Scotland-based offshore drilling company Odfjell Drilling The company received an order from Norway’s Maritime Safety Regulatory Authority, which investigated an accident resulting in the injury of a semi-submersible platform deployed on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).
The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) looked into the accident at Odfjell Drilling Deep Sea North Cape The semi-submersible excavator, which occurred on October 8, 2025, in which a person was injured during the lifting process. At the time of the accident, the rig was conducting drilling and completion operations at the site Simra field For Aker BP. Activities included handling the logging tool which was to be moved from the platform to the pipe deck using the right marine articulated crane.
Three people were directly involved in the accident: the crane operator and two deck operators, who worked as signaller and slinger, respectively. The logging tool, weighing 2.67 tons and 11.81 meters long, swung uncontrollably during the lifting process and struck the deck operator, who acted as a sling, in the chest area.
The deck operator was seriously injured and airlifted to shore by SAR for medical treatment. The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority explained that the deck operator was hit by a logging tool and suffered a fracture in his arm and several ribs. The person also suffered internal injuries. The accident did not result in any material damage or environmental pollution.
Based on the regulator’s data, the accident could have resulted in more serious injuries or death under slightly different circumstances. It turned out that the direct cause of the accident was the lack of complete control over the load during the lifting process, while the injured deck operator was standing in the path of the load, and in some cases, directly under it. As a result, the person was struck by the load while the crane operator was trying to regain control.
The investigation identified serious regulatory violations. Hence, the regulatory body issued an order to the company. The basic causes of the accident entail an overview of stock and inventory, lack of experience and expertise in external organization, delivery, planning and implementation of the lifting operation, work permits, special organization follow-up, and safety culture.
In addition, four non-conformities were identified, including planning and execution of the lifting operation, transfer of information on shift and crew change, handling of risk and accident situations, and follow-up. Due to the serious regulatory violations identified, the regulator issued an order to Odfjell Drilling requiring the company to identify reasons for non-compliance with requirements for jacking operations, including competency and training requirements.
The drilling rig owner was also ordered to implement procedures to ensure compliance with the lifting process requirements, determine the reasons for non-compliance with the requirements for delivery meetings and lifting operations planning, and establish measures to ensure compliance with the requirements for delivery meetings and lifting operations planning.
The Company has also been asked to review the process to ensure that the follow-up activities described in the governing documents have been planned and implemented in an appropriate and risk-based manner, and to evaluate the measures, along with the impact of the measures described in clauses two, four and five.
The deadline to comply with the first five parts of the order is June 1, 2026. Haftel requested a meeting by June 5, 2026 to present findings and proposed measures. The deadline to comply with the final provision is October 2, 2026, with a request to schedule a meeting with the regulator by October 9, 2026 to present the findings.
The 2019-built Deepsea Nordkapp, formerly known as Stena Midmax, is a sixth-generation, dynamically positioned harsh environment, winterized semi-submersible of the algae-reinforced CS 60E design, which the offshore drilling contractor acquired from Samsung Heavy in April 2018.
Odfjell Drilling was among the three offshore drilling contractors to do so Won drilling and well alliance deals With Aker BP in January 2023 to undertake drilling activities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The Deepsea Nordkapp platform mission, which was scheduled to be completed at the end of 2024, has been completed. For long periods To run for another two years.
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