PSA: All NCS drilling contractors audited

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway has carried out an audit in the form of competence mapping in the drilling domain, directed at all drilling contractors.

Throughout the year, the PSA has conducted audits of all drilling contractors on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The purpose of the audits was to map competence requirements in the individual companies, and to verify compliance with these requirements. The mapping was limited to drilling personnel working on mobile offshore drilling rigs.

Under the regulations, it is the companies responsible which must ensure adequate manning and competence in all phases of the activities, and define minimum requirements for manning and competence to meet the functional needs.

The mapping showed that most of the companies have established requirements for the formal training of personnel in drilling, primarily based on guidelines from the industry body, the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association.

PSA advised that, “It may be appropriate to perform verifications of specific companies in follow-up to the audit, in particular on the basis of information received during the mapping.”