The Norwegian Safety Petroleum Authority announced that they carried out an audit of Rowan Norway (Rowan) and the company’s arrangements for evacuation from mobile facilities with Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC). The audit was conducted on March 19, 2019, focusing on the barriers around evacuation to the sea using lifeboats, and covered the company’s facilities that have an AoC.
The audit took place due to the fact that the Authority found deficiencies in lifeboats on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) in 2005. In the meantime, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs that were responsible for the PSA, are in favour of the audit and also called the Authority to proceed to the audit.
The audit aimed to verify that the technical, organisational and operational barrier elements for safeguarding the evacuation-to-the-sea barrier function have been established, used and maintained in accordance with applicable regulations, such that at all times the personnel on board can be evacuated quickly and efficiently.
The audit resulted to concerns that have to do with the lack of measures for rectifying or compensating for missing or weakened barriers. Therefore, the Authority asked Rowan to report on how the improvement point will be addressed. The deadline for feedback has been set at 14 June 2019.
In light of lifeboat deficiencies, the Authority presented the main challenges facing lifeboats used in petroleum operations on the NCS include the following:
- Free-fall lifeboats:
- Hull strength;
- Safety of people on board, particularly the effect of acceleration forces on the human body;
- Propulsion;
- Davit-lowered lifeboats:
- Hull strength;
- Safe and effective detachment of hooks after launching;
- Safety of people on board, particularly the effect of acceleration forces on the human body;
- Propulsion.
