The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) has fined ExxonMobil Canada Ltd. after a chain dropped on an offshore drill rig back in November.
The near-miss on the Noble Regina Allen rig was reported on Nov. 5, 2018. A safety officer with the regulator confirmed that a 15-metre chain, along with a swivel and shackle that had a combined weight of 225 pounds, fell onto the deck in the derrick area.
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No one was injured, but there were five workers in the area at the time, according to the CNSOPB. Operations on some non-producing wells at the Sable Offshore Energy Project were suspended as a result of the incident.
In a news release Tuesday, the CNSOPB found the equipment used in a lifting operation involving the Noble Regina Allen drilling unit was “not maintained and operated in a manner that prevented the incident.”
“The operator shall ensure that all wells, installations, equipment and facilities are designed, constructed, tested, maintained and operated to prevent incidents and waste under the maximum load conditions that may be reasonably anticipated during any operation,” the release from the CNSOPB reads.
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The board says “significant effort” has been made to ensure corrective actions were developed to address the root cause of the incident and prevent similar incidents in the future.
“These included enhanced quarantine practices for loose lifting gear, additional training on safe lifting practices and a number of other measures, which strengthened the overall safety management system,” according to the CNSOPB.
The CNSOPB issued a notice of violation to ExxonMobil on July 12, 2019, and the $40,000 fine was paid by ExxonMobil on Monday.
— With files from the Canadian Press
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