Unwanted incidents have tripled on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Statoil is reviewing technical safety conditions on all its operating units, with the help of risk experts from DNV. Statistics from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) show that there has been a 270% rise in unwanted incidents on the Norwegian Continental Shelf during the past five years. According to NPD the figures reflect a realistic picture of safety conditions offshore.

Criteria for reporting unwanted incidents to NPD include, but is not restricted to, working accidents involving death or serious injury and serious near-accidents. New regulations from NPD are now underway, focusing on continuous monitoring of safety conditions. Statoil is now reviewing the technical safety conditions of all its operating units, onshore as well as offshore.

By developing a completely new methodology for mapping technical safety, the company will be able to get a better view of safety on all its installations. It should enable the company to put together performance indicators that will contribute to increase safety performance over time.

DNV’s work involves risk and emergency preparedness analysis, Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) management, technical safety, inspection and maintenance. Implementing the review and new methodology is a major task that is expected to be completed early in 2002. It includes over 40 installations onshore and offshore and the pipeline system.