MAR Consulting performed a functional safety assessment (FSA) stage 2 for the operator of a subsea production system (SPS). The SPS will be installed and operated in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The FSA also included the SIS lifecycle phases typically assessed in an FSA stage 1. The scope was the subsea development design and boundaries towards the topside on the host platform. The scope of the assessment excluded topside tie-in modifications.
MAR Consulting acted as an independent assessor to ensure the design of the SIS meets the required risk reduction and is in compliance with the standards, Norwegian rules, regulations, and guidelines. The standards are the international functional safety standards IEC 61508, for SIS equipment vendors; and IEC 61511, specifically aimed at the process industry and particularly for designers and integrators. In Norway, it is typical to follow the guidelines from the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association (NOG) “Application of IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 in the Norwegian Petroleum Industry (Recommended SIL requirements)”, commonly known as NOG OLF-070. A new revision of NOG OLF-070 is available from June 2018, covering the latest modifications to IEC standards.
FSA stage 2 focuses on the design and engineering of the safety instrumented systems (SIS). To demonstrate compliance, MAR Consulting reviewed the relevant SIS lifecycle activities using FSA checklists developed from the requirements in the IEC 61511 standard and the NOG OLF-070.
The FSA stage 2 of the SPS identified minor findings, recommendations, observations, and holds. The engineering contractor shall follow them up prior to FSA stage 3 / project delivery to the operator.
MAR Consulting has extensive expertise with functional safety and has facilitated multiple FSAs in different project life cycles. Examples: FSA stage 3 – artificial lift modification project · MAR Consulting, FSA stage 1 of subsea well intervention system · MAR Consulting, FSA stage 2 of subsea production system · MAR Consulting, FSA stage 4 on long operating oil and gas asset · MAR Consulting, Functional safety assessment of automated safety system (marconsulting.no), FSA stage 1 of subsea production system · MAR Consulting.