IRF Can Help with Offshore Safety Worldwide, PSA Norway Director Says

The International Regulators’ Forum (IRF) is an important arena for the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA), says director general Magne Ognedal. “And it can be an important tool for petroleum safety worldwide.”

His comment follows the PSA’s assessment of the IRF’s offshore safety summit in Stavanger during October.

The communiqué issued after the meeting states that the IRF is willing to undertake the coordinatory role many have called for in the wake of the major offshore accidents in the USA and Australia.

“International collaboration on safety in the petroleum industry has become more significant after the Montara incident off Australia in 2009 and last year’s Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico,” observes Mr Ognedal.

“Accidents in this industry are now attracting greater global attention than before, and players both in Norway and in other countries must accept this responsibility.

“It’s also important for the PSA as a regulator to contribute to work on international petroleum safety. Governments, both individually and collectively, can contribute to improvement processes in the industry.”

NSOAF

Norway has been an active member for many years of the North Sea Offshore Authorities’ Forum (NSOAF), which brings together regulators in this region to discuss and coordinate common challenges and issue.

“The NSOAF has laid a basis which can be extended by the IRF,” says Mr Ognedal. “And we’ve recently learnt that it’s inspired the creation of cooperative fora in other petroleum regions around the world.

“Taken together, such coordinated international commitments could be highly significant.

“At the same time, it’s important that the companies contribute through their international arenas, such as the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) and the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (OGP).”

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Source:PSA Norway,  November 8, 2011