Two Equinor personnel have been injured from an explosion on the Heimdal platform in the North Sea on Thursday, the Norwegian energy company said.
There were 70 people on board the Equinor-operated platform when a portable nitrogen gas container exploded and was reported to the company’s emergency response center at 6:06 p.m. on November 28.
The two injured employees, a man (22) and a woman (19), were cared for by health personnel on board Heimdal and were transported by helicopter to Haukeland University Hospital and Stavanger University Hospital. One of the employees suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, and the other suffered physical injuries that are less severe.
“This is a serious work-related incident that has strongly affected all of us. Our main priority now is to keep following up and supporting our injured personnel and their next-of-kin. Their colleagues on Heimdal, where the incident occurred, are also being taken care of and we have sent extra personnel offshore to support them,” said Arne Sigve Nylund, executive vice president for Development and Production Norway.
He added that a controlled production shutdown on Heimdal is planned to ensure proper follow-up of personnel on board the platform.
Equinor said it is too early to say something about the cause of the incident. The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway and the police have traveled to the platform to start their investigations.
“We have also initiated an internal investigation and we are helping the police and other relevant authorities carry out their investigations in the best possible way,” Nylund said.