Norway: PSA Announces Results of Troll A Facility Audit

During the period 16-19 August 2010, the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) carried out an audit of Statoil Petroleum AS’ (Statoil) facilitation of future efficient and sound handling of materials on the Troll A facility.

The audit activity was carried out through a start-up meeting at Statoil’s offices in Bergen with relevant personnel from the operations and project organisations, as well as through meetings, interviews and verifications on board Troll A.

Background

The background for the audit activity was that Statoil was in the process of expanding the living quarters complex on Troll A.

The audit was part of the larger audit of the management of risk, health, safety, working environment and emergency preparedness in connection with simultaneous operations and modification on Troll A.

Purpose

The purpose of the activity was to evaluate how Statoil facilitates future efficient and sound handling of materials on Troll A in general, and that the loading deck is suitable for safe lifting operations in accordance with regulatory requirements in particular. The audit focused especially on Statoil’s measures to avoid blind spots.

Result

The PSA made observations of a technical, operational and organisational nature.

The PSA  emphasised the following matters:

• Deficiencies in scheduling and facilitating efficient and sound handling of materials.
• The crane operator has very limited visibility, or no visibility, in several cargo areas that are regularly used by both offshore cranes.
• The management system does not sufficiently take into account overall operational management of lifting operations.
• Deficiencies in the system for safeguarding expertise

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Source: PSA, October  26, 2010;