Safety audit reveals barrier management flaws on Wintershall’s Brage

Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has found several non-conformities following an audit of Wintershall’s management of maintenance and barriers at Brage platform offshore Norway.

From 27 to 29 September 2017, we carried out an audit of Wintershall’s management of maintenance and barriers at Brage.

The objective of the audit was to assess how Wintershall is ensuring compliance with the authorities’ requirements, recognised standards and its own requirements in the operation and maintenance of Brage.

We verified how management of barriers and maintenance is being addressed for Brage and examined in  particular the company’s own follow-up of changes of significance for maintenance management; the company’s efforts to improve maintenance management; the company’s efforts to ensure that important contributors to safety risk/uncertainty are identified, addressed and monitored; and
the company’s completion and implementation of Brage barrier strategies and performance standards.

As a result of the audit, three non-conformities were identified in connection with barrier management, passive fire protection, and documentation.

Three aspects with potential for improvement were also identified related to Short-term and long-term strategic objectives; performance standards; and action plans for emergency preparedness.

Wintershall has been given a deadline of December 17, 2017, to report on how the non-conformities and improvement points will be addressed.

The Brage field is Wintershall Norge’s first operated production field. It is located 13 kilometers east of Oseberg in the northern part of the North Sea, 125 kilometers west of Bergen.

Wintershall took over operatorship of Brage from Statoil in October 2013. The field was developed using an integrated platform on a steel jacket. The oil from the field is transported by pipeline to Oseberg and from there to the Sture terminal, while gas is transported through Statpipe.