The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority has sponsored participation of PSA principal engineer, Sigurd Robert Jacobsen in the Arctic Technology II course at the University of Stavanger. This report is a outcome of the participation.
Background and purpose
Norwegian petroleum regulations require that the personnel on a facility can be quickly and efficiently evacuated to a safe area at all times (Activity regulation § 68 litera d) and in all weather conditions (Facilities regulation § 43).
The aim of this report is to:
- Investigate historical meteorological conditions in order to identify conditions where it would be challenging or potentially not possible to evacuate personnel utilising current technology,
- Investigate the affect of ice accretion on lifeboat stability,
- Identify requirements for new solutions and regulations.
The report considers the area from the Norwegian coast to Bjørnøya in the north and the new border with Russia in the east. Background information on the climate conditions in the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea is covered. Special features of the area are also presented.
Results
Meteorological conditions in the Barents Sea are such that existing equipment like life rafts, escape chutes, davit launch lifeboats and 1st and 2nd generation standby vessels may not be appropriate for the prevailing conditions during winter.
Ice accretion on lifeboats is possible and could threaten stability if the lifeboat has to ride off inclement weather conditions while waiting for an operational weather window that allows rescue of the passengers. The issue of ice accretion is also of concern for standby and rescue vessels.
Major findings and conclusions
All year operation in the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea is possible when appropriate risk analysis and risk reduction measures are put in place.
The analysis of the meteorological data for stations around the Barents Sea coincide with what can be expected from literature and norms for the area. The meteorological data and the stability calculations indicate that stability of lifeboats could be impaired due to ice accretion.
This is an issue that the designers and producers of lifeboats are aware of, but has not been investigated in any detail.
The effect of ice accretion must be investigated for each lifeboat model that are intended to be used on facilities operating in the Barents Sea.
Access to reliable weather forecasts is paramount for operating in the Barents Sea. Responsible personnel onboard facilities operating in the Barents Sea should be competent in the interpretation and understanding of weather forecasts and the implications the conditions may have in an evacuation and rescue situation.
Awareness to potential ice conditions is important as activity moves to the north or the east towards the borderline with Russia.
Equipment available for evacuation can encounter conditions that render them inappropriate. The limitations of existing evacuation and rescue systems are generally understood.
Third generation rapid response rescue vessels are recommended as standby vessels in the Barents Sea. Their rescue capacity and ability is by far the best that is currently available.
The currents regulations are functional and risk based. They are considered sufficient to regulate safe evacuation and rescue in the Barents Sea. The guidelines to the regulations should be complemented with references to standards like ISO-19906.
Specific requirements to the use of third generation rapid response rescue vessels should also be considered enforced.
Recommendations for further work
The affect of ice accretion on lifeboat stability must be investigated for each lifeboat model that is intended for use on facilities operating in the Barents Sea.
The affect of ice accretion on standby and rescue vessels should also be investigated for each vessel that is intended for operation as a support vessel to any petroleum facility.
Appropriate standards and norms should be identified and included either in the regulations or in the guidelines to the regulations. This is work that should be aligned with the Barents 2020 project involving Norway and Russia.