Safety body probes Martin Linge living quarters construction

Norway’s petoleum safety watchdog, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), has found an irregularity during an audit of Total’s management of the construction of the living quarters for the Martin Linge development offshore Norway.

PSA said on Wednesday that one non-conformity was identified during the audit in connection with the arrangement for materials handling in the area for helicopter fuel tanks.

Also, three improvement points were noted regarding safety marking of machinery, planning of access for bolt inspections, and overall assessment of health risks.

The audit took place on September 20 and 21 at the living quarters’ construction site at Apply Emtunga in Gothenburg.

Total E&P Norge is the operator of the Martin Linge field in Norway, located near the British part of the North Sea about 42 kilometers west of the Oseberg field. Water depth at the area is approximately 115 meters.

Martin Linge development will consist of a fully integrated fixed production platform with a steel jacket and a floating, storage and offloading (FSO) vessel used for oil storage.

Wells for the development will be drilled using a mobile jack-up rig while the entire facility will be powered from land. Production is scheduled to start in late 2017.

Samsung ordered the LQ from Apply Emtunga back in 2013 with Total as the end client. The living quarters are being built at Apply’s Arendal Yard in Sweden. Upon completion, the 3,640-square meter module will be mounted on a jacket in the Martin Linge field and will become a home for 95 people.

PSA said on Wednesday that that the aim of the audit was to assess Total’s management of construction concerning materials handling, emergency preparedness, and working environment.

The safety body said that an audit during the design engineering and construction of facilities is highly important since ‘key parameters’ are defined during these phases. According to the PSA, these parameters ensure prudent operations once the facilities are put into use.

Offshore Energy Today Staff