Yrjan Bamberg successfully completed his check-out exercise on April 29, 2025, earning a "pass" and officially joining the duty rotation as one of six 2nd-line Chiefs of Staff.
Bamberg began his role at OFFB on January 2, 2025, having previously served as a Project Manager at Canon Norway. Prior to that, he held various positions at Avarn Security Norway and Securitas Norway, and spent over six years in the Armed Forces, where he served as a sergeant in the electronic warfare division.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in digital forensics and, in addition to his role as Chief of Staff in the 2nd line, serves as OFFB’s Subject Matter Expert for ICT and Cyber Security. This responsibility also includes acting as a resource for OFFB’s member companies in these areas.
Comprehensive Training Programme
“All newly appointed Chiefs of Staff and Emergency Response Managers at OFFB undergo a thorough training programme. This includes an in-depth introduction to our operational plans, familiarization with the operators we support, current operations, and our systems — including CIM and best practices for incident management,” says Trond Gleditsch, Head of Training and Exercises at OFFB.
The training programme includes several functional training sessions, during which Bamberg completed the tasks outlined in various best practices.
He then participated in five exercises, initially shadowing experienced Chiefs of Staff to observe how they carried out their responsibilities. Afterward, the roles were reversed — Bamberg took the lead role, while the seasoned Chiefs of Staff acted as observers and mentors.
The final exam exercise was conducted with a full 2nd line duty team and a reinforced acting staff, including an experienced platform manager who presented Bamberg with a realistic incident scenario to manage.
No Shortcuts Taken
Throughout the entire exercise, Bamberg was closely observed and assessed by Head of Planning and Emergency Response, Ann Christin Auestad, and Managing Director Ole Jacob Haug.
A passing result is never guaranteed. If any aspect falls short, further training is required. In the emergency response room, the mission is to protect life and health, the environment, and significant material assets. That’s why we take no shortcuts and never compromise on quality or safety.
Emergency Preparedness Is a Discipline That Requires Maturity
“This time, the training period lasted a little over four months. We could have completed it in a shorter time. However, emergency response is a discipline that requires maturity. It’s important to allow enough time for reflection and to truly internalize what’s being learned,” says Gleditsch.
Bamberg agrees.
“Oil and gas is a completely new field for me, and there’s a lot to get familiar with — including a very specific terminology. I find it incredibly engaging.”
“In addition to the skilled colleagues I work with every day here at OFFB, I really value the dialogue with the offshore installation managers on the installations we’re actually on call for. The combination of training, exercises, education, and ongoing dialogue gives me a strong sense of readiness for managing real incidents when the duty phone rings,” says Yrjan.
