Norwegian gov’t to investigate offshore safety agency

The Norwegian government’s state auditor, Riksrevisjonen or the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), has decided to conduct an investigation of the country’s offshore safety watchdog, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA). 

The Petroleum Safety Authority (Petroleumstilsynet) is a Norwegian government regulator responsible for safety, emergency preparedness and the working environment in the country’s petroleum industry.

As a response to the announced audit, the PSA director, Anne Myhrvold, said on Monday that the agency, as an auditor itself, was aware that the audit contributes to learning and providing opportunities for improvement.

According to the PSA, the purpose of the investigation is to provide the Norwegian parliament, Storting, with relevant information about the implementation and effects of public measures, contributing to better and more efficient management.

The OAG has audited the PSA several times before. For this particular audit, the PSA has not revealed the particular issues that will be under investigation.

Offshore Safety Authority