Report Investigation of gas blowout on Snorre A - Well Integrity ...

descriptions are no longer used, but that the requirements for the positions are defined by
requirements or recommendations in governing documents. The responsibility for ensuring
that personnel are trained in accordance with governing documents lies with the line
manager/lead pr<strong>of</strong>essional engineer for the discipline.
Statoil should have a system that is clear enough to show connections between requirements
that are stipulated for various positions, and the responsibility that governing documents
define for the position. Statoil should ensure that personnel are always aware <strong>of</strong> their
responsibility and have the necessary competence to carry out activities in a safe manner.
5.3 Barriers that functioned
Emergency preparedness and evacuation: Manning <strong>of</strong> the emergency response center and
mustering on board proceeded according to plan. The handling <strong>of</strong> the situation, with the
assessments that were made during the course <strong>of</strong> the night seem to have averted a negative
development <strong>of</strong> the situation.
Notifications were made, measures were instituted to combat the problem, and
normalization/safeguarding personnel took place in accordance with the established plans.
After an evaluation <strong>of</strong> wind direction, and since there was no detection <strong>of</strong> <strong>gas</strong> on or near the
helideck, use <strong>of</strong> helicopters for evacuation was considered to be prudent, also after <strong>gas</strong> was
discovered on the sea.
Lifeboats were not used during this incident. Use <strong>of</strong> lifeboats was, however, considered. A
situation with <strong>gas</strong> <strong>blowout</strong> on the seabed is not considered to be a problem as there is the
option <strong>of</strong> bringing air to the motor from inside the lifeboat (<strong>gas</strong> flasks).
The evacuation was carried out in two large batches (9+3 lifts). For this purpose, a Bell 214
from Statfjord B and a Super Puma from Oseberg were used. The flight time to Stena Don
and Snorre B is 3 and 4 minutes respectively.
6 ASSESSMENT AND DISCUSSION OF UNCERTAINTIES
This chapter discusses areas in which contradictory information was given during interviews,
or where the investigation has been unable to uncover an exact description <strong>of</strong> the incident, or
where causal relations seem to be present, although this cannot be documented.
In Chapters 6.1 and 6.2, the significance <strong>of</strong> various organizational changes is discussed on the
basis <strong>of</strong> an overall assessment. The PSA believes that reorganizations, use <strong>of</strong> consultants and
a change in the drilling contractor may have had an impact on inadequate prioritization <strong>of</strong>
resources in connection with the planning. Preparation <strong>of</strong> the program was not assigned high
status, and was not considered to be a critical activity to the necessary degree. Therefore, it
was never assigned priority, in spite <strong>of</strong> the fact that it involved work in a well with opening to
the reservoir.
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