PSA probes Statoil’s Gullfaks A

Norway’s offshore safety watchdog, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), has revealed results of the audit relating to the life extension of the Gullfaks A.

PSA said in a statement on Friday that it carried out a working environment audit between 8 and 10 March relating to Statoil’s plan to extend the Gullfaks A operation up to 2036.

The audit is part of PSA’s main prioritization of “late life”, where the aim is to „help facilities and installations in the Norwegian petroleum activities maintain and develop high levels of safety and working environment“.

It also said that the purpose of the audit was to evaluate whether Gullfaks A can qualify for continued operation up to 2036 and whether it meets the Occupational Health and Safety (OHAS) regulations. According to the statement, the audit will determine if the facility is designed to ensure that workers are not exposed to working environment factors that exceed the levels specified in the regulations and referenced standards.

PSA identified several non-conformities regarding chemicals-related health risk and risk of noise-induced hearing damage while improvement points were detected regarding exhaust exposure in the drilling area and working environment in the shaker area.

PSA said that Statoil has been given a deadline of May 20 to report on how the non-conformities will be dealt with and how the improvement points will be assessed.

The main Gullfaks field lies in block 34/10 in the northern part of the Norwegian North Sea. It has been developed with three large concrete production platforms. The Gullfaks A platform began production on 22 December 1986 and it is also used for storing and exporting stabilized crude from the Vigdis and Visund fields.