Each year, OFFB plans and carries out over 100 activities for our members. 2026 is no exception. Several exercises per week have already been scheduled for the first quarter.
Varied themesOperators in the petroleum industry are required to ensure that necessary training and exercises are conducted so that on-duty personnel are always capable of handling incidents.
Operatører innenfor petroleumsvirksomhet er pålagt å sikre at det utføres nødvendig trening og øving, slik at vaktgående personell til enhver tid er i stand til å håndtere hendelser.
“We see that our member companies are committed to exercising. But the frequency, format, and scenarios will vary,” says Trond Gleditsch, Head of Training and Exercises at OFFB.
Gleditsch has several years of experience in planning and conducting exercises and training sessions, both in the Armed Forces and for private companies.
Scenario selection — meaning the type of incident they want to train for — is often linked to different DFSAs (Defined Hazard and Accident Situations). DFSA is a key concept in risk management and emergency preparedness planning. The DFSAs within the energy and petroleum sector cover incidents with major accident potential, such as hydrocarbon leaks and well control events, in addition to personal injuries and work-related illness. (Source: Havtil.no) Source: Havtil.no ) Havtil.no )
“It may be a topic specifically related to an upcoming operation, or it may be something they haven’t exercised for in a while. In 2025, we held exercises on themes such as oil spill response and oil types, but also scenarios involving security, cyberattacks, and cooperation with other actors,” Gleditsch explains.
He highlights Harbour Energy as one of the OFFB operators that has chosen a systematic method to ensure that all on-duty personnel receive broad and regular training.
“Harbour has a series of exercises where they build on lessons learned each time. We also developed a specific exercise format where they trained on stakeholder follow-up and collaboration while an incident was unfolding. It was successful and very educational,” says Gleditsch.
In the first quarter, Harbour Energy will train on handovers between duty teams—meaning that one team comes in after a few hours and takes over incident management from the first team. This is particularly relevant for long-lasting incidents, something OFFB has its own project on through ICS training.
Read also: OFFB forbereder ICS-trening
Various exercises adapted to goals and scenario
The scope of the exercise determines how many people will participate and be evaluated. The shortest exercises are so-called tabletop exercises for reviewing bridging documents, with a focus on procedures and responsibilities related to notification routines during an emergency incident. In these exercises, the first line (platform manager) is often involved. The method is designed so that participants review the operation and planning documents together and then discuss actions and decisions based on input provided by the exercise leader.
Exercises are otherwise divided into different levels. The level indicates how many of the lines in the emergency organization participate. Level 1 means one line participates; level 2 means two lines are involved, for example second and third line.
Read also: Trening og øving i OFFB
The goal is always the same: Everyone on duty should feel confident that they can master their role.OFFB requires at least one exercise per quarter for duty personnel to remain eligible for duty.
How are exercises created?
Before the exercise, a scenario and a script are prepared reflecting the exercise goals. These go through several review stages to ensure relevance and realism.
“The scenario is often based on experience and real ‘near-miss incidents’. We want it to feel as relevant as possible,” Gleditsch says.
Those who will participate in the exercise control group or response cell are invited to a separate briefing before the exercise.
A dedicated observer closely monitors the exercise at both 2nd line (operational level) and 3rd line (strategic level). The overall goal is that the emergency organization handles the incident safely and effectively. After the exercise, observers and participants conduct a debrief. A written report summarizing key findings is also distributed afterwards.
“We have procedures and performance requirements that must be reflected in exercise objectives and thus in evaluations. The overarching goal is that everyone on duty feels confident that they can fill their role and do the job if the phone rings,” says Gleditsch.
