The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) has completed its investigation of an incident involving a dropped object on the Jotun B facility on 19 May 2018. The authority informed that it found a number of breaches of the regulations.
In connection with a plugging campaign on the Jotun B production facility, an incident took place on 19 May 2018. Namely, a high-pressure riser fell about eight metres onto the wellhead. Considering the riser’s length of 15 metres and weight of 15.7 tonnes, this corresponded to about 1.23 megajoules in kinetic energy just before impact.
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The PSA decided to investigate the incident on 22 May 2018. According to the investigation, the direct cause of the incident was the failure of the locking mechanism on the lifting appliance. This appliance did not have a secondary locking mechanism for suspended loads if the primary device failed. The underlying causes of the incident are multiple and complex, PSA noted.
The incident damaged equipment and a postponed the plugging programme, which lasted for several days.
Under slightly different circumstances, the incident had the potential for fatal or serious injuries affecting two or more people, since they stood relatively close to the dropped high-pressure riser.
The PSA investigation has identified a number of breaches of the regulations. These include:
- The “see to it” duty;
- Risk analyses;
- Training;
- User manuals for lifting equipment;
- Use of uncertified lifting equipment;
- Dealing with nonconformities;
- Barriers;
- Classification of equipment in the drilling module;
- The maintenance programme;
- Planning and prioritisation;
- Follow-up;
- Division of responsibility for lifting appliances and drilling equipment.
An improvement point related to temporary equipment has also been identified.
PSA asked Point Resources, Jotun B’s operator, to explain by 15 October how it will deal with the non-conformities and provide its assessment of the improvement point.
The PSA has previously issued an order to Point Resources and contractor Halliburton AS, after during it had identified serious deficiencies in systems and processes.