Offshore safety body checks Repsol’s emergency preparedness at Gyda

Norwegian offshore safety body, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), has found four improvement points during its audit of Repsol’s emergency preparedness and the helideck at the Gyda platform in the North Sea off Norway. 

The Gyda field is located in the southern North Sea between Ula and Ekofisk. It has been developed using an integrated facility with a steel jacket located in water depths of 66 meters.

Repsol took over operatorship of the Gyda field through the acquisition of Talisman Energy in 2015. The field started producing in 1990.

The PSA said on Monday that the audit was conducted from January 30 – February 1. The aim of the audit was for the safety body to see how Repsol is meeting the regulatory requirements for emergency preparedness and the helideck at Gyda.

No regulatory non-conformities were identified during the audit, but the audit did reveal improvement points regarding evacuation routes, maintenance of safety equipment, handling of hazard and accident situations at one of the cranes, and system for training and drills.

The PSA added that the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority provided specialist assistance for the part of the audit concerning the helideck.

Repsol was told to inform the PSA on how the improvement points will be assessed by April 7 at the latest.

Late last year, Repsol received a consent from the safety body to change the contingency plan for Gyda field. Up to then, Repsol has cooperated with AkerBP by sharing an emergency response vessel between the Ula and Gyda facilities. However, Repsol then decided to use its own man over board (MOB) boat.