PSA audits Statfjord A safety management

The Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) Norway has carried out an audit of Statoil’s management of the domains of electrical installations, safety instrumented systems and technical safety at Statfjord A platform, in the North Sea. 

The Statfjord field is in the Tampen area, in the northern part of the North Sea, offshore Norway. Statfjord A is an integrated drilling, production and accommodation platform and is the oldest of the three integrated platforms on the field. It came on stream in 1979.

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway carried out its audit of Statfjord A from 19 to 22 August 2014. Meetings were also held in Statoil’s premises at Forus on 28 and 29 August 2014. The topics of the audit were electrical installations, safety instrumented systems and technical safety.

The audit was anchored in the PSA’s key priority for 2014 of barriers. The purpose of the audit was to investigate whether Statoil’s management and follow-up of Statfjord A is in compliance with the company’s own requirements and those of the authorities. The audit also covered checking whether the frameworks in which the organisation and operating personnel work provide scope for meeting the requirements.

The audit revealed non-conformities relating to: Activities which weaken the safety system; Classified areas without gas detection; Use of the Norwegian language.

Improvement points were identified relating to: Assumptions in the risk analysis; Labelling of equipment; Insulating mats in front of electrical panels; Fire insulation; Maintenance of deluge systems.

Non-conformity entails that a condition is assessed as not complying with a regulatory requirement.

Improvement point entails that PSA has identified a deficiency or weakness, without there being sufficient grounds for determining a breach of regulatory requirements.