Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Installations Regulations

63 (1) Subject to subsection (2), every operator shall prepare, in respect of every installation, for approval pursuant to section 6 of the Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Drilling Regulations and subsection 51(1) of the Nova Scotia Offshore Area Petroleum Production and Conservation Regulations, an operations manual that contains the following data:

• (a) limitations on the operation of the installation and its equipment;

• (b) information as to environmental conditions at the site where the installation will be installed and the effect of those conditions on the installation, including

  • (i) environmental conditions for which an installation will be evacuated and the meteorological forecast following which such evacuation will be initiated,

  • (ii) the amount of snow and ice that may be allowed to accumulate on the installation,

  • (iii) the amount of marine growth that may be allowed to accumulate on the installation, and

  • (iv) for a mobile platform, any operating limits imposed by environmental conditions and the effect of wind, sea, snow, ice and marine growth on the strength, stability and seaworthiness of the platform while in transit, in the operating condition or in the survival condition;

• (c) for a fixed platform, the characteristics of the platform foundation, bottom penetration and the maximum permitted amount of scour or other changing seabed conditions;

• (d) for a mobile platform that is supported by the seabed,

  • (i) information concerning the different seabed conditions acceptable for the installation, including the varying capacity of the seabed, limiting values of seabed slope, and maximum and minimum penetrations of footings, and

  • (ii) a program for inspecting for scour at regular intervals and after storms of a specified intensity;

• (e) for a floating mobile platform, information concerning stability, including all data and instructions necessary to determine whether any intended configuration of, or change to, the loading or ballasting will satisfy the stability requirement for the platform;

• (f) information concerning permissible deck loads, variable load limits and preloading;

• (g) details of any colour coding system used on the installation for the safety of personnel;

• (h) information on corrosion protection systems used and any requirements for the safety and maintenance of the systems;

• (i) details of openings and means of closure in watertight compartments;

• (j) drawings that show

  • (i) the general arrangement of the deck structure, accommodation areas, helideck and equipment contained on the topside facilities,

  • (ii) for a fixed steel platform, the jacket, piling, risers and conductors,

  • (iii) for a gravity-base platform and a fill-retention platform, the lower concrete or steel platform including any skirt arrangements or piling, the deck structure connection to the lower structure, the risers and the conductors,

  • (iv) for a self-elevating mobile platform, the main and supporting platforms, the equipment for the elevating and lowering of the deck structure and any arrangements for towing,

  • (v) for a column-stabilized mobile platform, the main and support structure, the method for maintaining the station and arrangement for towing,

  • (vi) for a surface mobile platform and any similar-shaped platform, the hull structure and the positioning equipment,

  • (vii) for a fill platform, the erosion protection and a cross-section of the platform including the locations of the conductors,

  • (viii) the locations of escape routes, fixed fire- extinguishing systems and life-saving appliances,

  • (ix) the fire divisions and the location of associated equipment, such as fire dampers,

  • (x) the location of the hazardous areas on the installation, and

  • (xi) for a floating mobile platform, the ballast and bilge systems and all openings and means of closure that could affect the stability of the platform;

• (k) the operating and maintenance requirements for all the lifesaving appliances on the installation;

• (l) the maximum helicopter weight and wheel centres, and maximum size of the helicopter for which the helicopter deck on the installation has been designed, including the extent of the obstacle-free approach zone for the helicopter;

• (m) special arrangements or facilities for the inspection and maintenance of the installation, any equipment or plant, and any crude oil storage facilities on or in the installation;

• (n) special precautions or instructions to be followed when repairs or alterations to the installation are to be carried out;

• (o) any special operational or emergency requirements covering essential features of the installation, including the shutdown systems;

• (p) a description of any equipment for elevating and lowering the installation and of any special types of joints, including details of their purpose, proper operation and maintenance;

• (q) for a fixed platform, details of the air gap or freeboard;

• (r) for a mobile platform, the means of ensuring that the air gap requirements determined in accordance with subsection 50(1) are met;

• (s) the environmental loads the anchors can sustain to keep the installation moored in place, including the estimated holding power of the anchors in relation to the soil at the drill site or production site;

• (t) for a floating platform,

  • (i) procedures for dealing with the excursion of the platform because of the failure of any anchor line, as determined by analysis,

  • (ii) where there is a thruster-assisted mooring system, procedures to control operations when thruster power is lost, and

  • (iii) where there is a dynamic positioning system, a description of the capability of that system in all operational and survival conditions within stated tolerances, when any single source of thrust has failed and full power is being supplied for all foreseeable operations and emergency services;

• (u) details of the number of persons to be accommodated during normal operations;

• (v) brief particulars of all the equipment on the installation, including flow sheets and instructions for the installation, operation and maintenance of the equipment;

• (w) the procedure for preparing, and the description and format for, periodic reports concerning the integrity of the installation; and

• (x) a procedure for notifying the Chief of any situation or event described in section 67.

(2) The part of the operations manual relating to the subsea production system shall comply with the requirements of sections 7.4 and 7.5 of American Petroleum Institute RP 17A, Recommended Practice for Design and Operation of Subsea Production Systems.