Lloyd’s Register (LR) said it has been approved by the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) as a recognized classification society for the construction of mobile units in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), enabling LR to perform verification services for facilities within the NCS for mobile drilling, well-intervention, multi-use and certain types of mobile production.
The approval follows a change to section three of the Petroleum Safety Authority’s (PSA) framework HSE regulations, which now permits mobile units employed in petroleum activities on the NCS to be designed in accordance with relevant maritime requirements.
The PSA’s decision to list LR in its framework means LR can work with potential and existing international clients in the NCS area, the classification society said.
LR said it has recently completed a study with the PSA to assess the risk associated with different vessel operations in the petroleum activities on the NCS, finding that some of the activities in this area have the potential for major accidents with fatalities and/or serious injuries, or material damage with significant economic losses.
LR’s Department Manager, Alain Doumit said, “By working closely with the local government in Norway, we have actively built a strong relationship with the PSA and this long-term effort demonstrates that LR is a strategic, trustworthy partner that can deliver effective multi-service support.
“Our clients, international and local, will benefit from specialist support and greater choice as the market opens, particularly as the Norwegian Government is keen to encourage international players to begin exploration activity in the NCS,” Doumit said.