The audit was conducted from 12 to 21 November 2019.

Background

Barrier management has been a topic in many audits and meetings with Equinor in recent years.

We have monitored the company’s follow-up of barrier management, including operational and organisational barrier elements and associated performance requirements, in an audit of holistic barrier management.

The audit focused on the work at executive level to manage major accident risk at the Gullfaks B facility. Relevant topics were factors relating to overall plans and risk assessments for the use of the facility through its remaining life, assessment of the follow-up of technical condition/asset integrity, maintenance/modifications and operational and organisational measures.

In the audit, we also investigated whether previously identified non-conformities had been addressed in accordance with the company’s responses.

Objective

The objective of the audit was to review Equinor’s management and follow-up of the operation of Gullfaks B within the company’s holistic risk and barrier management and robust operation and maintenance.

Result

In the audit, we identified five non-conformities. These comprised:

  • Barrier management
  • Passive fire protection
  • Escape routes from rooms for high voltage installations
  • Risk analyses
  • Risk reduction

We also observed five conditions categorised as improvement points. These concerned the following areas:

  • System for the management of specialist expertise
  • Use of mobile fan heaters for space heating
  • Overview of fire and gas detection
  • Exhaust and overpressure ventilation in the drilling areas
  • Training and drills

Follow-up of previous audit

In the audit, we also looked at how Equinor had addressed previously identified non-conformities from our audit of barrier management at Gullfaks B in 2016.

We found that the following previous non-conformities had not been addressed in compliance with Equinor’s feedback:

  • Deficient documentation for overhauling and recertifying the BOP control system
  • Marking deficiencies
  • Deficient monitoring and control

What happens now?

We have asked Equinor to report to us on how the non-conformities will be addressed. We have also asked the company for an assessment of the improvement points we observed.

The deadline for replying is set at 13 March 2020.