Hydrocarbon gas release (riser bundle) underdeck

Cause & Consequence

• Uncontrolled release of a flammable gas or liquid

Incident Location

Fixed Installation

Incident Activity

Production operations

Specific Incident Equipment

Well Systems, SubSurface [SS]: Production Riser [PR] - Riser bundle

Lessons Identified

Installation of Passive Fire Protection (PFP) on risers should be robust against the corrosion under insulation threat.

Both PFP performance standard and riser inspection work instructions should provide specific guidance for inspection of PFP and follow-up in case of cracking.

Management of change should be improved to ensure that all relevant Standards, specific PS, effective communication of roles and responsibilities as well as awareness of associated links to other departments are available to the new personnel completing the inspection strategy and tasks.

Responsible engineers and/or inspectors for riser integrity should be sufficiently trained and competent to be able to access the condition of PFP on the riser and the need for remedial action.

Incident Recommendations

Ensure performance standards for passive fire protection specifically cover water ingress and cover specifically all the locations on each installation when PFP is in use.

Review existing inspection management process with Pipelines, Inspection, Technical Safety, Structural and Material and Corrosion departments to develop a Corrosion under Insulation/ Passive Fire Protection on Risers Inspection Management process.

Develop clear criteria for risk based planning including guidance on how to determine riser criticality to harmonise inspection frequencies.

Consider whether Risk Based Inspection is adequate or would there be benefits to Time Based Inspection.