An AoC is mandatory for:

  • drilling units
  • accommodation units
  • FPSOs (floating production, storage and offloading units)
  • well intervention units.

The exceptions are mobile facilities where the operator itself is responsible for operation, and storage vessels. These do not need an AoC, but only a consent.

As of March 2024, 40 mobile facilities have acknowledgement of compliance (AoC) from the PSA

Received AoC Applications

AoC application received on 23 February 2024: Macro Offshore for Haven.

AoC application received on 30 January 2024: COSL Drilling Europe AS for COSLProspector.

AoC application received on 21 June 2023: Shelf Drilling (Norway) AS for Shelf Drilling Barsk.

Last updated 11 March 2024.

What is an AoC?

When we issue an AoC, this expresses our confidence that petroleum operations can be conducted by the mobile facility concerned in accordance with the regulations.

The decision to issue an AoC is based on information provided in a specific application. This document must cover both technical conditions on the facility and the applicant company’s organisation and systems for safety management.

We verify the information by making random checks in selected areas. This is done through audits and/or questions put to the facility’s owner.

All known safety-critical nonconformities have to be corrected before an AoC is issued, and the unit must possess maritime certificates from the relevant flag state.

Responsibility

We never approve a facility, equipment, components, procedures or qualifications. It is the responsible company which must ensure that its organisation and management system, as well as the facility’s technical condition, comply with the regulations at all times. We have opportunities to check this, in part through audits.

Why an AoC?

An AoC is mandatory for participating in petroleum activities on the NCS. This arrangement clarifies the responsibility of the players, provides more effective consent processes, creates predictability and makes it easier for mobile facilities to cross national boundaries.

An AOC forms part of the documentary basis when the authorities later come to consider an application for consent from the operator related to the use of a mobile facility. This is particularly important for the facility-specific part of a consent application – in other words, technical condition and the AoC owner’s organisation and management system.

Regulations

The provisions on the AoC in the petroleum regulations are described in section 25 of the framework regulations.

Applying for an AoC is covered in the Handbook for Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC), revision 05, issued by the Norwegian Shipowners Association and the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association in August 2015. This publication can be used as a recognised standard – see the guidelines to section 25 of the framework regulations on applications for AoC for certain offshore mobile facilities.

Applying for an AoC

The AoC applicant must be the owner or day-to-day manager of the facility.

Processing an application normally takes three months if the unit is to be used for drilling, assuming that the application meets the expected standards for content and quality. It can take longer to process units to be used for other activities. When the application involves an extended AoC, where the same facility is to be used for a new type of activity which requires the issue of an AoC, consideration can take less than three months.

The estimated processing time assumes in part that the applicant has carried out a complete conformity measurement in relation to relevant requirements in the regulations. A full list of nonconformities must be provided, with references to the regulations.

An operator can apply for consent for an activity involving a mobile facility at the same time as an AoC application for the relevant unit is being processed.

Transfer when the facility is sold

An AoC is the property of the facility’s owner and cannot be transferred to others if the unit is sold. The new owner must submit their own application for an AoC.

Collaboration with other authorities

We collaborate with other government agencies in connection with the AoC. These include the Norwegian Maritime Administration, which contributes technical maritime expertise.

Charges

The government’s work in connection with an AoC is invoiced to the applicant in accordance with the hourly/day rates specified at any given time pursuant to the regulations on refunding expenses in connection with regulatory supervision of safety, working environment and resource management in the petroleum activities, adopted by royal decree no 652 of 27 June 1997.

How is an AoC audit conducted?

Come with us on board Songa Endurance.