The emphasis given by Statoil to encouraging a zero mindset on personnel injuries among its contractors is yielding results.
Rig owner Transocean is among the group's drilling and well technology contractors which can report better results for health, the environment and safety (HES).
So far this year, only one lost-time injury has been suffered on the five Transocean rigs being used by Statoil for its Ã…sgard, Gullfaks satellites and Norne projects off Norway.
This compares with a total of 12 such injuries registered at the same time in 1997.
Another case in point is Procon, which provides drilling services on the group's Troll A platform in the North Sea. Its employees have now completed 1,194 working days without a lost-time injury.
These results reflect the preventive measures instituted by Statoil's drilling and well technology (B&B) unit with its 11 suppliers, maintains HES manager Per Jørgen Østhus.
One example of such action is an HES course for managerial and supervisory personnel in this area. The B&B management has also visited the rigs and followed up work offshore.
In addition, regular meetings to exchange experience on HES measures are staged between Statoil and its contractors from both fixed and floating installations.
So far this year, a total of 17 lost-time injuries have been recorded for B&B's overall operations. This is on a par with results at the same time in 1997, says Mr Østhus.
But he is still hoping to come out below last year's 28 lost-time injuries for 1998 as a whole.
B&B is among the Statoil units which have to deal with a large number of contractors, he points out. Examples of other entities in the same position include the operation services unit.