Investigation launched after near-miss incident on Hebron

An investigation has been launched into a near-miss incident on ExxonMobil’s Hebron platform off Canada, which had the potential for fatality.

ExxonMobil Canada has reported that on 14 September 2021 on the Hebron platform during preparations for an upcoming lift (no-load connected), the south intervention deck auxiliary hoist hook fell five-six metres to the deck, according to an incident disclosure from the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB). The hook weighed 3.6 kg.

The hoist operator was the only individual in the area and was located approximately six metres away. There were no injuries. The incident had the potential for fatality, based on the Dropped Objects Prevention Scheme (DROPS) calculator, the petroleum regulator said.

ExxonMobil has stopped all auxiliary crane operations and has initiated an investigation into the root cause of the incident. The C-NLOPB is monitoring ExxonMobil’s investigation of the incident.

The ExxonMobil-operated Hebron platform started production in November 2017. Since then, there have been several safety incidents on the platform. The latest one was in August 2021 when a worker on the Avalon Sea support vessel was injured while supporting activities associated with lifeboat winch load testing on the platform.

Discovered in 1980, the Hebron field is estimated to contain more than 700 million barrels of recoverable resources. The platform is located about 350 kilometres offshore Newfoundland and Labrador’s capital St John’s, in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin in water depths of about 300 92 meters. The site consists of the Hebron, West Ben Nevis, and Ben Nevis fields.

The Hebron platform consists of a stand-alone gravity-based structure, which supports an integrated topsides deck that includes living quarters and drilling and production facilities. The platform has a storage capacity of 1.2 million barrels of oil.