A worker onboard the Terra Nova FPSO, off the east coast of Canada, was injured Sunday, after falling from a ladder while conducting gas testing, the operating company informed in an official statement.
On Sunday evening, 29 December, Suncor Energy reported the incident that occurred earlier in the day to Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB).
The offshore medic and emergency response team were called to the scene.
The injured worker was transferred to St. John’s by medevac on Sunday evening and is currently in the hospital under medical care.
The incident follows an Order by the Board to suspend production-related operations on the Terra Nova FPSO on 19 December 2019, in response to another issue.
Namely, the Board determined that Suncor was not compliant with regulatory requirements under the Atlantic Accord Implementation Acts:
- to maintain and comprehensively inspect equipment critical in the safe operation of the installation;
- to ensure repairs are carried out in a timely manner; and
- to ensure that mitigation measures are effective in minimizing hazards.
However, the task being undertaken by the injured worked was safety-focused and was not included in the scope of suspended activity.
The C-NLOPB is reviewing this incident, along with others that have recently taken place on facilities operated by the same company in the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area.
In July, a ‘potentially fatal’ incident occurred aboard Terra Nova FPSO, when an offshore worker was exposed to chemicals.
In October, a near miss incident took place on Terra Nova FPSO when a trolley assemply fell onto an enclosure. There were no injuries.
Production-related operations remain suspended on the Terra Nova FPSO and will not resume until Suncor Energy has received approval from the C-NLOPB.
Terra Nova is a Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO) located in the Terra Nova oil and gas field, approximately 350 kilometers (220 mi) east-southeast off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada in the North Atlantic Ocean. Suncor Energy operates the field with a 33.9% interest.
