REGULATIONS
RELATING TO CONDUCT OF ACTIVITIES IN THE PETROLEUM ACTIVITIES
(THE ACTIVITIES
REGULATIONS)
Petroleum
Safety Authority
Norwegian
Pollution Control Authority (SFT)
Norwegian
Social and Health Directorate (NSHD)
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
Section 1 Systems and other equipment for manned
underwater operations from vessels
CHAPTER II
ARRANGEMENTS ACCORDING TO THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT ACT
Section 3 Safety and health personnel
Section 4 Provision of medical examinations for
employees
Section 5 Recording of work hours
Section 6 Availability of the health service
Section 7 Duties of the health service
Section 9 Medicinal products and medical equipment
Section 10 Dealing with communicable diseases
Section 11 Food and drinking water
CHAPTER IV
PRE-SURVEYS AND INSTALLATION
Section 14 Installation and commissioning
CHAPTER VI
OPERATIONAL PREREQUISITES
VI-I PREREQUISITES FOR START-UP
Section 18 Start-up and operation of facilities
Section 20 Safety and working environment training
according to the Working Environment Act
Section 21 Practice and exercises
Section 25 Critical activities
Section 26 Simultaneous activities
CHAPTER VII
PLANNING AND CONDUCT OF ACTIVITIES
Section 28 Actions during conduct of activities
Section 29 Monitoring and control
Section 30 Transfer of information
CHAPTER VIII
WORKING ENVIRONMENT FACTORS
Section 31 Arrangement of work
Section 33 Psychosocial aspects
Section 34 Chemical health hazard
Section 36 Noise and vibrations
Section 38 Safety signs and signalling in the workplace
Section 39 Personal protective equipment
Section 40 Use of work equipment
Section 41 Information on risk during conduct of work
Section 44 Maintenance programme
Section 45 Planning and priorities
Section 46 Maintenance effectiveness
CHAPTER X
MONITORING OF THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
X-I MONITORING OF THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Section 49 Cooperation on and planning of environmental
monitoring
Section 50 Remote measurement of acute pollution
Section 52 a
Environmental monitoring of sea bed habitats
Section 52 b
Environmental monitoring of the water column
Section 52 c
Reporting of monitoring results.
Section 52 d Remote
measurement of acute pollution.
Section 52 e
Environmental surveys in case of acute pollution
Section 54 Characterisation of oil and condensate
X-II EMISSION AND DISCHARGE TO THE EXTERNAL
ENVIRONMENT
Section 55 a Discharge of oil-contaminated water
Section 56 a Ecotoxicological testing of chemicals
Section 56 b Categorization of chemicals
Section 56 c Environmental assessments
Section 56 d Choice of chemicals
Section 57 Use and discharge of chemicals
Section 58 Chemicals for emergency preparedness
Section 59 Discharge of cuttings, sand and solid
particles
Section 60 Discharge from formation testing and cleanup
of wells
Section 61 Measuring the quantity of discharged oil,
other substances and water
Section 62 Measuring associated fluids discharged with
solids
CHAPTER XI
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
XI-I GENERAL REQUIREMENTS TO EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS
Section 64 Establishing emergency preparedness
Section 65 Joint use of emergency preparedness resources
Section 66 Emergency preparedness organisation
Section 67 Emergency preparedness plans
XI-II EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS IN SITUATIONS
OF HAZARD AND ACCIDENT
Section 68 Handling of situations of hazard and accident
XI-III EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AGAINST ACUTE
POLLUTION
Section 69 Regional emergency preparedness against acute
pollution
Section 70 Action against acute pollution
CHAPTER XIII
DRILLING AND WELL ACTIVITIES
Section 73 Well location and well path
Section 74 Shallow gas and shallow formation fluids
Section 75 Monitoring of well parameters
Section 78 Controlled well flow
Section 80 Remote operation of pipes and work strings
CHAPTER XV
ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS.
Section 82 Work on and operation of electrical
installations
CHAPTER XVI
LIFTING OPERATIONS
CHAPTER XVII
MANNED UNDERWATER OPERATIONS
Section 84 Manned underwater operations
Section 85 Provisions relating to time periods
CHAPTER XVIII
ENTRY INTO FORCE
Regulations
relating to conduct of activities in the petroleum activities (The Activities
Regulations).
Issued
by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate 3 September 2001 pursuant to Act 29
November 1996 No. 72 relating to petroleum activities Section 10-18, Act 4
February 1977 No. 4 relating to worker protection and working environment etc.,
Section 2 subsection 3 first to fourth paragrahps inclusive and Regulations 31
August 2001 relating to health, environment and safety in the petroleum
activities, Section 25 and Section 57 first
paragraph litera d. Issued by the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority 3
September 2001 pursuant to Act 13 March
1981 No. 6 relating to protection against pollution and relating to waste, Sections 9, 40 and 42, and Regulations 31 August
2001 relating to health, environment and safety in the petroleum activities, Section 57 first paragraph litera d. Issued by the
Norwegian Board of Health 3 September 2001 pursuant to Act 2 July 1999 No. 64
relating to health personnel, Section 16
second paragraph and Section 76 last
paragraph, Act 5 August 1994 No. 55 relating to control of communicable
diseases Section 1-2 third paragraph and Section 8-4, and Regulations 31 August
2001 relating to health, environment and safety in the petroleum activities, Section 57 first paragraph litera d. Amended 10
December 2001. Amended 16 December 2002. Amended 17 December 2003. Amended 21
December 2004. Amended 22 February 2005. Amended 22 December 2005. Amended 19
June 2006. Amended 12 February 2007. Amended 20 December 2007. Amended 21
August 2008. Amended 1 October 2009. Last amended 29 April 2010.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
Section 1
Systems and other equipment for manned underwater operations from vessels
Requirements to facilities in these regulations also apply to systems
and other equipment necessary to carry out manned underwater operations from
vessels.
CHAPTER II
ARRANGEMENTS ACCORDING TO THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT ACT
Section 2
Co-ordinating working environment committees for fields, and joint, local
working environment committees for mobile facilities
A co-ordinating working
environment committee shall be established for each field, or, if there is
general agreement on it, a co-ordinating working environment committee that
covers more than one field when these fields have joint management and operational organisation,
joint contractors and contracts, and where considerable groups of personnel work
on more then one of these fields. In addition, a joint, local working
environment committee shall be established for each individual mobile facility.
The committees shall co-ordinate and deal with matters concerning safety and
environment, cf. the Framework Regulations Section 45 on
joint working environment committees, third paragraph.
Representatives of the
employers and the employees from the various main activity areas of the field
or on the mobile facility shall participate in the co-ordinating
or the joint, local working environment committee, respectively. With regard to
mobile facilities, a representative of the operator shall also participate,
except during relocation.
When a mobile facility
constitutes a part of the petroleum activities of a field, the operator shall
ensure that the activities of the joint local working environment committee and
the co-ordinating working environment
committee are co-ordinated.
Section 3
Safety and health personnel
The employer shall ensure that the enterprise has safety and health
personnel or has safety and health personnel available whose task it is to
carry out preventive safety and environment work, cf. the Working Environment Act Section 3-3.
The employer shall ensure
that the safety and health personnel receive the information that is required
in order to carry out the preventive safety and environment work as mentioned
in the first paragraph.
The employer and the safety
delegate may require information on health risk from the safety and health
personnel, with the limitations that follow from the statutory requirements to
professional secrecy applicable to health personnel.
The operator or the one
responsible for the operation of a facility, shall ensure co-operation between
his own safety and health personnel and such personnel from the other
employers.
Section 4
Provision
of medical examinations for employees
The employer shall ensure that all
employees are offered regular medical examinations to ascertain any long-term
effects of working environment on their health.
Any employee who has undergone such
a medical examination, shall have access to those results that indicate the
degree to which that employee has been exposed to health hazards
The employer shall also ensure that
prior to any assignment which may entail a specific health risk, those who are
so assigned are offered a medical examination, so that preventive action could
be taken, cf. the Working Environment Act Section 3-1 second paragraph litera g and Section 10-11 seventh paragraph.
Employees who have been subjected to
exposure to health hazards in their work, shall be offered separate medical
examination if a situation of employment still exists, to allow corrective actions
to be taken
Section 5
Recording of work hours
The employer shall establish a system to record and follow up work hours
for all employees of the individual
enterprises. The same applies to personnel in senior or particularly
independent positions as mentioned in the Working Environment Act Section 10-12 first and second paragraph, when the position is of significance to
safety.
When work is performed at
more than one workplace for the same employer, this employer shall record the
total work hours.
The worked hours records
shall be available to the elected representatives of the employees.
CHAPTER III
HEALTH SERVICES
Section 6
Availability
of the health service
The operator or the one responsible
for the operation of a facility shall ensure that all on board have access to
adequate professional health services, cf.
the Framework
Regulations Section 12: on health related matters.
A medical practitioner shall have the professional
responsibility for such a health service.
On a facility, there shall be
maintained at all times, a sufficient number of nurses to ensure the adequate
performance of the health service.
The health service at a facility shall employ
or have on-call other health care personnel deemed necessary.
Such a health service shall be professionally
independent and autonomous.
Section 7
Duties of the health service
The health service shall
a) promote good health, and contribute
to prevention of disease and injury through
a) collection and dissemination of
information on such features of the workplace that may affect health,
b) ensuring that adequate standards of
hygiene are maintained,
c) taking appropriate preventive action
within its area of responsibility,
b) diagnosis and treatment of disease
and injury, and first aid after accidents,
c) incorporating health emergency
preparedness into the general emergency preparedness of the enterprise,
including transport of the sick and injured.
Section 8
Doctor on call
The health service shall
have a medical practitioner on call at all times, who could be summoned to the
facility on the shortest notice.
Section 9
Medicinal products and medical equipment
The stock of medicinal products in
the health service shall comply with the Regulations of 18 November 1987 No.1153 relating to the supply of
medicinal products etc. in the municipal health service, Sections 3 to 8 inclusive.
Medicinal products and medical
equipment used in the health service shall be appropriate for the needs of a
facility under normal operation and foreseeable emergencies therein.
Furthermore, medicinal products and medical equipment shall be regularly
checked, and supplies replenished.
Section 10
Dealing
with communicable diseases
The medical officer in charge of the
health service of an installation shall have the same responsibility concerning
cases of communicable diseases as a district medical officer as laid down in Act of 5 August 1994 No. 55
relating to control of communicable diseases, and
other relevant regulations.
Section 11
Food
and drinking water
There shall at all times be food of such quality and in such quantity on
a facility, which is adequate to provide all the nutritional needs of the
personnel thereon.
The water supply and the standard of drinking water at a petroleum
facility shall comply with the regulations laid down by the Ministry of Health
and Social Affairs.
Section 12
General cleaning
General cleaning shall be
planned and carried out in such a way so that the indoor environment remains
pleasing and hygienic at all times.
CHAPTER IV
PRE-SURVEYS AND INSTALLATION
Section 13
Pre-surveys
Prior to placing of facilities the necessary preliminary surveys
ensuring the safe installation, operation and disposal of facilities shall be
carried out.
Section 14
Installation and commissioning
During installation of facilities and parts thereof it shall be ensured
that the loads to which they are subjected do, not exceed the loads as
mentioned in the Facilities Regulations Section 10:
Loads, load effects and resistance.
On commissioning of
facilities it shall be ensured that they are in compliance with the
requirements of the Facilities Regulations, cf. also the Framework Regulations
Section 18 on documentation. The technical condition of
plants, systems and equipment shall be maintained until the plants, systems and
equipment are taken into service.
CHAPTER V
TRANSPORT AND STAY
Section 15
Transport
The operator shall ensure that persons and supplies
can be transported safely to, from and between facilities and vessels during
placing, installation and operation, and in respect of the selected disposal
alternative.
It shall be
possible to co-ordinate the transport with the emergency preparedness as
mentioned in Section 64 on establishment of emergency preparedness.
Section 16
Stay on facilities
Only those working on a facility have admittance to
the facility. Others must have permission from the operator or someone
authorised by the operator.
The
operator shall ensure that there at all times exists a complete list of all
persons staying on or on their way to or from a facility or a vessel
participating in the petroleum activities.
All persons
staying on such facilities or vessels shall receive adequate information on the
rules applicable to the stay, and it shall be ensured that they comply with
these rules.
In the
interest of safety the Petroleum Safety Authority may by individual decision
determine the number of persons allowed to stay on a facility. In particular
cases the Petroleum Safety Authority may prohibit visits.
Section 17
Accommodation
The number of persons accommodated on a facility may in particular cases
and in consultation with the elected representatives
of the employees exceed the number that the facility was designed for,
cf. Section
59 of the Facilities Regulations on living quarters.
When decision is made
concerning the duration and extent of such accommodation, cf. also the Management Regulations
Section 8 on basis and criteria for decision, the
consequences shall be considered and compensating actions shall be taken to
ensure safety and necessary restitution and rest as mentioned in Section 31 on
arrangement of work, third paragraph.
CHAPTER VI
OPERATIONAL PREREQUISITES
VI-I
PREREQUISITES FOR START-UP
Section 18
Start-up and operation of facilities
Prior to first time start-up of facilities and parts
of facilities or following technical modifications the commissioning as mentioned in Section 14 on installation and commissioning shall be completed.
In addition, at start-up as
mentioned in the first paragraph, and during operation,
a) the
management system with associated processes, resources and operational
organisation shall be established,
b) steering
documents, including technical documents for operation, shall be available in an
updated version and the operation personnel shall be acquainted with it,
c) systems
for employee contribution shall be established, cf. the Framework Regulations
Section 6 on arrangements for employee contribution,
d) the
health service shall be in accordance with Section 6 on the availability of the health service,
e) the safety and health personnel shall be in accordance with Section 3 on safety and health
personnel.
VI-II
COMPETENCE
It shall be ensured that the personnel at all times
have the competence necessary to be able to carry out the activities safely and
in accordance with the legislation relating to health, environment and safety.
In addition the personnel shall be capable of handling situations of hazard and
accident, cf. the Management Regulations Section 11 on manning and competence and these regulations Section 21 on practice and
drills.
Personnel intending to carry
out bell diving or surface oriented diving, shall have a valid certificate. The Petroleum Safety Authority appoints suitable enterprises to issue certificates
on its behalf. Issuance of such certificates may be liable
to payment.
Section 20
Safety and working environment training according to the Working Environment Act
Leaders and others with responsibility for decisions
which affect the working environment shall be given the same training as
members of the working environment committees and safety delegates, cf. Regulations of 29 April 1977 No.07 relating to safety delegates and
working environment committees, Section
12.
The
individual employee and the executive shall be given training in working
environment factors which are of significance to the execution of the work.
Leaders
with responsibility for work with radioactive sources shall have theoretical
and practical radiation protection training.
The
employees shall be given the necessary safety and health training, and the
training shall take place during work hours. Criteria shall be established as
to what is to be deemed necessary training.
Training as
mentioned in the fourth paragraph shall be given in connection with engagement,
transfer or change of work tasks, introduction of new work equipment or
alterations in the equipment and introduction of new technology affecting the
individual workplace or tasks.
The
training shall be adapted to altered or new risks in the enterprise and shall
be repeated whenever necessary.
Section 21
Practice and exercises
The party responsible shall ensure that necessary
practice and drills are carried out, so that the personnel are capable of
handling operational disturbances and situations of hazard and accident
effectively at all times.
VI-III
PROCEDURES
Section 22
Procedures
The party responsible shall establish criteria for when procedures are
to be used as means to prevent faults and situations of hazard and accident.
It shall be ensured that
procedures are established and used in such way as to fulfil their intended
functions.
VI-IV
PREREQUISITES FOR USE
Section 23
Use of facilities
Use of facilities and parts of facilities
shall take place in accordance with requirements stipulated in and pursuant to
the health, environment and safety legislation and possible additional
limitations following from fabrication, installation and commissioning. The use
shall at all times be in accordance with the technical condition of the
facility and the operational prerequisites stipulated in the risk analyses.
When
setting limitations to the activity level on the facility, the status of the
maintenance shall also be taken into account.
Section 24
Safety systems
The actions and limitations
necessary in the event of overriding or disconnection of safety systems or
parts of such systems, or when the systems are otherwise impaired, shall be
established beforehand.
The status of all overriding,
disconnections and other impairments shall be known at all times.
Section 25
Critical activities
It shall be ensured that critical activities are
conducted within the operational limits assumed in the design and in the risk
analyses as mentioned in the Management Regulations Section 13 on
general requirements to analyses, cf. also these regulations Section 28 on
actions during conduct of activities.
Section 26
Simultaneous activities
The party responsible shall define which activities
that in combination with other activities shall be considered to be simultaneous activities.
In the event of conduct of simultaneous
activities that contribute to a non-acceptable risk increase, necessary actions
shall be taken, cf. Section 6 of the Management Regulations on
acceptance criteria for major accident risk and environmental risk.
CHAPTER VII
PLANNING AND CONDUCT OF ACTIVITIES
Section 27
Planning
In the planning of activities on the individual facility the party
responsible shall ensure that important contributors to risk are kept under
control, both individually and collectively, cf. also the Management Regulations
Section 9 on planning.
The planning shall take into account the
status of important contributors to risk and to the change in risk that appears
from the risk indicators, cf. the Management Regulations Section 7 on
monitoring parameters and indicators.
Section 28
Actions during conduct of activities
Planned activities shall be safety cleared before they are conducted.
The safety clearance shall show which conditions have to be met, including the
actions required to be taken before, during and after the work so that those
who participate in or may be affected by the activities are not injured, and so
that the probability of mistakes that can result in situations of hazard and
accident is reduced.
Section 29
Monitoring and control
The party responsible shall ensure that matters of
significance to prudent conduct of activities with respect to health and
safety, are monitored and kept under control at all times, cf. the Management Regulations
Section 18 on collection, processing and use
of data.
Activities in connection with
aviation weather services shall be conducted in accordance with section 31 in the
Civil Aviation Authority’s regulations of 26 October 2007 No. 1181
relating to continental shelf aviation – commercial air transport to and from
helidecks on facilities and vessels at sea, last amended 28 January 2008 and in the Civil Aviation Authority’s regulations og 28 January 2008 no. 81
relating to meteorological services for aviation.
Suitable arrangements shall
be made for personnel with control and monitoring functions to be able to get
hold of and handle information on such matters efficiently, cf. also the Management Regulations
Section 11 on manning and competence.
Section 30
Transfer of information
In connection with shifts and change of personnel, the party responsible
shall ensure the necessary transfer of information to oncoming personnel on the
status of safety systems and ongoing activities, as well as other information
of importance to health, environment and safety in the conduct of activities, cf. the Management Regulations
Section 12 on information.
CHAPTER VIII
WORKING ENVIRONMENT FACTORS
Section 31
Arrangement of work
The employer shall ensure that the work is arranged so
that the individual employee avoids health hazardous exposure and adverse
physical or mental strain, and so that the probability of mistakes that can
lead to situations of hazard and accident, is reduced. An individual as well as
an overall evaluation of acute and long-term effects of the various working
environment factors shall constitute the basis of such arrangement of the work.
The work
shall furthermore be arranged so as to ensure a meaningful work situation.
The work
shall be planned so that as much work as possible is done daytime, and so that
the employees are assured necessary restitution and rest.
The employer shall reduce
stress factors and risk of injury to health based on objective risk and the
risk perceived by the employees.
The employer shall ensure that the work is arranged so
that the employees are not subjected to adverse strain as a consequence of
manual handling, work position, repetitive movements, work intensity and
similar, cf. also the Facilities Regulations Section 19 on ergonomic design.
Work
comprised by Sections 1, 2 and 4 of Regulations of 20 January 1995 No.156 on heavy and monotonous work shall be carried out according to the provisions of
the said regulations.
Work
carried out at a computer screen, and which is comprised by Sections 1 and 2 of
Regulations of 15 December 1994 No.1259 relating to computer screen work, shall be carried out as mentioned in the said
regulations Sections 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13.
Section 33
Psychosocial aspects
The employer shall ensure a favourable psychosocial
working environment by taking into account aspects that can affect the health,
safety and well being of the employees. Particular emphasis shall be placed on
the interplay between requirements to work performance, the employee’s
perception of control of own work and social support in the working
environment.
Section 34
Chemical health hazard
The employer shall ensure that health detrimental
chemical exposure in connection with storage, use, handling and disposal of
chemicals and of processes releasing chemical components, is avoided, cf. the Facilities Regulations
Section 14 on chemicals and chemical
exposure.
Before
health hazardous substances are taken into use or stored, a record of
substances shall be established with HSE (health, safety and the environment)
data sheets as mentioned in Regulations of 14 April 2000 No. 412 on the establishment and use of
records of health hazardous substances and in enterprises (the Substances Records Regulations), last amended 29
June 2005, Sections 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Chemicals
comprised by Section 2, cf. Section 4 of Regulations of 30 April 2001 No.443 relating to protection against
exposure to chemicals in the workplace (the Chemicals Exposure Regulations), last amended 26 April 2005, shall
be dealt with according to the provisions of the Chemicals Exposure Regulations,
with the exception of Section 30 and Section 33..
In work
where there exists biological factors comprised by Sections 2 and 3 of Regulations of 19 December 1997 No. 1322 relating to protection of
employees against dangers of work with biological factors, last amended 20 June 2002 No. 825, the work shall be
carried out according to the provisions of the said regulations.
Regulations of 26 April 2005 No. 362 relating to asbestos, last amended 16 November 2005, shall apply to the
scope of application of these regulations.
The employer shall ensure that health detrimental
exposure during storage, use, handling and disposal of sources giving off
radiation is avoided, cf. the Facilities Regulations Section 25 on radiation.
Section 36
Noise and vibrations
The employer shall ensure that no employee is exposed
to noise which is damaging to hearing as mentioned in the Facilities Regulations
Section 22 on noise and acoustics, first
paragraph, or vibrations damaging to health, cf. the Facilities Regulations
Section 23 on vibrations. Cf. also these regulations Section 28 on actions during conduct of
activities. Regulations of 6 July 2005 No. 804 relating to protection against
mechanical vibrations, last amended
19 December 2006, shall apply to the scope of application of these regulations.
Criteria shall be established for what climatic
conditions require protective actions for outdoor work, and under what
conditions such work is to be restricted or halted, cf. also the Facilities Regulations
Section 21 on outdoor work areas.
Section 38
Safety signs and signalling in the workplace
The employer shall ensure that safety signs and
signalling in the workplace comprised by Sections 1, 2, 3 and 5 of Regulations of 6 October 1994 No.972 relating to safety signs and
signalling in the workplace, last amended
30 June 2003, shall be carried out according to the provisions of the said
regulations.
Section 39
Personal protective equipment
The employer shall ensure that personal protective equipment comprised
by Sections 1 and 2 of Regulations of 24 May 1993
No. 1425 relating to use of personal protective equipment in the workplace is used as
mentioned in the said regulations Sections 6, 8, 9 and 10. The same applies to
Section 7 of the said regulations, with the exception of Section 49 on diving
equipment subsection 2 of Regulations of 19 August
1994 No. 819 relating to construction, design and production of personal
protective equipment, last amended 20 February 2004.
The
employer shall place the personal protective equipment at the disposal
of the employees free of charge.
Section 40
Use of work equipment
Work equipment comprised by Sections 2 and 4 of Regulations of 26 June 1998 No. 608 relating to use of work equipment, last amended 13. September 2004 No. 1291, shall be used according to the provisions of the said regulations, with
the exception of Section 16, Chapter VIII and Chapter IX.
Section 41
Information on risk during conduct of work
It shall be ensured that the employees are given
information on the health hazards and the risks of accident in connection with
the work to be carried out.
Results of
evaluations, analyses, measurements, mapping of causes of work related
diseases, investigation of accidents and near accidents in the workplace, as
well as the significance of these results to the execution of the work, shall
be available.
The
employees and their elected representatives shall make themselves acquainted
with this information.
CHAPTER IX
MAINTENANCE
Section 42
Maintenance
The party responsible shall ensure that facilities or
parts thereof are maintained, so that they are capable of carrying out their
intended functions in all phases of their lifetime.
Section 43
Classification
The systems and equipment of facilities shall be
classified with regard to the consequences for health, environment and safety
of potential functional failures.
With regard
to functional failures that may entail serious consequences, the party
responsible shall identify the different fault modes with associated failure
causes and failure mechanisms, and estimate the failure probability in respect
of the individual fault mode.
The
classification shall constitute the basis for the choice of maintenance
activities and maintenance frequency, for the priority of different maintenance
activities and for the assessment of the need for spare parts.
Section 44
Maintenance programme
Fault modes which constitute a risk to health,
environment or safety, cf. Section
43 on classification, shall be
systematically prevented by means of a maintenance programme.
The
programme shall comprise activities for monitoring of performance and technical
condition, which will ensure that fault modes that are developing or have
occurred, are identified and corrected.
The
programme shall also contain activities for monitoring and control of failure
mechanisms that may lead to such fault modes.
Section 45
Planning and priorities
An overall plan shall be prepared for conduct of the
maintenance programme and corrective maintenance activities, cf. the Management Regulations
Section 9 on planning.
There shall
exist criteria for giving priority with associated time-limits for the conduct
of the individual maintenance activities. The criteria shall take into account
the classification as mentioned in Section
43 on classification.
Section 46
Maintenance effectiveness
The effectiveness of the maintenance shall be
evaluated systematically on the basis of recorded data for performance and
technical condition in respect of facilities or parts thereof.
The
evaluation shall be used for a continual improvement of the maintenance
programme, cf. the Management Regulations Section 22 on improvement.
Section 47
Specific requirements to condition monitoring of structures, maritime systems
and pipeline systems
Condition monitoring shall be carried out in respect
of new structures and maritime systems during their first year of service.
With regard
to loadbearing structures of a new type, data shall be collected from two
winter seasons in order to compare them with the design calculations, cf. the Facilities Regulations
Section 16 on instrumentation for monitoring
and recording.
In case the
facility’s use extends the lifetime planned originally, instrumentation of
relevant parts of the structure shall be considered, in order to measure
possible effects of ageing.
When
facilities are being disposed of, the operator shall carry out examinations to
determine the condition of the structures. The results shall be used to assess
the safety of similar facilities.
With regard
to pipeline systems where fault modes may constitute an environment or safety
risk, cf. Section 43 on classification, inspections shall be carried out
to map possible fault modes in the pipeline system. Parts of the pipeline
system where the lay condition or other factors may cause high loads, shall
also be checked.
The first
inspection shall be carried out in accordance with the maintenance programme as
mentioned in Section 44 on maintenance programme, however at the latest two
years after the system has been put into operation.
Section 48
Specific requirements to testing of blow out preventer and other pressure control
equipment
The blow out preventer with associated valves and other pressure control
equipment on the facility shall be pressure and function tested, cf. Section 42 on
maintenance and Section 44 on maintenance programme.
The blow out preventer with
associated valves and other pressure control equipment on the facility shall be
subjected to a complete overhaul and shall be recertified every five years.
CHAPTER X
MONITORING OF THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
X-I
MONITORING OF THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Section 49
Cooperation on and planning of environmental monitoring
The operators shall cooperate in the monitoring of the
external environment in regions as defined in the Guidelines for environmental monitoring
of the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf.
The
monitoring shall be adapted to the existing pollution risk, be able to discover
and map pollution of the external environment and identify development trends with
respect to the condition of the environment.
Environmental
monitoring of pollution from regular discharges shall comprise both sea bed habitats
(the sediments, soft and hard substrate fauna) and the water column.
Provision shall be made for
personnel with monitoring functions to be able to acquire and handle
information on such matters efficiently at all times.
The operator shall contribute
to the further development of the guidelines and relevant monitoring tools.
The Norwegian Pollution
Control Authority may in specific cases impose additional requirements regarding
environmental monitoring in addition to the guidelines that are applicable at
the time in question.
Section 50
Remote measurement of acute pollution
Placed after section
52c and amended somewhat.
In order to map the environmental status the operator shall carry out
baseline surveys
a) prior to exploration drilling
in new and earlier not surveyed exploration areas,
b) prior
to exploration drilling in areas where the presence of particularly vulnerable
environmental resources (species and habitats) has been established or where
the presence of such is probable,
c) prior
to development drilling.
Baseline
surveys of sediments and relevant fauna elements on the sea bed shall be
conducted in accordance with the Guidelines for environmental
monitoring of the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf. A
baseline survey shall be valid for six years.
Section 52 a
Environmental monitoring of sea bed habitats
Plans for environmental monitoring of sea bed habitats (sediments, soft
and hard substrate fauna) shall be prepared in accordance with the Guidelines for environmental monitoring of the petroleum activities on
the Norwegian continental shelf and be sent to the Norwegian Pollution
Control Authority by 1 February in the year the monitoring is going to take
place.
Monitoring in each region
shall, as a rule, be conducted every three years. The monitoring alternates
between these regions. The extent of the monitoring shall be in proportion to
the shelf activities taking place in the separate regions. Monitoring of new
activities comes in addition to, and shall be adapted to, existing monitoring.
The samples from the regional
and field specific stations shall be collected on the same trip. The regional
stations shall describe the general background levels in the area containing
the components that are to be monitored, and act as references for conditions
expected to be normal. The field specific stations shall supply information
about the condition found around the separate facilities in the region.
The operators shall, as part
of the environmental monitoring, contribute to the development of new methods
for monitoring sediments and substrate fauna.
The monitoring shall provide
information about the vertical as well as the horizontal spread of relevant
parameters.
The Norwegian Pollution
Control Authority may in specific cases order other types of environmental surveys,
and surveys covering other parts of the influence area, than those covered by the
Guidelines for environmental monitoring of the petroleum
activities on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Section 52 b
Environmental monitoring of the water column
Plans for environmental monitoring of the water column shall be prepared
in accordance with the Guidelines for environmental monitoring
of the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf and be sent to
the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority by 1 April in the year the
monitoring is going to take place.
The monitoring of the water
column shall consist of two main elements, monitoring of condition and
monitoring of effects. The extent of the monitoring shall be in proportion to
expected risk.
The condition monitoring
shall apply to fish and shall be conducted every three years. The monitoring
shall document whether fish from Norwegian sea areas are affected by pollution
from the petroleum activities.
The monitoring of effects
shall be conducted in one region per year and shall as a minimum include fish
and edible mussel.
The operators shall, as part
of the environmental monitoring, contribute to the development of methods for
monitoring effects in the water column. Gradually, as convenient methods for
monitoring effects and long term effects of discharges are being established, a
selection of these shall be applied in a more standardised programme.
The Norwegian Pollution
Control Authority may in specific cases order other types of environmental
surveys, and surveys covering other parts of the influence area, than those
covered by the Guidelines for environmental monitoring
of the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Section 52 c
Reporting of monitoring results
The deadline for submitting the final reports on monitoring of sea bed
habitats (sediments and fauna), base line surveys, condition monitoring and
effects monitoring to the Norwegian Pollution Control Agency is 1 April in the
year after said monitoring took place. Template for reporting is found in the Guidelines
for environmental monitoring of the petroleum activities on the Norwegian
continental shelf.
Section 52 d
Remote measurement of acute pollution
The operator shall establish a remote measurement system that provides
sufficient information to ensure that acute pollution from the facility is
quickly discovered and mapped so that the amount and the spread can be
determined. The remote measurement system shall be seen in relation to the
regional remote measurements plans as mentioned in these regulations section
69
on regional emergency preparedness against acute pollution.
Section 52 e
Environmental surveys in case of acute pollution
Environmental surveys shall be implemented as soon as possible in case
of acute pollution in order to identify and describe damage to vulnerable
resources on the open sea, at the coast and in the shore zone.
Section 53
Follow-up surveys
Repealed.
Section 54
Characterisation of oil and condensate
If oil or condensate is found
in connection with exploration activities, a characterisation of the oil or the
condensate shall be carried out as soon as possible.
Oil and condensate that may be
released to become acute pollution, shall be examined regularly with regard to
physical and chemical parameters. If such measurements show significant
changes, a new characterisation shall be carried out.
The characterisation shall be carried out with particular
emphasis on disintegration properties and fate in a marine environment. The
characterisation shall be adapted to the decision base which at any time is
necessary to reduce risk, including effective emergency preparedness
development.
X-II
EMISSION AND DISCHARGE TO THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Section 55 a
Discharge of oil-contaminated water
Oil-contaminated water shall
be cleaned before it is discharged to sea. This does not apply to displacement
water.
Cleaning
plants shall be operated with environmentally optimal effect even if the
discharge limits, cf. third paragraph, can also be met with reduced cleaning
effect. In the evaluation of what will give environmentally optimal effect, the
degree of cleaning shall also be considered in relation to the use of
chemicals.
The content of
oil in water that is discharged shall be as low as possible, cf. the Framework Regulations Chapter III on principles relating to health,
environment and safety and the Management Regulations Section 4
on objectives and strategies and Section 5 on
internal requirements. The content of oil in water planned to be discharged to
sea shall not exceed 30 mg oil per litre of water as
a weighted average for one calendar month.
The operator must have permission in
relation to the Pollution Control Act, chapter 3 if oil
contaminated water is planned to be injected.
The
operator must have a permit for emission to air issued pursuant to the Pollution Control Act, chapter 3.
Section
56 a
Ecotoxicological testing of chemicals
The operator shall ensure that chemicals that are used or discharged
have been tested with regard to eco-toxicological properties.
Ecotoxicological testing of
substances shall be performed by laboratories that are approved in accordance
with OECD’s principles for good laboratory practice (GLP).
Ecotoxicological
documentation in the form of OSPAR Harmonised Offshore Chemical Notification
Format (HOCNF) shall exist for all chemicals that are being used. This
requirement does not apply to lubricants which are not discharged and chemicals
in closed systems where consumption is less than 3000 kg per facility per year,
plus laboratory chemicals, dispersants and beach-cleaning agents to combat acute
pollution, and to new chemicals during the period of field testing. Only part 1
and 3 of the HOCNF shall be completed for substances on the OSPAR PLONOR list.
Chemicals shall be tested for the following ecotoxicological properties:
1)
Biodegradability
Chemicals that consist of several substances shall be tested for the
individual organic substance’s biodegradability. The substances shall
preferably be tested in accordance with the seawater test OECD 306
“Biodegradability in Seawater”. If this test is not applicable for the test
substance, one of the following seawater tests shall be performed:
·
Marine BODIS test (for
insoluble substances), modified ISO 10708
·
Marine CO2
Headspace test, modified ISO/TC 147/SC 5/WG 4 N182
For substances known to be toxic to micro organisms (e.g. biocides), SFT
must be contacted if alternative tests are planned to be used.
For substances with moderate biodegradability (equivalent to BOD28 from
20 to 60%) also the properties of the degradation products shall be evaluated.
2)
Bioaccumulation
Chemicals that consist of several substances shall be tested for the
individual organic substance’s bioaccumulation potential. This requirement
applies to substances with a molecular weight below 700 g/mol. The substances
shall be tested according to OECD 117 “Partition Coefficient (n-octanol/water),
High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Method” or OECD 107 “Partition
Coefficient (n-octanol/water): Shake Flask Method”. For substances where
standardised tests are not applicable, as for surfactants, a calculation or a scientific
evaluation of the bioaccumulation potential shall be performed. Scientific evaluations
shall be documented and preferably be performed by an independent party.
3)
Acute toxicity
Inorganic and organic chemicals shall be tested for acute toxicity at
substance level. The requirement does not apply to substances/preparations on
OSPAR’s PLONOR list.
The following toxicity tests are required:
·
Skeletonema costatum, ISO 10253
·
Acartia tonsa, ISO 14669
·
Scophtalamus maximus; Part B in the OSPAR
Protocols on Methods for the testing of Chemicals Used in the Offshore Oil Industry,
2006. Cyprinodon
variegatus is accepted as an
alternative species.
·
Corophium; Part A in the OSPAR Protocols on Methods for
the Testing of Chemicals Used in the Offshore Oil Industry, 2006. Required if
the chemicals absorb to particles (Koc>1000) and/or sink and end
up in the sediments (e.g. surfactants)
Toxicity tests of fresh water
organisms can be accepted if results from marine tests are not available, and
they have been performed according to standardised methods.
Fish tests are not required
if the chemical is
·
inorganic and with a
toxicity to the other test organisms of EC50 or LC50≤
1 mg/l
·
organic and with a toxicity
to the other test organisms of EC50 or LC50≤ 10
mg/l.
Section 56 b
Categorization of chemicals
The operator shall categorise chemicals
according to the ecotoxicological properties of the substances. This applies to
all chemicals with documentation in the form of a HOCNF.
Substances are categorised as follows:
1) Black category
Black category consists of chemicals on the
following lists:
·
Prioritized list of White
Paper No. 21 (2004-2005)
·
OSPAR List of Chemicals for
Priority Action, ref. OSPAR Strategy with regard to Hazardous Substances
In addition, substances with the following
ecotoxicological properties are categorized as black:
·
Substances that have both a
low biodegradability (BOD28 <20%) and a high bioaccumulation
potential (log Pow ≥5)
·
Substances that have both a
low biodegradability (BOD28<20%) and a high acute toxicity (EC50
or LC50≤10 mg/l)
·
Substances that are detrimental
in a mutagenic or reproductive way
2) Red category
Red category consists of substances with the
following ecotoxicological properties:
·
Inorganic substances which
are acute toxic (EC50 or LC50≤ 1 mg/l)
·
Organic substances with a
low biodegradability (BOD28<20%)
·
Substances that meet two of
the three following criteria:
o
Biodegradability equivalent
to BOD28<60%
o
Bioaccumulation potential
equivalent to log Pow≥3 and molecular weight < 700 or
o
Acute toxicity of EC50
or LC50≤10 mg/l
3) Yellow category
Yellow category consists of substances that
from the ecotoxicological properties of the substances shall not be categorized
as red or black, and that are not defined as PLONOR substances
4) Green category
Green category consists of substances on the
OSPAR PLONOR list
Section 56 c
Environmental assessments
The operator shall perform holistic evaluations
of the chemicals’ potential of causing environmental damage based on the
chemicals’ intrinsic properties, time, place and amounts of discharge, and also
other conditions of significance for the risk. These evaluations shall be
performed:
· Before new chemicals are used
· When entering into new chemical contracts
· Minimum every three years for chemicals in green and yellow category
· Annually for chemicals in red and black category
The environmental evaluations shall be
documented.
The
operator shall have plans for substitution of chemicals in the red and black
category. The plans shall give a description of which chemicals are prioritized
to be replaced, and when this can take place. The plans shall be reported to
SFT annually in accordance with the existing reporting requirements. The
requirement also applies to chemicals in the yellow category with degradation
products assumed to be hazardous to the environment.
Section 56 d
Choice of chemicals
The operator shall choose the chemicals which
according to the environmental evaluations poses the lowest risk of harming the
environment. Chemicals in the red and black category shall only be chosen if
they are necessary for technical and safety reasons.
Section 57
Use and discharge of chemicals
The
operator must have permission pursuant
to the Pollution Control Act, chapter 3 to use and to discharge chemicals
and to inject chemicals or water containing chemicals.
Unused chemicals shall not be discharged
to sea, cf. regulations of 1 June 2002 no. 931 relating to
limitation of pollution
(Norwegian only) chapter 22, on dredging and dumping to sea and rivers.
Chemicals
shall be stored in a safe and prudent way.
Use and discharge of chemicals shall be
reduced as much as possible.
The
operator shall use chemicals with as little contamination from other substances
as possible.
Field-testing of chemicals as alternatives
for chemicals covered by the permit pursuant to the Pollution Control Act or testing of chemicals
within new areas of use that are not included in the permit, is allowed. Such
field-testing shall not last longer than 14 days and at the same time the total
amount of chemicals used shall not exceed 50 kilogram of substances which are
presumed to be categorised in red category. Chemicals which are presumed to be
categorised in black category, and tracers, shall not be tested in the field.
Before it is decided at what time larger
amounts of water containing chemicals from pipelines are to be discharged,
relevant expertise shall be consulted.
Section 58
Chemicals for emergency preparedness
If
the operator plans to keep chemicals in readiness for safety reasons, an inventory
of these shall be available. The operator shall also have directions for when
the chemicals for emergency preparedness are to be used, and what quantities
may be used. The guidelines shall be based on risk analyses, cf. the Management Regulations Chapter IV
on analyses.
Section 59
Discharge of cuttings, sand and solid particles
Cuttings
from drilling and well activities, sand and other solid particles shall not be
discharged to sea if the oil content of formation oil, other oil or base fluid
in organic drilling fluid is more than ten grams per kilogram of dry matter.
The operator must have permission in
relation to the Pollution Control Act, chapter 3 if material
such as cuttings, sand and solid particles is planned to be injected.
Section 60
Discharge from formation testing and cleanup of wells
Oil
or oily water from well testing or from cleanup of wells shall not be
discharged into the sea unless the discharge is cleaned, cf. Section 55 on
discharge of oil-contaminated water. This does not apply to testing or cleanup
of exploration wells from facilities without water treatment equipment. The
operator shall do an overall assessment to ensure that the best possible
environmental solution for the facility is chosen.
Formation testing shall be carried out
with the least possible strain on the external environment. Flaring of
hydrocarbons shall be avoided to the extent this is possible.
The
operator must have permission in relation to the Pollution Control Act, chapter 3 if the
well flow is intended to be injected.
Section 61
Measuring the quantity of discharged oil, other substances and water
The
content of oil and other substances in the discharges shall be measured. Other
substances mean substances for which there are reporting requirements, cf. the
Norwegian Pollution Control Agency’s Guidelines for reporting from offshore
petroleum activities. The results from the measurement shall inter alia be used
to verify the performance of the treatment system.
The frequency of measuring, the discharge
parameters and the measuring methods shall be documented.
The programme for data collection shall be
set up so that the extent of the measuring is sufficient in relation to the
purpose, in order to ensure representative and comparable measurements.
Analyses shall be carried out in a
systematic and standardised manner. Analyses of oil content in water shall be
carried out according to OSPAR’s method of reference for the determination of
oil in water (OSPAR reference no. 2005-15, which is a modification of ISO
9377-2) or analysis methods calibrated against this standard.
With regard to drain water, displacement
water and injected oily water, the quantity of water and the oil content shall
be measured, calculated or estimated.
Section 62
Measuring associated fluids discharged with solids
The
party responsible shall measure the quantity of organic drilling fluid and oil
discharged with solids.
X-III
WASTE
The
operator shall to the extent possible avoid generation of waste.
The waste generated in connection with the
activities shall be handled in an environmentally and hygienically adequate
manner.
Waste oil may be added to the production
flow. The operator must have permission in relation to the Pollution Control Act, chapter 3 if waste
oil is intended to be injected.
Solid waste shall not be thrown overboard.
The operator shall prepare a plan for treatment of waste.
CHAPTER XI
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
XI-I
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Section 64
Establishing emergency preparedness
The operator or the one responsible for the operation of a facility
shall prepare a strategy for emergency preparedness against situations of
hazard and accident, cf. also Section
7 on the duties of the health service, litera c. The
emergency preparedness shall be established on the basis of results from risk
and preparedness analyses as mentioned in the Management Regulations
Section 15 on quantitative risk analyses and emergency
preparedness analyses and Section 16 on environmentally oriented
risk and emergency preparedness analyses, the defined situations of hazard and
accident and the performance criteria applicable to the barriers, cf. the Management Regulations
Section 2 on barriers.
The emergency preparedness
against acute pollution shall provide for protection of ocean, coast and shore
zones. Sufficient time in advance of planned start-up of an activity that may
entail pollution or danger of pollution, the operator shall submit a summary of
the results from the environmentally oriented risk and emergency preparedness
analyses, together with a description of how the planned preparedness against
acute pollution has been provided for. Where the emergency preparedness is
associated with activities as mentioned in the Information Duty
Regulations Section 5 on requirement on consent
to certain petroleum activities, the Information Duty
Regulations Section 6 on contents of application
for consent shall apply.
The Norwegian Pollution
Control Authority may in particular cases stipulate further requirements with
regard to the establishment of this emergency preparedness.
Section 65
Joint use of emergency preparedness resources
In
co-operation on joint use of the emergency preparedness resources of different
operators as mentioned in the Framework Regulations Section 30
on co-operation on emergency preparedness, second paragraph, the co-operation
shall be regulated by agreement and the emergency preparedness shall be based
on area specific emergency preparedness analyses, cf. also these regulations Section 69 on
regional emergency preparedness against acute
pollution.
When using vessels and mobile facilities
registered in a national shipping register, the operator shall co-ordinate his
own emergency preparedness plans and those of the contractors, cf. the Framework Regulations Section 29
on co-ordination of emergency preparedness, first paragraph.
The operator shall ensure that the
emergency preparedness is co-ordinated with the public rescue service and the
rest of the health service of the country, so that the chain of action in
respect of rescued, sick or injured personnel is coherent and professionally
adequate, cf. the Framework
Regulations Section 29 on co-ordination of emergency
preparedness, second paragraph.
Section 66
Emergency preparedness organisation
The
emergency preparedness organisation shall be robust so as to be capable of
handling situations of hazard and accident effectively.
In the event of acute pollution the
emergency preparedness organisation shall provide the necessary functions to be
capable of implementing actions against acute pollution effectively.
Section 67
Emergency preparedness plans
Emergency
preparedness plans shall be prepared which at all times describe the emergency
preparedness and contain action plans in respect of the defined situations of
hazard and accident.
XI-II
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS IN SITUATIONS OF HAZARD AND ACCIDENT
Section 68
Handling of situations of hazard and accident
The
party responsible shall ensure that necessary actions are taken as quickly as
possible in the event of situations of hazard and accident so that
a) the right alert is given immediately, cf.
also the Facilities
Regulations Section 17 on systems for internal and
external communication and the Activities
Regulations Section 52 d on remote measurement of acute
pollution,
b) situations of hazard do not develop into
situations of accidents. In the event of situations of accident, combating
actions shall be taken. Combating actions to limit acute pollution shall be
taken as close to the discharging source as possible,
c) personnel can be rescued in situations of
accident, cf. also the Facilities Regulations Section 40
on equipment for rescue of personnel,
d) the personnel on the facility can be quickly
and efficiently evacuated at all times, cf. also the Facilities Regulations Section 43
on means of evacuation,
e) the condition can be normalised when the
development of a situation of hazard and accident has been stopped, inter alia
by monitoring and cleanup of the pollution and restoring the environment, and
thereby restore the condition to the state existing before the situation of
hazard and accident occurred. Criteria shall be defined in respect of
normalisation of the external environment.
XI-III
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AGAINST ACUTE POLLUTION
Section 69
Regional emergency preparedness against acute pollution
The
regional emergency preparedness against acute pollution as mentioned in the Framework Regulations Section 30
on co-operation on emergency preparedness shall be regulated by agreement and
shall at all times provide for and be updated in relation to the environmental
risk represented by the facilities in the region.
Regional plans for remote measurement of
acute pollution on the open sea, at the coast and in the shore zone shall be
established. The operators shall contribute to further development of relevant
remote measurement tools.
In the case of new activities the operator
shall take action, if necessary, in relation to the regional emergency
preparedness, in order to ensure that the activity does not lead to
unacceptable risk. .
Section 70
Action against acute pollution
In
the case of action taken against acute pollution there shall as soon as
possible be produced a plan for implementation of the action. The first version
of the plan shall be ready at the latest one hour after the executive
management group for the action has been established. The plan shall be sent to
the Norwegian Coastal Administration and updated regularly through all the
phases of the action.
The action shall not be concluded until
the objectives have been achieved, and this has been documented.
CHAPTER XII
COMMUNICATION
At
all times during installation and operation, as well as in situations of hazard
and accident, the necessary internal and external alerts and communication
shall be ensured, cf. the Facilities Regulations Section 17
on systems for internal and external communication, and Section 18
on communication equipment.
A person shall be designated on board to
be responsible for the communication systems on manned facilities.
CHAPTER XIII
DRILLING AND WELL ACTIVITIES
Prior
to starting well activities, a programme shall be prepared with describes the
individual activities to be carried out and the equipment to be used, cf. also
the Facilities
Regulations Section 9 on plants, systems and
equipment.
The programme shall be updated as
mentioned in Section 18
on start-up and operation of facilities, second
paragraph litera b.
Section 73
Well location and well path
Well
location and well path shall be known at all times and chosen on the basis of
well parameters of importance to a safe drilling and well activity. In addition
it shall be possible to drill a relief well from two alternative locations. The
locations shall be mapped and known in advance, cf. also Section 27 on
planning.
If the distance to adjacent wells is less
than the defined minimum distance, limitations shall be imposed, cf. also Section 26 on
simultaneous activities, first paragraph.
Section 74
Shallow gas and shallow formation fluids
The
party responsible shall ensure that necessary actions have been planned and can
be taken to handle situations of shallow gas or other formation fluids, cf.
also Section 73
on well location and well path.
When drilling in shallow formations,
choice of well structure and drilling parameters shall prevent gas or formation
fluid from the well from representing a hazard to personnel and facility.
Section 75
Monitoring of well parameters
During
all drilling and well activities drilling and well data shall be collected to
verify the well prognoses, in order that necessary actions may be taken and the
well programme may be adjusted if necessary.
During
drilling and well activities there shall be tested well barriers of sufficient
independence, cf. also the Facilities Regulations Section 47
on well barriers.
If a barrier fails, no other activities
shall take place in the well than those intended to restore the barrier.
When wells are handed over, the status of
the barriers shall be tested, verified and documented.
If
well control is lost, it shall be possible to regain the well control by direct
intervention or by drilling a relief well.
An action plan shall be produced
describing how the lost well control can be regained.
Section 78
Controlled well flow
Operational
limitations shall be set in relation to controlled well flow.
All
wells shall be secured before they are abandoned so that well integrity remains
intact during the time they are abandoned, cf. the Facilities Regulations Section 47
on well barriers. With regard to subsea completed wells the well integrity
shall be monitored if the wells are planned to be abandoned for more than
twelve months.
It shall be possible to control the well
integrity by reconnection to temporarily abandoned wells.
It shall not be planned to leave radioactive
sources behind in the well. It the radioactive source cannot be removed, it
shall be left behind in a secure manner.
Section 80
Remote operation of pipes and work strings
Remote-operated
systems shall be used for handling of pipes and work strings, cf. Section 31 on arrangement
of work and the Facilities Regulations Section 70 on lifting appliances and lifting gear.
Limitations shall be set for the access of
personnel to the work area of remote-operated systems.
There shall be visual contact and radio
communication between personnel when remote-operated pipe handling systems are
in use, cf. Section 83
on lifting operations, second paragraph.
CHAPTER XIV
MARINE OPERATIONS
During
conduct of marine operations, the party responsible shall take necessary
actions so that those who take part in the operations, are not injured, and so
that the probability of situations of hazard and accident is reduced.
Requirements shall be set to maintaining
position in respect of vessels and facilities during implementation of such
operations, and criteria shall be set for start up and suspension of activities,
cf. the facilities
regulations section 64 on anchoring, mooring and
positioning.
CHAPTER XV
ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS
Section 82
Work on and operation of electrical installations
During work on live electrical systems, work near
installations connected to an electrical power source, work in or
close to earthed and short-circuited installations and during operation of low
and high voltage installations, necessary actions shall be taken so that those
who carry out the work, are not injured, and so that the probability of
situations of hazard and accident is reduced, cf. Section 28 on actions during conduct of
activities and Section 40
on use of work equipment.
The operator
shall appoint a person to be responsible for the electrical installations.
CHAPTER XVI
LIFTING OPERATIONS
Lifting
operations shall be cleared, lead and conducted in a safe manner and it shall
be ensured, inter alia, that personnel do not come under suspended loads, cf. Section 28 on
actions during conduct of activities. Cf. also Chapter VII on planning and conduct of
activities and Section 40
on use of work equipment.
Everyone participating in lifting
operations, shall have a radio to communicate with, cf. the facilities regulations
Section 17 on systems for internal and
external communication, and the radio shall be used unless everyone involved
can communicate clearly with each other by direct speech. The party responsible
shall ensure that all communication takes place in a clear and unambiguous way
and without disturbance.
The party responsible shall also ensure
that lifting operations with transfer of personnel are approved by the
management of the facility individually, if offshore cranes are used for such
lifting operations.
CHAPTER XVII
MANNED UNDERWATER OPERATIONS
Section 84
Manned underwater operations
Operational actions shall be taken during manned underwater operations,
so that those who take part in the operations, are not subjected to injury or
illness, and so that the probability of mistakes that can result in situations
of hazard and accident, is reduced. Cf. Chapter
VII on planning and conduct of activities.
Section 85
Provisions relating to time periods
The following provisions relating to time periods shall apply with
regard to manned underwater operations:
a) stays
at working depth:
in the case of diving down to 250 meters, the stay at working depth
shall not exceed 14 days. With regard to deeper diving the stay at working
depth shall not exceed 10 days,
b) the
time between saturation periods:
the time between saturation periods shall be at least equal to the
duration of the preceding saturation period. In the case of diving deeper than
250 meters, the time between saturation periods shall be at least twice the
duration of the last saturation period,
c) bell
run:
in the case of diving down to 200 meters, the bell run shall not
exceed 8 hours. With regard to deeper
diving the bell run shall not exceed 6 hours. If the divers are in the dry in a
submerged habitat, the bell run may be extended to 8 hours. A bell run shall be
calculated from the time when depressurisation of the lock between the bell and
the compression chamber is commenced (and the divers in the bell consequently
do not have access to the chamber complex), and until the bell again has been
connected to the chamber complex and the pressure in the lock has been
equalised (so that the divers again have access to the chamber complex).
d) Time
in water:
in the case of diving down to 200 meters, the diver shall not be in the
water more than 4 hours in the course of a twelve hour period. With regard to a
three -man bell run the time in the water may be extended to 6 hours provided:
1) the diver returns to the diving bell in the course of the
third or fourth working hour in the water for a break of at least 30 minutes
with the diving helmet off. The bell break shall be entered in the log,
2) the diver has a “dry day” as standby diver in the bell at
least every third day. In the case of diving deeper than 200 meters, the diver
shall not be in the water more than 3 hours in the course of a twelve-hour
period,
e) use
of breathing mask:
after a maximum of 4 hours,
divers using breathing mask in the submerged habitat shall have a rest period
in an atmosphere that does not require the use of a breathing mask,
f) recompression
following submerged operations:
After completed saturation
period, divers shall have immediate access to therapeutic recompression for a
minimum of 24 hours following completed decompression. In the case of surface
oriented diving divers shall have immediate access to therapeutic recompression
for a minimum of 12 hours following completed decompression,
g) work
free period for work under increased pressure:
divers working in water or
working or under increased ambient pressure shall in the course of a
twenty-four hour period have a continuous work free period of at least 12
hours. Work and rest periods shall be specified in a shift program and shall be
planned at regular hours,
h) surface
personnel in direct communication with divers in the water:
surface personnel in direct communication with divers in the water shall
not have this function for more than 4 consecutive hours without a break. Total time for this function shall be limited
upwards to 8 hours in the course of a twelve-hour period.
CHAPTER XVIII
ENTRY INTO FORCE
These regulations enter into force on 1 January 2002.
