Safety body slaps Rowan with safety order

Norway’s offshore safety body, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), has ordered to Rowan Norway to rectify faults noted during an audit of the Rowan Stavanger drilling rig.

The PSA conducted the audit of emergency preparedness and maintenance management on Rowan Stavanger from October 17-20.

The audit identified non-conformities related to maintenance management concerned faults and deficiencies in the maintenance management system.

The safety body followed up on findings from earlier supervisory activities directed at Rowan with regard to the management of emergency preparedness and maintenance, and to the company’s new system for maintenance management.

On the basis of the observations made in the audit, the safety body gave a notice of order to Rowan earlier this month.

On Thursday, the PSA issued an official order to the company. The safety body said that Rowan must review the maintenance system, including competence with and training in its use, to ensure that it complies with the regulatory requirements. This work must include an analysis of why important deficiencies in the maintenance system have not been identified and followed up.

Also, the company must prepare a binding and scheduled plan to ensure that necessary training and maintenance required by the regulations are planned and implemented for all facilities within Rowan’s area of responsibility in Norway. This plan had to be submitted to the PSA by November 27, together with the response to the audit report.

To clarify, an order is an administrative decision and a strongly preventive instrument which is legally binding on the recipient, in this case, Rowan. Before the PSA issues an order, it usually sends a notice of order to the affected companies which is neither an instrument nor a notice of sanctions.

PSA concluded by stating that a scheduled plan must be presented by December 11.

 

Rowan Stavanger

The rig is a jack-up unit of the KFELS N class, delivered in 2011 by Keppel Fels Shipyard in Singapore and operated by Rowan. The PSA issued Rowan Stavanger with an acknowledgment of compliance (AoC) in 2012.

After being laid up for a lengthy period, Rowan Stavanger is now back in operation. The rig started operation on the Varg field for Repsol at the beginning of September 2017, with an expected duration of approximately 208 days.