A duty officer is on call around the clock to ensure that we are notified about hazards and accidents. That allows us to pass the notification on to other government agencies involved, in accordance with established agreements.
This duty officer system covers both the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) and the land-based petroleum plants we are responsible for.
When we are notified of a serious incident which remains unclarified, the duty officer assesses whether our emergency response centre should be mobilised.
During an emergency response, we supervise that the operator is complying with the regulatory requirements. This includes continuously assessing the action taken by the operator or other responsible players to regain control.
Where necessary, we consent to the expansion of the safety zone around facilities in the event of hazards, accidents or terrorist attacks.
Notification of other relevant government agencies and media communication are also among our duties in an emergency.
Some 700-800 hazards and accidents are notified or reported to us every year. We and our fellow regulatory agencies have more than 30 years of experience with crisis preparedness and response.