On Thursday, 22 January, Havtil held its annual Safety – status and signals event. After a review of the past year, Knudsen began by describing the broad picture:
“In terms of outcomes, I would say that we are seeing a mixed picture for activities at the moment. An incredible amount of good work is being done, the trend analysis is showing good results over time, but challenges are still apparent – not least in maintenance”, said Knudsen.
At the same time, the risk picture also embodies serious incidents.
“The fatal accident at Mongstad in September was tragic and terrible. It's the worst thing that can happen, and exactly what we're working to avoid.”
The list of serious incidents is long: falls from scaffolding, serious crush injuries offshore, well and gas incidents, gangway failures and several cases of chemical exposure, which have affected hired workers in particular.
“It's good that these incidents are receiving attention, but they shouldn’t be happening in the first place. We all know that good results come from continuous hard work, and the effort must be intensified. We need to do better.”
Main issue 2025
Knudsen emphasised that last year’s main theme, “Artificial intelligence is also a risk factor”, will still be relevant in 2026:
“AI-powered systems can help reduce safety risks. They can improve decision-making and efficiency, and there is a huge potential upside in the technology.
At the same time, AI can also be a risk factor. The successful integration of new technology requires companies to understand, assess and manage the risks associated with it”, he stressed.
Main issue 2026
“Investment in the Norwegian continental shelf must come at a cost” is Havtil’s main theme for 2026.
“Anyone who's been around for a while knows that this industry undergoes constant change. There are good times and bad times, and that's how it's always been. But what is not allowed to fluctuate in the same way is the level of safety. It has to always be kept high. We must never lose sight of that.”
Knudsen pointed out that industry discourse has been characterised by terms like “faster”, “cheaper”, “efficiency gains”, “cost savings” and “optimisation”. He underscores the importance of these concepts if the industry is to continue operating the shelf for as long as possible.
“But someone also needs to speak up for safety and the working environment. It mustn’t just be implicit or implied – it has to be explicit. It needs to be said out loud, and that's what we're doing with this main theme.”
More orders in 2025
Bjørn Thomas Bache, Director of supervisory activities, summarised 2025 as a very busy year, including seven investigations following serious incidents. In addition, 25 orders were issued and one police report made. Maintenance management and technical integrity are the areas generating the most orders.
“We have made findings on the shelf itself, at onshore installations and on mobile facilities. Among other things, we have seen inadequate management of maintenance, lack of overview of equipment and classification, and insufficient follow-up of impairments.”
Havtil is also observing serious shortcomings in lifting operations, materials handling and scaffolding.
“What we see consistently in many of these audits is inadequate planning and risk assessment of operations, technical deficiencies and inadequate training in the use of equipment. And then there is the lack of experience sharing and learning from incidents across the companies”, said Bache.
Maintenance, chemical exposure and framework conditions
For 2026, Bache announced close follow-up of maintenance and chemical exposure. Equally important will be attention to planning, risk assessments and, not least, collaboration along the value chain – particularly in relation to major projects and turnarounds.
“I would like to highlight framework conditions related to the entire value chain, which is to say the interaction between operator, main supplier, subcontractor and hired labour, where there are many parties involved”, said Bache.
“Everyone in the value chain must be taken seriously, regardless of the colour of their workwear, whether they are hired or permanently employed, foreign or Norwegian. All parties must be heard. And use the safety service actively. We see that they are not always involved in the early stages.”
Bache emphasised that the HSE regulations apply regardless of economic conditions:
“Downsizing, organisational changes and streamlining are in progress. There is a focus on cost cutting. Simplification can be a good thing, but everything rests on the HSE regulations. This applies to all phases of the petroleum industry.”
He promises a special look at the industry’s largest player and was clear about his expectations of Equinor.
“They are the largest on the Norwegian continental shelf and have considerable expertise, many skilled employees, a large portfolio and great market power. But most importantly: as the largest player, Equinor also has a great responsibility.
For our part, it is crucial that this power is used carefully and that the company takes the lead in delivering good HSE results – both offshore and onshore.”
Maintenance, working environment and security in an heightened risk picture
Director of professional competence Finn Carlsen also highlighted outstanding corrective maintenance as a concern. He questioned whether enough attention has been paid to the management of maintenance:
“The industry needs to understand more about why this maintenance is growing and the reasons behind it.”
He also emphasised the working environment as a fundamental prerequisite for safety, with chemical exposure as a persistent and serious problem.
“It's terrible to see that people have become ill after chemical exposure in the industry. That's why we need to use the knowledge we have and develop new knowledge so that the exposure limits actually reflect the real risk.
Knowing where you can be exposed is crucial for implementing targeted and effective measures to protect workers”, said Carlsen.
The security policy backdrop also affects the industry. With 2026 defined as Total Defence Year, energy security and infrastructure protection are high on the agenda:
“The petroleum sector supplies enormous amounts of energy to Europe, and the infrastructure must be protected against disruptive actions.”
Regulations, accommodation vessels and applications for exemption
Hilda Kjeldstad, Director of advisory and regulatory affairs at Havtil, gave a brief résumé of regulatory developments in Havtil’s areas of authority. Among the larger matters of principle, she highlighted the industry’s desire for expanded use of accommodation vessels.
“The proposal entails a major change in the distinction between maritime activities and petroleum activities. It is therefore necessary to make thorough assessments of potential HSE and legal consequences”, said Kjeldstad. The matter is now being dealt with through the Regulatory Forum.
Another area that affects regulatory work is applications for exemption, of which there are a large number.
“We recently rejected an application for exemption from night work regulations on Gina Krog. In order to grant an exemption, two criteria must be met: the applicant must show that compensatory measures ensure a sufficiently high level of safety, and there must be special circumstances in favour of the exemption being granted. We did not think that was the case here. The case was appealed to the Ministry of Energy, which ruled in our favour.”