Storting White Paper No. 7 (2001-2002) Chapter 4.12.2 relating to health, safety and environment in the petroleum activities states e.g. the following regarding maintenance management:
The authorities are of the opinion that it is necessary to further develop management models for operations and maintenance in cooperation with the industry in order to ensure a joint effort to strengthen the quality of maintenance in the petroleum activities through, for example, development of methods and technologies, competence enhancement and research.
Storting White Paper No. 12 (2005-2006) relating to health, safety and the environment in the petroleum activities emphasizes in Chapter 5.4 that deficient maintenance may increase the risk of major accidents, injuries/damage and incidents, and the White Paper refers to a rather comprehensive review of audit reports which shows a relatively high share of non-conformities in relation to the regulatory requirements.
These include deficient prioritizing of maintenance, evaluation of critical conditions, follow-up of temporary equipment, unsatisfactory documentation and outstanding maintenance of safety-critical equipment. In some cases, moreover, competence relating to maintenance management was inadequate.
Current requirements related to maintenance management are stipulated specifically in the Activities Regulations and the Management Regulations.
Purpose of the audit
The purpose of the audit was to investigate whether Talisman Energy conducts classification of equipment in concurrence with applicable regulatory requirements and recognized standards cf. Chapter IX of the Activities Regulations relating to maintenance, assess Talisman Energy’s use of this classification in the management of maintenance, and investigate the basis for analyses relating to maintenance decisions.
Result of the audit
The results are based on the presentation of elements in Talisman Energy’s management systems and interviews with selected personnel, primarily the owners of the maintenance process, with subsequent verification of governing documents and systems for conducting maintenance on the company’s existing facilities in Norway.
PSA noted that processes had been initiated to improve and optimize the company’s maintenance management, but Talisman Energy does not fulfill all the requirements of the maintenance regulations.
Most of PSA observations are characterized as non-conformities, ref. the classification in Chapter 5, and are grouped in the following main categories:
— Classification of systems and equipment.
— Use of classification as a basis for the selection and prioritization of maintenance.
— Maintenance efficiency.
— Maintenance status.
As PSA see the classification, it is rather difficult to form a correct picture of risk a decision basis for maintenance purposes, the extent of the maintenance needed, and the resources required. In addition, PSA observed one potential improvement item.
