Safety rap for Statoil’s Aasta Hansteen management

Norway’s offshore safety watchdog, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), has found several flaws in Statoil’s management of the completion of Aasta Hansteen development offshore Norway.

The PSA carried out an audit of Statoil’s management of the completion of Aasta Hansteen from 8 to 10 January 2018.

The agency explained on Friday that the objective of the audit was to verify that Statoil’s management and follow-up of the project within the domains of materials handling, working environment, emergency preparedness, electrical systems, maintenance management and technical safety comply with the company’s and the authorities’ requirements, so as to reduce the likelihood of failures and hazardous working environment exposure.

Three non-conformities were identified in connection with materials handling using offshore cranes, work in and operation of electrical facilities, and composite gratings in evacuation routes.

In addition, two improvement points were identified in connection with competence and materials handling plan.

Statoil has been given a deadline of March 21, 2018 to report on how the non-conformities and improvement points will be addressed.

The Statoil-operated Aasta Hansteen gas field is located in the Norwegian Sea in 1300 meters of water in the Vøring area, 300 kilometers from land.

The gas field is being developed with a spar FPSO platform, as the first on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

The hull and the platform topside were mated at Kvaerner’s Stord yard in December 2017. Once the platform has been prepared for operations, it will be towed to the Aasta Hansteen field. This is planned for the spring of 2018.

Offshore Energy Today Staff