The facilities regulations § 3

§ 3 Definitions

Definitions as mentioned in Section 6 of the Framework Regulations, apply correspondingly for these regulations.
The following definitions apply for these regulations:

Manned facilities:
Facilities with living quarters, or facilities that are part of an integrated development concept with gangway connections to a facility with living quarters.

Fire area:
An area that is separated from other areas by a fire/explosion division or adequate distance, such that the design load for a fire or explosion does not lead to spreading to another area.

Class A fire division:
A division manufactured in non-flammable materials that satisfies the following criteria:
  1. it is sufficiently reinforced,
  2. it prevents the spread of flames and smoke for at least one hour of the standardised fire test,
  3. it is designed so that the average temperature and the temperature of any single point on the unexposed side do not rise more than 140°C and 180°C, respectively, above the original temperature within the following timeframes:
    1. class A-60: 60 minutes,
    2. class A-30: 30 minutes,
    3. class A-15: 15 minutes,
    4. class A- 0: 0 minutes,
  4. any insulation materials are fire-tested at an institution that is internationally or nationally recognised in the specific discipline.


Class B fire division:
A division manufactured in non-flammable materials that satisfies the following criteria:
  1. it prevents the spread of flames for at least half an hour of the standardised fire test,
  2. it is designed so that the average temperature and the temperature of any single point on the unexposed side does not rise more than 140°C and 225°C, respectively, above the original temperature within the following timeframes:
  1. class B-30: 30 minutes,
  2. class B-15: 15 minutes,
  3. class B- 0: 0 minutes.


Class H fire division:
A division manufactured in non-flammable materials that satisfies the following criteria:
  1. it is sufficiently reinforced,
  2. it prevents the spread of flames and smoke for at least two hours of the standardised fire test,
  3. it is designed so that the average temperature and the temperature of any single point on the unexposed side do not rise more than 140°C and 180°C, respectively, above the original temperature within the following timeframes:
    1. class H-120: 120 minutes,
    2. class H-60: 60 minutes,
    3. class H-0: 0 minutes,
  4. any insulation materials are fire-tested at an institution that is internationally or nationally recognised in the specific discipline.


Load-bearing structures:
Those parts of the facility whose primary task is to transfer loads.

Dimensioning load:
Characteristic load multiplied by load coefficients.

Dimensioning accidental load:
An accidental load that a function or a system shall be able to withstand for a given period of time to meet the defined acceptance criteria for risk.

Design accidental load:
Accidental load used as a basis for design.

Dynamic positioning system (DP system):
A system in which the power supply, thruster system and control system are incorporated together and can be operated such as to automatically maintain a fixed position.

Simpler facilities:
Facilities without living quarters, and which are
  1. unmanned in normal operation,
  2. only manned when personnel can board and leave the facility in a safe manner at all times,
  3. not part of an integrated development concept with bridge connection to manned facilities and placed at a sufficient distance to not pose a danger to other permanently placed facilities.
Simpler facilities can be equipped with emergency quarters.

Anchoring system:
An anchoring system of the catenary type or a combination of thruster system and catenary-type anchoring.

Main area:
Facility area intended for a specific task or function.

Functional loads:
Loads caused by the physical existence, use and treatment of the facility.

High pressure and high temperature wells (HPHT wells):
Wells with an expected shut-in pressure greater than 69 MPa (690 bar), or a temperature higher than 150 °C.

Lifting appliance:
A composite unit used for hoisting and lowering loads, with or without horizontal movement.

Lifting gear:
Components or equipment used between the lifting appliance and the load or to grip the load, and which are not an integrated part of the lifting appliance.

Environmental loads:
Loads caused by environmental conditions.

Emergency quarters:
Quarters that make it possible for personnel to stay overnight on simpler facilities in an emergency.

Permanently manned facilities:
Facilities that are continuously manned, or that are part of an integrated development concept with gangway connections.

Pipeline systems:
Subsea pipelines and risers that transport hydrocarbons and other fluids, with associated safety systems, valves, chambers, corrosion protection systems, etc.

Safety system:
Technical barrier elements that are realised in a common system.

Safety functions:
Technical barrier elements that are intended to reduce the possibility of a concrete fault, hazard and accident situation occurring, or that limit or prevent damage or inconveniences.

Accidental loads:
Loads that the facility can be exposed to as a result of incorrect use, technical failure or undesirable external influences.
Section last changed: 01 January 2023

Definitions and abbreviations set out in the Framework Regulations are not repeated in these regulations. These guidelines explain or provide supplementary information to definitions as listed in this section.

Fire divisions – Classes A, B and H:
The ISO 834 standard should be used for standardised fire tests. For class H fire divisions, the hydrocarbon curve described in standard NS-EN 1363-2, should be used.

Dimensioning accidental load:
The dimensioning accidental load is typically established as part of a risk assessment as the load that occurs with an annual likelihood greater than or equal to 1x10-4.

Design load:
The design load can be the same as the dimensioning accidental load, but it can be more conservative as well, based on different input and assessments such as ALARP, minimum requirements in the regulations etc. In practice, this may entail that the design accidental load must be given a higher value than the dimensioning accidental load. As a minimum, the design accidental load must always correspond to the dimensioning accidental load.

Simpler facilities:
By unmanned in normal operation, it is meant that the facility is only manned in connection with operational disturbances and activities such as modification, maintenance and well intervention, and that the personnel do not stay overnight on the facility.By not posing a danger to other permanently placed facilities, it is meant, among other things, that a fire on the facility does not jeopardize other facilities by, for example, fire spread or heat stress.

Main area:
Main areas should be the
  1. living quarter
  2. auxiliary equipment area
  3. drilling area
  4. wellhead area
  5. process area
  6. storage area for hydrocarbons


Pipeline systems:
Fluids mean liquids and gases.
On a subsea facility, the subsea pipeline normally terminates at the connection to a christmas tree or wing valve. The christmas tree is not considered part of the pipeline system.
On a subsea facility where the above definition cannot be applied, the subsea pipeline ends at the connection to the subsea facility. The connection piece is part of the subsea pipeline.
Subsea pipelines and risers up to and including the chamber for launching or receiving tools for internal maintenance (including inspection), with associated equipment, are considered to belong to the pipeline system. If such a chamber has not been installed, the pipeline system is considered to extend to the first automatic shutdown valve above water.