• Notification of the order was made on 12 October 2023 and the order was issued on 1 November 2023.

We conducted the audit from 23 August to 7 September 2023.

Objective

The objective of the audit was to assess how Repsol ensures compliance with the authorities’ requirements in respect of the management of major accident risk and barriers at Yme. In particular, we looked at the barrier functions of emergency power, ignition source control, process safety and technical safety.

In 2021, we carried out an audit of electrical facilities, safety instrumented systems, process safety and technical safety at Yme and on Inspirer. That audit detected nine non-conformities. Part of the recent audit was therefore to verify Repsol’s follow-up of these non-conformities.

Result

Seven non-conformities were identified, concerning:

  • Lack of capacity to ensure compliance with HSE requirements
  • Inadequate barrier management
  • Inadequate maintenance management
  • Deficiencies in gas detection
  • Lack of periodic testing of logic for fire and gas detectors.
  • Deficiencies in the emergency shutdown system
  • Inadequate documentation

In addition, we identified one improvement point concerning routines for notification and reporting of incidents.

Order

On the basis of our observations in the audit, we have now issued Repsol Norge with the following order:

Pursuant to the Framework Regulations, section 69 concerning administrative decisions, Repsol Norge AS is ordered to:

  1. Systematically review and map available manning and competence in the company’s onshore organisation, and on this basis implement measures to ensure that the company has sufficient resources at its disposal for complying with required and planned activities, as ensues from requirements stipulated in the health, safety and environment legislation, with reference to the Management Regulations, section 5 concerning barriers, section 12, para 2, concerning planning, section 14, para 1, concerning manning and competence, section 22, para 2, concerning the handling of non-conformities. (Ref. chapter 5.1.1 of our report).

  2. Correct previously detected non-conformities, with reference to the Management Regulations, section 22, para 2, concerning the handling of non-conformities. (Ref. chapter 4.2 of our report).

  3. Present a schedule of specific measures for addressing items 1 and 2 of the order, including a description of any compensatory measures to be implemented until non-conformities have been rectified, with reference to the Management Regulations, section 12 concerning planning, and section 22 concerning the handling of non-conformities.

The PSA is to be notified when the order has been carried out. The deadline for complying with items 1 and 2 of the order is set at 20 March 2024. The deadline for complying with item 3 of the order is set at 8 December of this year (2023).