Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has launched an investigation into a serious work accident which took place on the Heimdal field in the North Sea on 28 November 2019, where two people were injured from an explosion in a gas cylinder.
The incident occurred as a result of an explosion of a portable gas container onboard, and was reported in to Equinor’s emergency response centre at 1806 CET. There were 70 personnel on board the platform when the incident occurred,
…informed Norwegian oil firm Equinor, the operator of the field.
The two injured employees were taken care of by health personnel onboard Heimdal, and were transported further to Haukeland University Hospital and Stavanger University Hospital with a SAR helicopter and a Joint Rescue Coordination Centre helicopter.
An investigation team comprising four specialists from the PSA flied out to Heimdal today, 29 November.
The principal objective of their work was to establish the direct and underlying causes of the incident.
The PSA team is going out to Heimdal together with the police, and will support the latter in their inquiries in addition to pursuing its own investigation.
In connection with the investigation, the PSA team will study the course of events in detail, establish the direct and underlying causes, identify possible breaches of the regulations and contribute to experience transfer and learning lessons for other players in the petroleum industry.
Heimdal is a field in the central part of the North Sea. The water depth in the area is 120 metres. Heimdal was discovered in 1972, and the plan for development and operation (PDO) was approved in 1981. Production started in 1985.
See also:
- Alexander L. Kielland: Norway’s worst offshore disaster
- Ocean Ranger: Commemorating North America’s offshore disaster
