Tenaris warns worker was likely on fatal Angola flight to Chevron platform
Tenaris has said one of its employees may have been on a fatal helicopter flight which was en route to a Chevron platform in Angola.
Health, Safety & Environment
Offshore helicopter chiefs warn against “competing on safety”
An offshore helicopter safety chief yesterday urged the industry not to compete on safety.
PSA insists findings of investigation into COSL Innovator rig were correct
The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) said it remains firm on its belief rig design was the main cause of an accident which left one offshore worker dead after freak weather in the North Sea.
North Sea helicopter industry’s faith in regulator on the mend
The North Sea helicopter industry’s faith in the UK regulator is on the mend, an offshore flight safety boss said today.
Fire at Saudi Aramco oil terminal injures eight
Saudi Aramco said eight of its workers have been injured after a fire broke out at one of its oil terminals.
North Sea industry treading line between “catastrophe and bankruptcy”, helicopter safety chief warns
North Sea industry is treading the line between catastrophe and bankruptcy as the crude price downturn drags on, a helicopter safety chief warned today.
COSL ‘spends millions’ on rig modifications after fatal accident
COSL is said to have invested million in testing its rigs after a worker was killed by a huge wave in the Norwegian North Sea last year.
Eni acknowledged Goliat concerns before latest incident – reports
Eni is reported to have acknowledged its staff needed to have a better grasp of potential risks at its Goliat field more than a month before a power failure halted production, it has emerged.
Total shuts down some units at Gonfreville refinery
Total said it has shut down some units at its 247,000 barrels per day Gonfreville refinery in northern France following a technical incident.
Eni given till end of month to comply with HSE notice for Liverpool Bay operating area
Eni has been given until the end of the month to comply with a prohibition notice over its Liverpool Bay operating area after a hydrocarbon release.
Shell fined over New Year’s Eve flaring from Corrib gas terminal
Oil major Shell has been fined €1,000 and told to pay €15,000 in legal costs for causing noise and light pollution from a gas flare at its Corrib gas terminal.
Promoted: International SOS takes OGUK medicals offshore
As the drive to reduce operating costs in the North Sea continues, it is important to focus on what matters most: protecting the health and safety of those who work in one of the harshest offshore environments in the world.
Statoil audited by PSA for well abandonment work on Statfjord A
Statoil has been given until the end of September to deal with a non-conformity discovered on its Statfjord A platform.
Eni issued with order from safety body over Goliat power failures
Eni has been issued with an order from the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA).
HeliOffshore welcomes European proposals for pilots’ mental health checks
An offshore helicopter transport safety organisation has welcomed new European proposals for making sure pilots are mentally fit for flying.
HSE finds Shell failed to carry out safety inspection on Clipper asset for more than a decade
Oil major Shell has been hit with an improvement notice for its Clipper asset in the Southern North Sea after it was found some inspections had not been carried out for at least 12 years.
Shell completes improvement notices after loss of 825kg of gasoline at North Sea terminal
Oil major Shell has completed improvement notices from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an incident led to the loss of containment of more than 800kg of gasoline.
At least one dead in Iran gas pipeline blast – official
At least one person was killed and three others injured in an Iranian gas pipeline explosion early on Saturday near the town of Gonaveh in the southern province of Bushehr, a local official told state news agency IRNA.
Total dismisses North Sea platform down manning claims
French oil giant Total today denied mounting a large-scale down manning operation on one of its North Sea platforms due to concerns over lifeboat provision. Total said it had slightly reduced the number of people on Elgin-Franklin, but dismissed claims in a media report which set the figure as high as 40. The report said Total was down manning because it would not have had enough lifeboat capacity for a full evacuation of Elgin-Franklin while adhering to industry standards for lifeboats.
BP refinery in Indiana inspected after breaching waste discharge limit – reports
BP’s refinery in Indiana is thought to have been inspected after the facility discharged five times more industrial waste into Lake Michigan than allowed earlier this week. A BP spokesman was quoted as saying “an upset” at the refinery’s wastewater treatment facility had caused the infringement and said the firm was working to correct the problem. The company reportedly said no hydrocarbons had leaked into the lake, adding that the excess in wastewater discharges would not affect drinking water or marine life.
Union boss casts doubt on sustainability of North Sea maintenance backlog reductions
Job losses and low morale could derail efforts to bring the UK offshore sector's safety-critical maintenance backlog under control, a trade unionist said yesterday. RMT regional organiser Jake Molloy was commenting on a report showing the amount of maintenance work overdue for completion on oil and gas infrastructure was shrinking. Oil and Gas UK’s health and safety report said year-on-year reductions were being reported across the backlog of planned, corrective and deferred work.
UKCS gas leaks up in 2015 as detection technology improves – OGUK report
Better technology could be behind an increase in the number of oil and gas leaks reported on the UK continental shelf (UKCS) in 2015, according to new research. In its latest annual health and safety report, Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) said the number of offshore hydrocarbon releases went up by 9% last year. But the industry body said the rise was largely made up of minor incidents, as the frequency of major leaks was flat.
Production halted on Alvheim FPSO after suspected gas leak
Production was stopped on a Det Norske FPSO (Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading) vessel after a suspected gas leak.
Teekay hit with notice from Norway safety body
The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) said a number of non-conformities and improvement points have been found after carrying out an audit of Teekay Petrojarl’s barrier management.
Lundin Petroleum hit with safety improvement points in Norway
Lundin Petroleum has been given a number of improvement points by the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) after an audit into the Swedish company’s barrier management.