Greenland never relaxes safety requirements for oil drilling

Recently some media have alleged that Greenland relaxed safety rules in connection with oil exploration drilling in Greenland waters.

The following should be stressed in connection with these claims: Greenland imposes numerous and extensive safety requirements for offshore operations, including:

• To operate within the best international standards, including and primarily the Norwegian NORSOK standards, other North Sea standards as well as Arctic standards and regulations. These regulations are among the most stringent in the world.
• The presence of two drilling units in Greenland waters, so that, a relief well can be implemented immediately, if necessary.
• The most stringent requirements for the drilling units’ Blow Out Preventer (BOP) systems.
• Emergency response plans for managing e.g. oil spills, drilling relief wells, ice and iceberg management as well as for serious accidents.
• In addition to the company’s emergency response, each drilling unit and all support vessels must have prepared their own emergency response plans, which are linked directly to the company plans.
• Moreover, drilling units are required to have an approved Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) from the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway or a Safety Case from the British Health and Safety Executive. This is also required by the Norwegian and British petroleum authorities for drilling units.
• Greenland authorities conduct an active supervision and inspection policy to ensure that activities are executed in compliance with requirements and standards. This includes supervision of each drilling unit at least once a month, as well as every time a well is to be drilled and in connection with all well closures. The Greenland frequency of supervision is therefore much higher than seen elsewhere.
• The oil drilling rigs used in Greenland waters in 2011 have been specially designed to carry out drilling at significantly greater sea depths than are actually being drilled in Greenland. These rigs can drill down to about 2,200m and 3,000m. The drilling company Ocean Rig has conducted a total of 79 deepwater drilling operations.

“Greenland is leading the way in requirements for securing operations when drilling for oil and gas offshore Greenland. Therefore, it is incorrect when some media claim that Greenland is relaxing safety requirements in connection with oil drilling in Greenland waters”, said Ove Karl Berthelsen, Minister for Industry and Mineral Resources.

Furthermore, Greenland authorities are constantly monitoring new or revised international standards, acts and regulations. Greenland authorities are also in close contact with international, specialist companies regarding emergency response, general drilling operations and deepwater drilling.

“Finally, it must be kept in mind that actually deepwater drilling has been carried out since the accident in the Gulf of Mexico. In summer 2010, deepwater drilling was carried out offshore East Canada, in the Norwegian Sea and off the Faeroe Islands. This means that Naalakkersuisut’s approvals of exploration drilling are completely in line with those of our neighbours; our safety requirements are first class”, said Ove Karl Berthelsen