Emergency preparedness work on the Norwegian Continental Shelf is based on a proactive approach and a well-established division of responsibilities between the tactical level in the first line, the operational level in the second line, and the strategic level in the third line.
This structure ensures effective handling of all emergency situations, from unwanted incidents such as personal injuries and vessels on a collision course to more prolonged events like oil spills.
However, when incidents grow in scale and duration, it becomes necessary to transition management and planning to a project organization tailored to the specific situation.
Common System, Shared Resource Pool
Oil spill response operations fall into this category. Operators on the Norwegian Continental Shelf already collaborate closely through NOFO (Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies) and recognize the great value of supporting each other with personnel and expertise – both domestically and internationally.
For this reason, operators have agreed on a shared management system for handling oil spill response operations, known as the Incident Command System (ICS). Each company has also committed to providing a number of trained specialists who can be made available to support one another in case of an emergency.
OFFB has contingency plans that ensure a smooth transition from a line organization to ICS and regularly conducts courses through its Competence Center.
Training Necessary to Maintain Competence
The methodology is also tested in major exercises, such as Exercise Draugen with OKEA and Exercise Tveegg with Aker BP. However, experience shows that these types of exercises require significant effort to prepare and execute. OFFB recognizes the need to establish a new training program.
Read also: Exercise Draugen
Read also: Exercise Tveegg (AkerBP.com)
Therefore, we are now preparing ICS training for personnel who have completed the ICS 100, ICS 200, and ICS 300 courses and need to maintain their competence.
The training sessions will span three days and include theoretical refreshers and role-specific training within the organization’s planning cycle – under expert guidance from trained emergency response personnel in OFFB’s organization.
- The training sessions are open to all OFFB members. The first session will take place from June 17–19, with additional sessions scheduled for September and November 2025, says Trond Gleditsch, Head of Training and Exercises at OFFB.
