The AW189-type helicopter entered service on the transport service to petroleum facilities on the Norwegian shelf in autumn 2025.

Vår Energi AS and Equinor Energy AS have a logistics partnership, which involves all of Vår Energi AS’s AW189 flights from Florø to Gjøa being managed by Equinor.

Health issues linked to personnel transport using this type of helicopter were identified at an early stage, and over the past six months, the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority has closely monitored the operators’ efforts to identify and implement noise-reduction and other measures for the affected passengers travelling to and from work on the continental shelf.

We have received data from the operators who are using the AW189, which shows numerous adverse health outcomes. Tinnitus is the most commonly reported health issue, but there have also been reports of ear pain, discomfort, changes in hearing, sound sensitivity, headaches and nausea. Data on sick leave and preliminary reports of occupational illnesses indicate that these incidents cannot be limited to mild and transient symptoms.

The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority received updated information on the situation at meetings held on 18 August and 17 September 2026. The most recent technical measures were carried out in week 30 for helicopter OEA and in week 32 for helicopter OEB. As far as are aware, no further technical measures are planned. The modifications have contributed to a significant reduction in cabin noise. However, health outcomes continue to be reported, and the operators have paid little attention to factors other than noise levels as a cause of health outcomes among personnel who have flown on the AW189.

The operators have established a voluntary arrangement under which individual employees can opt out of flying on the AW189-type helicopters. Data from the operator indicates that a significantly higher proportion of the operator's employees are opting out of flying on the AW189-type helicopters than is the case among the contractor's employees. At the same time, the reports indicate that there are fewer recorded health outcomes among contractor employees than among operator employees.

Based on the information we have received, the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority does not believe that the causal relationships underlying these incidents have been sufficiently elucidated, analysed and understood.

Notification of order

We hereby give notification of the following order:

Pursuant to the Framework Regulations, Section 69 on administrative decisions, cf. the Framework Regulations, Section 23 on general requirements for material and information, the Management Regulations, Section 16 on general requirements for analyses, Section 19 on collection, processing and use of data, and Section 24 on organisation of material and information, and the Activities Regulations, Section 17 on transport, Vår Energi AS is hereby ordered to:

1. Analyse the reported adverse health outcomes caused by transport by AW189 type helicopters, with the aim of identifying the causal relationships behind, and the severity of, the reported health outcomes, and identifying and implementing risk mitigation measures. This also entails the collection of information from the contractors involved, insofar as is possible.

As part of the analysis, the following questions must be addressed:

    • What do the assessments of the health outcomes during the period prior to technical measures conclude regarding causal relationships and uncertainty?
    • What is the cause of the most serious health outcomes during the period prior to implementation of the technical measures, and what is the likelihood that such outcomes could also occur during the period after the technical measures have been implemented?
    • What types and severities of health outcomes are being monitored following the modifications?
    • What do the assessments of health outcomes following technical measures reveal about causal relationships and uncertainty?
    • Are there any other explanations behind the decrease in reported incidents besides a reduction in cabin noise levels?
    • How are future developments assessed in terms of the probability of health outcomes, given the assessments of causal relationships and uncertainties in the cases before and after the modifications?
    • What uncertainties still remain?

The analyses and responses must be presented to the employee representatives, including the safety representatives. Any comments from the employee representatives on what is presented, along with the analyses and responses themselves, must be submitted to the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority by 1 October 2026.

2. Submit an update to the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority regarding the responses to part 1, including any new reports of adverse health outcomes, on 15 and 30 October 2026.

Any comments on the notice of order must reach us by 12.00 on Tuesday 22 September 2026.

We request that this letter be made known to employee representatives, including the safety delegates.