The PSA has issued an order to Transocean Services AS after the Authority identified serious breaches of the regulations in an audit of the company’s electrical facilities, safety instrumented systems, technical safety and drilling-related systems on Transocean Spitsbergen.
Notification of the order was made on 30 November 2021 and the order was issued on 20 December 2021.
The audit itself was conducted from 20 to 24 September 2021.
Objective
The objective of the audit was to monitor how the company is complying with the regulations pertaining to electrical facilities, work in and operation of electrical facilities, safety instrumented systems, technical safety and drilling-related systems.
The audit also aimed to monitor lithium ion battery systems on the facility and the company’s handling of the risk that such installations entail. We also followed up on measures implemented after incidents reported in the electrical system.
Result
Eighteen non-conformities and one improvement point were identified. During the audit, the PSA gave notice to the company of an order for an immediate halt to the battery system on board. Transocean itself decided to shut down the battery system and this order was accordingly not issued.
The non-conformities related to:
- Internal follow-up, manning and competence
- Barrier management
- Lithium ion battery system
- Ignition source control
- Ventilation system
- Selectivity in UPS system
- Emergency lighting
- Passive fire protection
- Refuelling installation
- Documentation of pressure and function testing
- Electrical facilities and installations
- Training and drills
- Maintenance programme
- Work in and operation of electrical facilities
- Responsible person for the electrical facilities
- Signage
- Fibre composite gratings
- Risk assessment of health hazards from electromagnetic fields
- The improvement point concerned deficient routines.
Order
On the basis of our observations in the audit, we have now issued Transocean Services AS with the following order:
Pursuant to the Framework Regulations, section 69 concerning administrative decisions, Transocean Services AS is ordered to:
1. Systematically review and map available manning and competence in the company’s onshore organisation and on Transocean Spitsbergen to ensure that the facility can be operated prudently during normal operations and in the event of hazard and accident situations. Corrective measures shall be implemented such that the manning and competence available are sufficient for ensuring that use of the facility is at all times compliant with its technical condition and the prerequisites for use defined for prudent activities, including notably being able to identify and address barrier weaknesses. The above is pursuant to the Management Regulations, section 5 concerning barriers; section 6, first para, concerning the management of health, safety and the environment; section 14 concerning manning and competence; section 22 concerning the handling of non-conformities; and the Activities Regulations, section 25, first para, concerning the use of facilities.
2. Systematically review the company’s systems for following up barriers. The company is to be aware of which barriers have been established and the function they safeguard, as well as the performance requirements defined for the specific technical, operational or organisational barrier elements necessary for the effectiveness of the individual barrier. Corrective measures shall also be implemented such that systematic follow-up contributes to identifying and correcting technical, operational and organisational weaknesses, errors and deficiencies in safety-critical barrier elements. This also entails the obligation to ensure necessary oversight and control of the technical condition. The above is pursuant to the Management Regulations, section 5 concerning barriers; section 6, first para, concerning the management of health, safety and the environment; and section 21, first and second paras, concerning follow-up.
3. Present a schedule with detailed measures adopted to address parts 1 and 2, including a description of any compensatory measures implemented until non-conformities have been rectified, with reference to the Management Regulations, section 12 on planning, and section 22 on the handling of non-conformities.
The PSA is to be notified when the order has been carried out. The deadline for complying with part 1 of the order is set at 2 May 2022, with part 2 at 17 October 2022 and with part 3 at 2 March 2022.
