PSA Inspects ExxonMobil’s Balder FPSO (Norway)

On 27 September 2012 and 1-4 October 2012, the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) carried out an audit of Balder FPSO and ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS  .

The objective of the task was to follow up how ExxonMobil satisfies regulatory requirements for risk reduction and barriers in a lifetime perspective.

A nonconformity was identified in relation to robustness in the preparedness organisation.

Furthermore, improvement items were identified in relation to: Barrier management, Capacity in the organisation and Labelling of facilities, systems and equipment.

Balder is the very first field on the Norwegian continental shelf to be developed by means of a permanent, floating production vessel. The field is located in the North Sea, approximately 190 km west of Stavanger. Field development was approved by authorities in 1996 and production began in Oct 1999. Recoverable oil reserves are estimated at 170 million barrels.

[mappress]
November 9, 2012