Safetec, assisted by Preventor and Oslo Economics, has carried out a study for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in order to describe the expected new operational modes for the Norwegian sector, and the implications for use of construction and maintenance vessels in the petroleum activities. The study (in Norwegian only) also identifies the most essential effects for Health, Environment and Safety (HES).

Existing installations will dominate even in 2030, but the trend is that Normally Unmanned Installations (NUI) will have an increase in their presence. The overall effect is that the use of construction and maintenance vessels will increase in the coming years, due to increased number of NUI, extensive new subsea production as well as increase in decommissioning and removal of old installations.

The maritime crew members on the vessels follow maritime regulations. The rest, ie project staff and oil workers, are also mainly in compliance with maritime regulations, except divers, which are regulated by the petroleum regulations and the Working Environment Act. The regulation of non-maritime crew varies depending on the vessel’s flag state. There are different perceptions among industry actors about the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway’s authority to regulate and supervise, related to petroleum-related activities aboard the vessels. The report observes that increased use of vessels is challenging for a holistic governance approach and control of HES in the Norwegian petroleum activities.

The report proposes that consideration should be given to strengthening the authorities’ follow-up of the activities that the construction and maintenance vessels perform against petroleum activities, especially with regard to the work environment conditions of the project staff and the oil workers.