Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Research reports
Examines the offshore accident and incident statistics
(1996-2002) to compare Floating production storage and off-loading
unit (FPSO) records with those of other fixed installations in the
United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). Particular attention was
given to accidents and incidents attributable to adverse weather
and vessel motions, to assess FPSO susceptibility to these hazards.
States that FPSO specific incidents account for about 20% of the
total incidents on FPSOs. The results show that, broadly, 33% were
attributable to swivels or turrets, 22% arise from offloading
systems, 15% relate to adverse weather including wave loading
incidents and motion related incidents from collision, potential
collision and stability incidents, 10% arise from marine systems
and 9% arise from mooring and station keeping incidents. The total
population engaged in offshore operations has decreased from over
300,000 people in the early 1990s to around 23,000 in 2002. In
contrast, the FPSO/FSU population has increased to represent about
5% of the total. From 199-2002 the incident rate shows a downward
trend for both FPSOs and all installation types, and now broadly
the same incident rate. In earlier years the rate of dangerous
occurrences on FPSOs was higher than other installation
types.
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