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After ANP Analysis, The Oil Platform Had to Be Interdicted Due to The Risk of Leaking Hazardous Gases, Allowing for an Explosion
After an inspection of an oil platform in Espírito Santo, ANP (National Petroleum Agency) interdicted operations on the FPSO Cidade de Vitória. The unit presents several problems, including the risk of leaking hazardous gases at rates five times higher than those expected in the project, as well as failures in the communication systems with the onboard population.
According to the inspection and interdiction report from ANP, “various situations of imminent severe risk have been identified.” In a statement, the agency also declared that the oil platform, if in operation, could pose risks to the city of Vitória, such as “loss of containment, fires, and serious accidents.”
Oil Platform Interdicted in Espírito Santo with No Date to Resume Operations
The inspection of the platform in the city of Vitória took place from May 30 to June 3 of this year, with a notice of interdiction declaring that operations could only be resumed after all requirements set by ANP were met.
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“The operator (of the platform) may only resume production after proving compliance with the following notifications that were established and authorized by ANP,” states the text of the inspection report.
According to information from Petrobras’s website, the city of Vitória, in Espírito Santo, is located in the Golfinho field, about 50 kilometers off the state coast, along the shoreline between Greater Vitória and Aracruz.
Risks Identified on The Oil Platform in Espírito Santo
Non-Detection of Hazardous Gases: According to ANP’s interdiction document, approximately 90% of hazardous gas clouds are not detected by
the system installed on the FPSO Cidade de Vitória, Espírito Santo. It is shown that different gas cloud detection criteria are used on this platform compared to most oil platforms in the country, and although it is not against regulations, it results in less safe designs, requiring greater efficiency in primary containment by ensuring integrity, which is not happening.
Gas Leak: In 2020, it was identified on the Espírito Santo platform that “the actual leak rate is five times higher than expected in the project.” This fact was evidenced during the inspection, which revealed low integrity and severe corrosion in various pipelines. According to official estimates, the frequency of leaks should be one event every 1.2 years; however, in the first six months of 2019, there were 3 leaks, resulting in explosions and a fire jet, caused, according to the document, by lack of maintenance and lack of competency.
Communication System: The inspection of the oil platform also found that the system of the Espírito Santo unit is degraded, making it impossible to understand the messages sent, after various tests were conducted. Some failures in amplifiers and in the control room were also identified.
“Several tests were conducted, and some representatives of the Contract Operator, the Installation, and ANP, despite being attentive, could not understand the messages transmitted by the PA system,”
According to the inspection, the purpose of the alarm and warning system on the platform vessel is to reduce the risk of onboard personnel becoming confused during an incident and taking actions that could endanger themselves and others.
The resolution of this problem on the Espírito Santo oil platform, according to the document, is one of the conditions for the resumption of production of the FPSO Cidade de Vitória.
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