Proposed amendments to various regulations concerning mobile offshore units.

Proposed Regulation concerning amendments to various regulations applicable to mobile offshore units

The proposed amendments relate to mobile offshore units and introduce a new section 6 c to the Regulations on the construction of mobile offshore units, setting out requirement for battery systems and electrochemical capacitor systems of 20 kWh or more per room, as well as provisions for the rooms in which these systems are installed. These amendments also necessitate adjustments in the Regulations on risk analysis for mobile offshore units and the Regulations on precautionary measures against fire and explosion on mobile offshore units.

In section 6, robustness requirements are proposed for jack-up units. These requirements are largely already covered by section 10 item 1.2, but are transferred to section 6 item 1.2 with minor adjustments to align with NORSOK N-003 regarding the combination of environmental loads. A new robustness requirement related to overturning moment is also proposed; however, this requirement will not be dimensioning for existing jack-up units. The amendments to sections 6.5.1 and 6.5.2 are intended to ensure compliance with the MODU Code for jacking systems.
Section 6 c proposes that battery systems and electrochemical capacitor systems shall be approved by an MOU classification society. The rules of the relevant classification society shall form the basis for the design, construction, certification, installation and testing of such systems of 20 kWh or more per room. For mobile offshore units that already have such systems installed, the requirements shall apply only upon replacement. The requirement in the second paragraph is intended to ensure that the battery room functions as a secondary barrier should the cabinet or modules fail. The use of closed cabinets allows for automated safety systems and enables personnel to distinguish between events requiring intervention and those that naturally cease without further development. In the fourth paragraph the detection system shall be customized to detect relevant gases that can appear from lithium-ion cells. The seventh paragraph specifies requirements for fire-extinguishing systems in rooms containing lithium-ion cells. Due to the high explosion risk associated with such fires, it is proposed that the battery room be equipped with both a fresh water-based and an inert gas fire-extinguishing system. This combination is intended to prevent the formation of an explosive atmosphere and to limit temperature increases, thereby avoiding escalation. The inert gas system shall be capable of automatic activation.
In section 11, amendments are proposed to harmonise with the Regulations of 18 March 2021 No. 815 on helicopter decks on mobile offshore units and the MODU Code. In the thirteenth paragraph, an additional requirement is introduced compared to paragraph 5.4.10 of the MODU Code. This requirement shall apply regardless of the generator’s capacity or start-up time. It is also proposed that the company’s risk assessment determine which consumers are connected to the transitional source, to avoid hazardous situations in the event of black out scenarios. In section 13, it is proposed to remove outdated requirements and to relax the placement requirements for navigation lights, to better accommodate jack-up units