ONS 2024: Equinor draws up plans for Barents Sea emergency preparedness
Equinor plans to implement a new area-wide emergency preparedness service for oil and gas operation in the southwestern Barents Sea offshore Norway.
The program is a collaboration with Vår Energi, operator of the Goliat field in which Equinor is a partner, and it was initiated by the Barents Sea Operation Cooperation.
The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has issued consent for the new area-wide emergency preparedness system, which should start operating from Jan. 1, 2025.
"With Johan Castberg coming onstream toward the end of the year and increased activity in the north, we are now establishing an area-wide emergency preparedness system in the Barents Sea," said Grete B. Haaland, Equinor’s senior vice president for Exploration & Production North.
According to Equinor, it is designed to deal with emergency preparedness incidents in an ocean area characterized by long distances from the mainland and harsh weather conditions. It involves interaction and sharing of common resources; other E&P companies may join later.
"We will, among other things, build a new emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) that will make a difference,” Haaland said. “We have worked closely with the fishing fleet on emergency preparedness in the Barents Sea since the startup of Goliat…”
The new solution will provide one "all weather search and rescue" S-92 type helicopter, stationed at Hammerfest Airport; three emergency response and rescue vessels with standing oil spill response capabilities; one vessel dedicated to Goliat and one other dedicated to Johan Castberg.
Equinor’s planned ERRV will also provide inspection, maintenance and repair capabilities. Longer-term goals include faster response times for search and rescue (SAR) and improved medical preparedness in the area.
Other proposals are continuous ocean and ice monitoring; monitoring and follow-up from Equinor's operations center in Bergen with digital systems and round-the-clock staffing; an increased interaction, central coordination and mutual agreement between the companies that are part of the area-wide emergency preparedness; and the potential mobilization of oil spill response equipment at the NOFO base in Hammerfest for platform supply vessels.
Through the Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies, Equinor has access to other oil spill preparedness resources throughout the Norwegian coast. About 400 SAR missions took place last year among helicopters operating for Equinor, 40 of which were performed for the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.
The company has five SAR helicopter bases, including the facility at Hammerfest, which it shares with Vår Energi.
Equinor is exhibiting this week at booth 8000 at ONS 2024 in Stavanger. View the ONS program to learn more about presentations by Equinor and more.