and findings from the Operator’s investigation have now been shared with the Board.

The Board, along with its certifying authority (Lloyd’s Register), have confirmed that necessary electrical repairs have been completed, and that the CO2 fire suppression system has been tested and put back in service.

Encana advised the Board over the weekend of its intention to re-deploy construction personnel to the platform to resume construction activities. The Board said it was satisfied that appropriate corrective actions have been taken enabling the Operator to proceed.

Background

The Board, an independent joint agency of the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia responsible for the regulation of petroleum activities and resources offshore Nova Scotia, was notified immediately by the Operator early in the morning of January 19th, 2013 of a small fire that was contained within an electrical cabinet in the Emergency Switchboard Room (ESR) on the Deep Panuke platform.

The Operator advised that the fire team on the platform responded, the electrical cabinet and ESR was de-energized and the fire extinguished. also, the Operator reported that the damage was contained to the cabinet, that there were no injuries, and there was no potential for escalation to a serious incident.

The Operator advised that, as a precaution, it was transporting non-essential construction personnel from the platform to shore while an investigation into this incident was carried out and repairs made.

The Deep Panuke platform is still under final construction and commissioning, and has not yet started production. Natural gas is yet to be introduced on to the platform.

Prior to starting production, the platform requires a Certificate of Fitness issued by Lloyd’s Register as Certifying Authority attesting that it is in regulatory compliance, that it is fit for purpose, and that it can operate safely without polluting the environment. Additionally, an Operations Authorization – Production must be issued by this Board. Neither the Certificate nor the Operations Authorization – Production will be issued until the platform has been fully commissioned and tested to the satisfaction of both Lloyd’s Register and the Board.

Encana’s Deep Panuke Offshore Gas Development Project (the Project) involves the production of natural gas from an offshore field located approximately 250 km southeast of Halifax and the transportation of that gas via subsea pipeline to shore, and ultimately, to markets in Canada and the United States.

[mappress]
January 30, 2013