Norwegian union demands to be involved in rig accident investigation

Industri Energi, a Norwegian workers’ union, demands to take part in the investigation of the death of an oil worker that happened in December when a giant wave hit the COSL Innovator drilling rig in the North Sea.

“We want to be involved in the investigation which cost the life of one of our members,” says union secretary Håkon Aasen Bjerkeli.

To remind, the incident happened on December 30, 2015, when a wave, reportedly around 20 meters high, struck the living quarters of the COSL Innovator rig, killed one, and injured two workers.

The man who died in the accident was later identified Rune Morten Narvåg, aged 53. He was a team leader for subsea operations for a Norwegian company Aker Solutions. He had been working for the oil services company for the past 37 years.

Following the incident, the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) launched an investigation into the fatal incident, first on the Norwegian shelf since 2009.

Now, Industri Energi, one of the largest unions in Norway, has sent a letter to the PSA, demanding to be involved in the investigation.

The union says it “must” take part both because the deceased and the two injured workers are members of the association, and because Industri Energi “can contribute expertise and experience, with the aim to ensure that nobody on the Norwegian Continental Shelf becomes involved in a similar accident again.”

Industri Energi has called for a meeting with the PSA where both the incident and the safety regulations in place would be addressed.

Offshore Energy Today Staff