Equinor shut down Hammerfest LNG on 11 March 2019 in order to correct impairments to a number of pressure safety valves (PSV). Heat trace cables and insulation were missing from 190 of these valves. Equinor considered the overall position to be so serious and uncertain that a shutdown and correction were required.
The condition of these valves had been identified in earlier reviews conducted by Equinor, without the weaknesses being corrected.
Four nonconformities were identified by the PSA related to:
- management follow-up of safety at HLNG
- risk assessment of discoveries
- correction following a hydrate discovery in a PSV
- registering HSE incidents.
Furthermore, an improvement point related to inadequate capacity in the organisation was identified.
Order
The PSA gave Equinor notice of the following order on 9 July 2019.
Pursuant to that notice, the following order has now been issued to Equinor.
Pursuant to section 69 of the framework regulations on administrative decisions, see section 10 of the framework regulations on prudent activities and sections 5, 6 and 21 paragraphs 1 and 2, of the management regulations on barriers, management of health, safety and the environment, and follow-up respectively, Equinor is ordered to review its own management of safety at HLNG and to implement the necessary measures to ensure that you are able to:
- identify barriers which are impaired or non-functioning
- assess the combination of impaired barriers
- ensure that necessary compensatory measures are implemented
- correct barriers which are non-functioning or impaired
pursuant to section 12.1.1 of the report.
The deadline for compliance with the order is 31 December 2019. We must be informed when the order has been carried out. The effect of the measures must be verified.