Russian Maritime Register of Shipping introduces new scheme of oil and gas equipment approval
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) introduces the new scheme of oil and gas equipment approval, RS says in a press release.
The relevant Circular letter is published at rs-class.org in the Online Information – RS Circulars section.
RS sorted all types of oil and gas equipment subject to survey into five groups ranking as per safety impact rate. Depending on the particular group and production volumes, RS introduced several approval modes. Key changes include empowering the manufacturer’s quality assurance unit to approve the products under certain groups and issue a declaration of conformity / draw up a certificate. Previously, RS introduced this scheme for marine equipment, materials and products and received early positive feedback from clients.
“We consider meeting the installed oil and gas equipment safety requirements at design, manufacturing and operation stages dramatically affects the safety of offshore oil and gas units as a whole. The change fully reflects our endeavor to optimise the approval procedures while keeping the commitment to high safety standards,” noted Head of the RS Offshore Oil and Gas Equipment Technical Supervision Department Pavel Agapov.
The new scheme is provided in the Rules for the Oil and Gas Equipment of Floating Offshore Oil and Gas Production Units, Mobile Offshore Drilling Units and Fixed Offshore Platforms.
The Rules reflect the requirements for the design and operation of field and auxiliary equipment for offshore oil and gas production, processing and offloading. The document is developed upon R&D with due consideration for real life survey experience during offshore oil and gas facilities design and construction as well as oil and gas equipment and gear industrial safety expertise.
Over the past year, the Rules integrated the following amendments: the new chapter Audit of Firms, containing the requirements for companies that carry out diagnostics, conversion, installation and maintenance of drilling and process equipment of FPSO/MODU/FOP; the new chapter Well Logging Hoists containing the requirements for the relevant technical particulars and scope of tests; the enhanced requirements for the pressure release and gas withdrawal systems; the new code Electrical Insulating Joints for piping systems.
The amendments take into account the requirements of the RF state oil and gas industry safety supervision authorities, international documents as well as industry standards (ISO, API, ASME, etc.).
“Enhancement of oil and gas production and transportation facilities safety level is ensured when complying with the requirements of international conventions, national regulatory and technical base. RS task is to consistently embrace these requirements in our Rules and Guidelines, offering integrated approach to the safety of all offshore development facilities,” said Head of the RS Offshore Oil and Gas Facilities Technical Supervision Division Sergey Balagura.
