PSA Investigates Floatel Superior Stability Incident (Norway) 

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway has demobilized the emergency center, set up yesterday following the Floatel Superior stability incident, the watchdog said on its website.

Set up in order to supervise Statoil’s management of the incident, the PSA emergency response team demobilized after concluding that the position in the area had been clarified.

The watchdog said that the response team initiated its investigation immediately after the emergency response center had been demobilized.

“It is too early to say at the moment when a report from this inquiry will be published,” the PSA added.

To remind, Statoil, operator of the Njord field in the Norwegian Sea, yesterday evacuated 336 people from the Floatel Superior accommodation rig following the rig’s tilting due to the ruptured ballast tank.

The ballast tank was damaged by an anchor which came loose from the bolster. The accommodation rig is owned by Floatel International, a Sweden-based company, and is operating some 70 km northwest of Kristiansund, providing accommodation and construction support for Statoil’s Njord A Floating Production Unit.

“The reason for the anchor coming loose is presently unknown and will be part of an investigation,”Floatel International said in a separate release.

Floatel Superior will commence transit voyage to Kristansund for repair of the damaged parts.

Offshore Energy Today Staff, November 8, 2012