No new facts have come to light that would indicate that the content and conclusions in the original investigation report following the fatal accident on Byford Dolphin in April are wrong.
The commission of inquiry has reviewed the documentation and the chain of events. New interviews have also been carried out to determine whether or not the working hour regulations were adhered to. In addition, the work tasks and pattern of work were mapped in connection with the deceased’s last stay on the drilling rig.
“When Statoil carries out an investigation the purpose is to map the chain of events and come up with effective preventive measures in order to avoid repetition, as well as to promote learning and improvement in the organisation,” says Geir Pettersen, vice president for safety.
“It was therefore important that the commission of inquiry had a mandate to carry out a fresh assessment of the incident in view of the information that has emerged in the Norwegian media relating to abnormally long working hours and a possible alternative chain of events,” adds Mr Pettersen.
He says that Statoil’s inquiry was independent of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate’s investigation and the police inquiries.