PSA Wants Answers on Heimdal Gas Leak (Norway)

PSA Wants Answers on Heimdal Gas Leak

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) has issued an order to Statoil following an investigation of the hydrocarbon leak on the Heimdal field on 26 May 2012.

The hydrocarbon leak occurred in connection with testing of two emergency shutdown valves on the HMP1 drilling, production and living quarters platform on the Heimdal field on 26 May 2012.

The leak is among the most serious gas discharges on the Norwegian shelf in several years .

The PSA decided to implement its own investigation of the incident. Based on the findings in the investigation Statoil is ordered to:

  •  Identify the causes why the improvement measures implemented in Statoil did not have the necessary effect on Heimdal
  • Ensure that the improvement measures, as previously mentioned, have the necessary effect on Heimdal and present a plan for the work that is necessary to achieve this
  • Confirm that there are no similar conditions that indicate an inadequate effect of the aforementioned measures on Statoil’s other facilities.

“The deadline to comply with the order is 1 March 2013,” said the PSA in a press release.

Heimdal

The Heimdal Gas Center, on Production License (PL) 036, is a hub for the processing and distribution of gas. It consists of an integrated steel platform, and a riser platform.

Gas from Heimdal is processed together with gas from the Huldra and Vale fields.  In addition, Heimdal receives gas from the Oseberg Field Center through the Oseberg Gas Transport system (OGT).  Periodically, reverse gas flow from the Statpipe pipeline goes to Heimdal and on to Vesterled.

Heimdal is also equipped to export gas as pressure support to produce oil on the Grane field, after it started operating on October 1, 2003.

The total maximum rate of processed gas on Heimdal is comparable to some 15-20 percent of Norway’s total gas export.

Related:

Statoil Submits Heimdal Gas Leak Investigation Report to PSA Norway

Statoil: Heimdal Gas Leak Under Investigation (Norway)

PSA: Heimdal Leak among the Most Serious Gas Emissions on NCS

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February 4, 2013