• The audit was conducted from 4 to 13 March 2026.
  • Notification of the order was made on 8 May 2026.
  • The order was issued on 3 June 2026.

Objective

The objective of the audit was to assess how Equinor ensures compliance with the authorities’ requirements relating to the prevention of major accidents and acute personal injuries in respect of the design and follow-up of selected technical safety functions and work on pressurised systems.

Result

The audit identified eight non-conformities in the following areas:

  • Deficiencies in the follow-up of the alarm system
  • Deficiencies in the notification or reporting of incidents
  • Procedural deficiencies
  • Deficiencies in the establishment and follow-up of safety functions
  • Deficiencies in the mapping of non-electrical ignition sources
  • Deficiencies in the firewater system
  • Deficiencies in the follow-up of the maintenance programme for firefighting facilities
  • Deficiencies in passive fire protection

Follow-up of non-conformities

During the audit, we also verified how Equinor has addressed certain previously identified non-conformities.

  • We find that non-conformity 5.1.1 regarding inadequate follow-up of the alarm system (items 1 and 2 of the order) has not been addressed in accordance with Equinor’s feedback of 15 December 2022 and 31 March 2023, referring to the report following the operational inspection of electrical systems, process safety and SAS, our case file 2022/647. In the company’s response of 31 March 2023, it was stated that items 1 and 2 of the order had been met and that an existing dispensation (DISP 251842) would be followed up and closed out during 2023. The DISP was extended five times after 1 April 2023, and is now set to expire on 15 December 2026.

Order

We have identified serious regulatory breaches related to the alarm systems in the central control room at Martin Linge A. The audit has shown that there are too many standing alarms and new alarms in critical situations for them to be perceived and processed within the time necessary for the safe operation of equipment, installations and processes.

On this basis, we have issued Equinor with the following order:

Pursuant to the Framework Regulations, section 69 concerning administrative decisions, with reference to the Management Regulations, section 19(1a) concerning the collection, processing and use of data, and the Facilities Regulations, section 34a concerning control and monitoring systems, we hereby order Equinor to:

  1. Develop a system for collecting data on standing alarms at Martin Linge A.

  2. Identify and implement corrective measures to reduce the alarm rate for standing alarms, as well as new alarms in critical situations. These measures are intended to ensure that alarms can be perceived and processed within the time required for the safe operation of equipment, installations and processes, and that Equinor’s own requirements or referenced standards are met.

The deadline for complying with item 1 of the order is 31 August 2026.

The deadline for complying with item 2 of the order is 31 December 2026.

 We are to be notified when the order has been carried out.