Equinor – Gullfaks A – integrity and barrier management for risers and flexible flowlines, corrosion under insulation

The audit was conducted from 30 October to 3 November 2023.

Objective

The objective of the audit was to monitor how Equinor is working to reduce the risk of major accidents, with a focus on preventing loss of containment. We wanted to investigate how the company handles the integrity and barrier management of CUI and flowlines at Gullfaks A, and ensures that operations comply with internal and regulatory requirements.

Result

The audit identified three non-conformities. These concerned:

• Maintenance follow-up of safety-critical equipment
• Incident reporting
• Follow-up of barriers and safety functions.

We also observed two factors that we have chosen to categorise as improvement points. These concerned:

• Condition of insulation
• Follow-up of technical condition

What happens now?

We have asked Equinor to report to us by 6 January 2024 on how the non-conformities will be addressed, and for their assessment of the improvement points observed.