Equinor sees downturn in oil & gas workers’ injury frequency

Norwegian state-owned oil and gas giant Equinor has provided safety results for the first quarter of 2024, reporting no serious well control incidents. The company’s report shows that workers’ injury frequency is on a downswing, but the firm continues to be on guard to prevent major accidents.

Based on Equinor’s safety results for the first quarter of 2023, the serious incident frequency per million hours worked (SIF) was 0.4 at the end of the quarter, equivalent to the level seen at the end of the fourth quarter of 2023. The Norwegian giant underlines that serious injuries are included in the serious incident statistics.

While emphasizing the reduction in the number of injuries, the company outlined that the total recordable injury frequency per million hours worked (TRIF) for the first quarter was 2.3 for the past 12 months, down from 2.4 at the end of 2023. The safety statistics indicate a long-term positive trend in general for the period.

Furthermore, twelve oil and gas leaks have been recorded during the past 12 months, which are classified by the severity of the leak rate. Equinor highlights its commitment to preventing major accidents by focusing particularly on the safety training of leaders and on e-learning courses that are also available to the firm’s suppliers.

The Norwegian player cooperates with other operating companies and external suppliers through the ‘Always Safe’ annual wheel to enhance the understanding of what conditions prevent safe work. Equinor plans to focus on preventing injuries in the second quarter.

The first quarter of 2024 has been marked by a tragic helicopter accident, as an employee died in the accident. The five others on board the helicopter who worked for Bristow on an assignment for Equinor have survived.

Jannicke Nilsson, Equinor’s Executive Vice President for Safety, Security, and Sustainability, commented: “On 28 February we lost a good colleague when an Oseberg search and rescue (SAR) helicopter crashed off Sotra by Bergen.

“The accident has strongly affected everyone involved and colleagues across the company. It is a strong reminder of the importance of the safety work being undertaken in all our activities.”

While the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority is investigating the events and causal factors leading to the accident, the police are also looking into the incident. Equinor highlights that it is cooperating closely with Bristow and relevant authorities in following up on the accident.

The Norwegian state-owned energy player is also conducting an in-house investigation of the incident, focusing on helicopter safety in SAR and emergency handling.